Baltimore Beatdown
Two AFC North teams faced off in Week 15 with their seasons on the line, which the other two faced opponents on opposite ends of the standings. Here’s how the division’s games played out:
The Steelers kept their one-game lead in the division with a 28-15 win in the frigid cold of Pittsburgh over the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football.
Aaron Rodgers was efficient through the air, completing 23 of 27 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns on the night. DK Metcalf was his leading receiver as the duo connected three times for 55 yards and a touchdown. Metcalf tossed aside former Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick on the scoring play. Kenneth Gainwell led the ground attack with 80 yards on 13 carries while adding another 46 receiving yards on seven catches for 126 total yards.
The Steelers’ defense stepped up without T.J. Watt, who was inactive following surgery to repair a partially collapsed lung. The unit held the Dolphins to just three points for the majority of the contest until Miami led a pair of touchdown drives in the fourth quarter, with the game already out of reach. Pittsburgh’s defense sacked Tua Tagovailoa four times without Watt while also adding an interception courtesy of Asante Samuel Jr.
The Ravens snapped a two-game losing skid with a 24-0 shutout over the Bengals in Week 15.
While the story of the game was the shutout performance by Baltimore’s defense, the offense did its part through the air and on the ground. Lamar Jackson looked more like his usual self on Sunday after an uncharacteristic slump since returning from injury. Jackson completed eight of just 12 pass attempts for 150 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. The interception went right off Zay Flowers’ hands, who otherwise had a solid day with a team-leading 68 receiving yards and a touchdown on three catches. Derrick Henry ripped off multiple impressive runs, finishing with 100 yards on 11 carries.
The Ravens’ defense frustrated Joe Burrow throughout the game with a combination of pressure and strong coverage in the secondary, forcing him into two interceptions, the second of which was returned for a 68-yard touchdown. Kyle Van Noy made the initial interception but handed the ball to Alohi Gilman to finish the return. Not everything was positive for Baltimore’s defense, however, as Teddye Buchanan suffered a torn ACL. The fourth-round rookie has been a starter at inside linebacker for the Ravens and will now be replaced by third-year linebacker Trenton Simpson.
Cincinnati’s season was effectively ended this past Sunday as their 24-0 loss to Baltimore officially knocked them out of playoff contention.
Joe Burrow and the Bengals’ offense struggled heavily against the Ravens, failing to reach the end zone once after scoring 32 points against them just a few weeks prior on Thanksgiving. Burrow finished the day with 25 completions on 39 attempts for 225 yards, zero touchdowns, and two...
