PITTSBURGH — Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens continue to struggle against the Pittsburgh Steelers, unable to secure a victory in their latest clash. The Steelers’ defense effectively contained Jackson and the league’s top offense, leading to an 18-16 win that saw Chris Boswell tie a franchise record with six field goals.
“We often start slowly. We have been plagued by penalties and turnovers,” Jackson stated. “In games like this, in this kind of atmosphere, we can’t afford that. It’s crucial since it’s a divisional matchup.” The Steelers have maintained a strong hold over the Ravens, winning seven of their last eight encounters. Each of the last nine matchups has been settled by a margin of seven points or less, demonstrating the intensity of this rivalry.
Jackson, along with Derrick Henry and the rest of the offense, struggled against the resolute Pittsburgh defense. Baltimore’s performance dipped to its season low for points and total yards at 329, disrupted by a combined total of 12 penalties and three turnovers, each contributing to Boswell’s scoring opportunities.
During the game, Jackson completed 16 of 33 passes for 207 yards, while tossing one touchdown and one interception. He connected with Zay Flowers for a 16-yard touchdown with just over a minute remaining, narrowing the score, but the two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful. Although Henry managed to tie a franchise record by scoring his 15th rushing touchdown of the season, he was limited to just 65 yards and was not on the field for the critical conversion try.
“Our defense played remarkably today,” Jackson remarked. “They managed to hold an impressive offense to just 18 points, while we could only put up 16. We’ve been scoring so much this season; it’s frustrating.” The Steelers appear to be one of the few teams that consistently pose a challenge for Jackson. Despite leading the league in quarterback rating and touchdown passes while orchestrating one of the most dynamic offenses, Jackson’s record against the Steelers stands at 1-4 as the starting quarterback. He has garnered two NFL MVP awards but has fewer victories against Pittsburgh than accolades.
A pivotal fourth-quarter interception by linebacker Payton Wilson added to the Ravens’ struggles. With the Steelers ahead 15-10, the Ravens forced a turnover when Marlon Humphrey intercepted Russell Wilson in the end zone. Following a 25-yard run from Jackson, a 15-yard gain intended for Henry was negated by an ineligible receiver penalty.
On the ensuing play, Wilson intercepted Jackson, and Boswell capitalized on the opportunity with a 50-yard field goal, extending Pittsburgh’s lead to 18-10.
“The penalties ultimately set us back too much,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh commented. The team’s issues began early, with Henry fumbling on the game’s second play, followed by Justin Tucker missing two field goals consecutively later in the first quarter. This marked Tucker’s first game with missed kicks since 2022.
“It’s disheartening,” Tucker expressed. “Especially knowing that games like this often come down to the wire. I should have made those.” Boswell delivered a couple of critical field goals, including a 32-yarder resulting from Henry’s fumble and a 52-yarder in the second quarter.
Later in the second quarter, Henry led a six-play, 80-yard drive that gave the Ravens a brief lead. However, Boswell responded with his third field goal of the half from 32 yards, benefiting from a fumble by Isaiah Likely that was forced by former Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen.
“It feels as though we were making progress, and then setbacks occurred,” Jackson reflected, summarizing a disappointing day for his team.