By Alice Iverson | January 5, 2026
PITTSBURGH — For the second consecutive season, the Baltimore Ravens' playoff hopes died on the turf of Acrisure Stadium. In a dramatic Week 18 finale with the AFC North title on the line, kicker Tyler Loop's 44-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right as time expired, handing the Pittsburgh Steelers a 26-24 victory and the division crown on January 4, 2026.
The loss eliminated the Ravens (8-9) from postseason contention and cemented a disappointing end to a season that began with championship aspirations. The Steelers (9-7), conversely, clinched the North and a home playoff game.
Quarterback Lamar Jackson, playing through a back contusion that limited him in practice all week, fought valiantly. He completed 22 of 38 passes for 245 yards and two touchdowns, including a clutch 12-yard strike to Zay Flowers that gave Baltimore a 24-23 lead with just over four minutes remaining. However, the Steelers drove downfield to set up a go-ahead field goal, leaving the Ravens 1:23 to answer.
Jackson engineered a final drive, moving the team from its own 25-yard line to the Pittsburgh 26. With three seconds left, head coach John Harbaugh—coaching what would be his final game for the Ravens—sent out the rookie kicker Loop for the potential game-winner. The kick had the distance but hooked just outside the right upright, sending the Steelers into celebration and the Ravens into a silent, stunned offseason.
"The margin in this league is so small," a dejected Jackson said post-game. "We fought, we put ourselves in position, but we didn't finish. It hurts." The Ravens' defense struggled to contain Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett, who threw for 278 yards and two scores.
The game was a microcosm of the Ravens' 2025 season: moments of brilliance from Jackson, defensive lapses at inopportune times, and critical special teams execution deciding their fate. The 8-9 record marks the team's first losing season since 2017 and the end of the Harbaugh era.