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Lions’ playoff hopes fade after gut-wrenching loss vs. Steelers

USA TODAY Sports’ Prince Grimes ‘overreacts’ to some of the best games from Sunday’s Week 16 slate.

The Baltimore Ravens‘ playoff chances are on life support after John Harbaugh’s squad lost 28-24 to the New England Patriots on “Sunday Night Football” in Week 16.

The Ravens had a chance to win Sunday’s contest. They had an 11-point lead early in the fourth quarter after Derrick Henry punched in his second touchdown of the game. It looked like the team was going to be able to withstand a back injury that prematurely ended Lamar Jackson‘s evening and stay within striking distance of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North race.

Instead, Drake Maye led the Patriots to a fourth-quarter comeback. He led the team on back-to-back touchdown drives before a K’Lavon Chaisson forced fumble allowed New England to run the clock out on Baltimore and push the Ravens to the brink of elimination.

The Ravens now have just one path into the NFL playoffs. They need to win both of their remaining games while also seeing the Steelers lose in Week 17 to a Cleveland Browns team with a 3-12 record.

Meanwhile, the Patriots have wrapped up their first playoff berth since 2021. They are back in the race for the AFC’s No. 1 seed and are maintaining a one-game lead on the Buffalo Bills in the tight AFC East race.

Even better, Drake Maye continues to play at an MVP level. The 23-year-old quarterback posted a career-high 380 passing yards in the “SNF” victory and appears ready to give New England a chance to earn its first playoff win since Tom Brady was the team’s quarterback.

USA TODAY Sports provided updates, highlights, injury updates stats and more from the “Sunday Night Football” matchup below.

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Drake Maye has a more-than-legitimate MVP case. Will Maye be able to unseat Matthew Stafford atop the MVP race? Maybe not, but the 23-year-old certainly represents the veteran starter’s top competition. Maye recorded a career-high 380 passing yards in New England’s win and was hyper-efficient in the fourth quarter after a rocky, early-game showing. His pocket presence, poise and downfield accuracy make him one of the hardest quarterbacks to stop. Maye has achieved this with a weaker supporting cast than Stafford, so it will be fun to see how the MVP debate unfolds, especially if the Patriots can earn the AFC’s No. 1 seed.Patriots running game is thin without TreVeyon Henderson. Henderson suffered a head injury in the first half of Sunday’s game. He did not return, and his status moving forward is in doubt. After Henderson left the game, Rhamondre Stevenson was the only back to handle carries. D’Ernest Johnson, who has just four carries on the season, is the lone other running back on the roster. Henderson may be fine by the time the Patriots get to the postseason, but it might behoove the team to add another veteran running back option to its organization, just in case the rookie’s absence is longer than expected. They already tried to do that with Craig Reynolds before he landed on injured reserve, so a similar move would make sense.The Ravens are probably toast without Lamar Jackson. Tyler Huntley is a solid backup but is he the type of quarterback that can lead a team to back-to-back wins over playoff-caliber teams? Like the Ravens, the Packers and Steelers are sitting on the fringes of the NFL’s playoff picture, so they are beatable. That said, each team sports a solid defense that will make life more difficult for Huntley than it would for Jackson. The Ravens already need help from the Steelers to get into the postseason anyway, but they could find themselves floundering to the finish of a disappointing season Saturday against the Packers if Jackson isn’t able to suit up.The NFL needs to address its inconsistent enforcement of pass interference. The officials largely called a clean game on “Sunday Night Football” until a baffling no-call on Marlon Humphrey on the Patriots’ go-ahead touchdown drive. Humphrey tackled Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte on a deep pass from Drake Maye, as the veteran cornerback lost his balance. Despite this, the officials did not flag Humphrey for a penalty; instead, they ruled the play an incomplete pass. The play ultimately didn’t affect the game’s outcome, as the Patriots rebounded from the non-call to score the go-ahead touchdown, but it highlights the NFL’s major issue with consistency in pass interference calls. Allowing for help from the booth could help ensure these obvious PI calls don’t go unnoticed.

No, the Ravens are not eliminated from playoff contention yet. Baltimore has a 11% chance of making the playoffs after its “Sunday Night Football” loss to the New England Patriots, according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats. The Ravens entered the contest with a 24% chance to make the postseason while a win would have improved their odds of winning the AFC North to 33%.

31-of-44 (70.4% completion rate)380 passing yards2 passing touchdowns1 interception102.5 passer rating10 rushing attempts25 rushing yards0 rushing touchdowns9 receptions (10 targets)138 receiving yards0 touchdowns18 rushing attempts128 rushing yards2 rushing touchdowns9-of-10 (90% completion rate)65 passing yards0 passing touchdowns0 interceptions93.8 passer rating2 rushing attempts2 rushing yards0 rushing touchdowns

Flowers was trying to weave his way through New England’s defense when Chaisson chased him down from behind. The former first-round pass rusher managed to punch the ball out of Flowers’ hands and the Patriots jumped on it, creating a turnover.

The Ravens still have all three timeouts left, so the game isn’t yet over. That said, the Patriots can all but run out the game if they can get a first down.

The Patriots bounced back from the controversial non-call and mounted a go-ahead touchdown drive. Stevenson was able to cap it off with a 21-yard run to get into the end-zone and put New England up four points.

The Ravens will have 2:07 left in regulation to mount a late comeback. They will need a touchdown to win and stay in control of their path to a potential playoff berth in the AFC North.

Patriots 28, Ravens 24

It appeared like Drake Maye was going to have a long completion to wide receiver Kayshon Boutte. However, Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey tackled the downfield threat before the ball arrived, forcing the pass to be incomplete.

The officials did not flag Humphrey for pass interference despite the obvious infraction, which was clear-cut, according NBC’s officiating analyst Terry McAulay. That put the Patriots behind the sticks.

The Patriots quickly answered the Ravens’ recent score by finding Williams open down the sideline. The rookie had a bit of space toward the sideline on Marlon Humphrey, and Maye lofted the ball perfectly over the Washington State product’s shoulder.

Williams managed to make a nice catch, getting his feet down before going out of bounds, to cut the Ravens’ lead to one score. Maye then found Rhamondre Stevenson for an easy two-point conversion pass, so the Patriots are now trailing 24-21 with 9:01 left in the fourth quarter.

The Ravens made the Patriots pay for their ill-fated fake punt decision. Baltimore was able to cover 45 yards over seven plays thanks largely to 32 yards from Henry, who punched in a 2-yard score to give Baltimore a two-possession lead.

Henry has now racked up 128 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries, with his lone blemish being a lost fumble. He has been the Ravens’ best offensive player and has helped compensate for the loss of Lamar Jackson.

Tyler Loop made the extra point to put the Ravens up 24-13 with 12:50 remaining in regulation.

The Ravens have officially ruled Jackson out for the remainder of Sunday’s game because of a back injury.

Mike Vrabel broke into his bag of tricks late in the third quarter, dialing up a fake punt on fourth-and-10.

The Patriots snapped the ball to personal protector Marte Mapu, a linebacker, and he appeared to be looking to pass the ball. He ultimately didn’t, as his top target was covered, and tried to run for the first down. Instead, he failed to gain a yard, fumbled and gave the ball to the Ravens on their side of midfield.

The Ravens will now look to score again, leading 17-13 with time winding down in the third quarter.

The Ravens scored their first touchdown since their opening drive late in the third quarter. John Harbaugh and Todd Monken dialed up a rare running play for wide receiver Zay Flowers, who made a nice cut at the point of attack to set up his blockers before scampering into the end-zone for his second score in as many weeks.

Tyler Loop made the extra point, and the Ravens are now leading 17-13.

The Patriots are back on top. After Tyler Loop missed his field goal attempt, Drake Maye quickly got New England into scoring range. He couldn’t quite connect with Rhamondre Stevenson on a potential touchdown pass, but Borregales was able to make his 41-yard field goal to put the Patriots up.

New England is now leading 13-10 with 7:43 left in the third quarter.

The Ravens took the field for their first drive of the second half with Tyler Huntley still quarterbacking the team. “Snoop” was able to get the team on the edge of Loop’s field goal range, so John Harbaugh decided to let the rookie attempt a career-long 56-yard kick with the team facing a fourth-and-9.

Loop’s kick was accurate, but it came up short of the target. The game remains tied at 10, and the Patriots will now start their next drive near midfield after Loop’s miss.

The Patriots announced Henderson has been ruled out for the remainder of the game because of a head injury.

Tyler Huntley is the Ravens’ backup quarterback. The 27-year-old veteran is in his third stint with the team and was elevated into the backup role after Cooper Rush struggled in place of Jackson earlier in the season.

Huntley won his lone start for the team this season and has completed 73% of his passes for 254 yards and a touchdown. He has a career record of 6-9 in 15 starts and has completed 65.2% of his career passes for 3,040 yards, 12 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Both New England and Baltimore have had spurts of success moving the ball, but turnovers have plagued both teams. Drake Maye notably recorded two in scoring range while Derrick Henry’s fumble led to the Patriots’ lone touchdown of the first half.

The bigger story of the first half, however, is Lamar Jackson’s health. He suffered a back injury at the end of the first frame, and if he can’t continue, the Ravens will have to rely on Tyler “Snoop” Huntley to lead them to a needed victory as they remain behind in the AFC North standings.

The Patriots are dealing with a key injury of their own, as running back TreVeyon Henderson banged his head on the turf in the first half and hasn’t yet returned.

The Ravens quarterback suffered a back injury at the end of the first half. It occurred after he ran for three yards on a first-down carry after the two-minute warning, when the 28-year-old quarterback slid to the ground.

Jackson stayed in the game for the second-down play, a hand-off to backup running back Keaton Mitchell. However, the Ravens called a timeout following that play, and Jackson walked to the sideline to be examined by Baltimore’s medical staff.

Jackson was examined briefly on the sideline before being taken to the locker room. The Ravens announced Jackson is “questionable” to return because of a back injury.

The Patriots rookie running back was injured in the second quarter. He exited the game after he was tackled following a 1-yard gain on first down by Ravens safety Alohi Gilman. He was examined in the blue medical tent before going to the locker room. The Patriots have not provided an update on Henderson’s condition.

The Patriots are now leading 10-7 after Borregales finished off the team’s latest drive with a made field goal. The Ravens will look to answer with 5:39 left in the first half.

The Patriots made Derrick Henry pay for his fumble. Maye connected on a 26-yard pass to backup tight end Austin Hooper that got New England to the 1-yard line. New England then ran hard play-action on first-and-goal, and Maye found Hunter Henry wide-open off it on a bootleg to his right.

Andy Borregales connected on the extra point to make it 7-all early in the second quarter.

Ravens 7, Patriots 7

The Ravens cannot tie the Steelers in the AFC North standings in Week 16, as Pittsburgh managed to beat the Detroit Lions earlier on Sunday. That said, if the Ravens beat the Patriots, they will have a chance to move into a tie with the Steelers in Week 17, if things break their way. 

If that happens, Pittsburgh would still be in control of the division, as the Steelers own a head-to-head win over the Ravens. That said, the two teams are set to play again in Week 18, so Baltimore will have a chance to render that tiebreaker null.

The Patriots and Ravens have traded turnovers. Henry had the ball punched out of his hands by safety Jaylinn Hawkins just as Baltimore was nearing field goal range. Craig Woodson recovered and the Patriots will get a chance to mount another drive.

The Patriots and Bills are engaged in a tough, head-to-head battle for the AFC East title. New England entered Week 16 with a one-game advantage in the division, but a loss against Baltimore would drop the Patriots into a tie with the Bills atop the division.

Which team would top the division if the two end up tied? Presently, the Patriots own the tiebreaker over the Bills, as New England sports a better divisional record (3-1) than Buffalo (3-2).

That would leave the Patriots in control of their own destiny over the final two weeks of the season, even with a loss against the Ravens.

The Patriots got into scoring range and appeared ready to answer the Ravens with at least a field goal. 

However, on a third-and-14, Maye scrambled away from a sack and heaved a pass downfield in the direction of Kayshon Boutte. Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey was able to make a diving catch to reel in the pass, giving Baltimore the ball back on its own 4-yard line.

The Ravens didn’t waste much time getting their offense going. They marched 65 yards over five plays to open the game before Henry found a wide-open lane on a counter play and was able to motor into the end zone untouched.

Tyler Loop made the extra point, and the Ravens are leading 7-0 early in the first quarter.

After the Steelers beat the Lions earlier in the day on Sunday, the Ravens have an estimated 24% chance to make the playoffs, according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats. Baltimore’s chances of making the postseason will improve to 33% with a win over the Patriots and would shrink to just 8% with a loss.

What TV channel is the Ravens vs Patriots game on?

The Week 16 “Sunday Night Football” matchup will air on NBC.

What time is the Ravens-Patriots game?

The Ravens and Patriots are set for kickoff at 8:20 p.m. ET. The Patriots travel to M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland for the matchup.

Ravens vs Patriots stream

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Ravens vs Patriots picks, predictions

Here’s how the USA TODAY Sports staff feels the Ravens vs. Patriots matchup will play out:

Jarrett Bell: Ravens, 24-22Nick Brinkerhoff: Ravens, 30-24Chris Bumbaca: Ravens, 27-23Nate Davis: Patriots, 24-23Tyler Dragon: Ravens, 28-27Mike Middlehurst-Schwartz: Patriots, 28-27Ravens vs Patriots odds, moneyline, O/U

National Football League odds courtesy of BetMGM. Odds updated Sunday at 7:34 a.m. ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub.

Spread favorite: Ravens (-3)Moneyline: Ravens (-180), Patriots (+150)Total: 49 points

The temperature is expected to be 33 degrees around kickoff in Baltimore. There is no snow or precipitation of any kind in the forecast. Winds will be calm.

QB Cooper Rush (emergency third QB)CB Chidobe AwuzieWR Tylan WallaceT Joseph NoteboomDL C.J. OkoyeDL Aeneas PeeblesQB Tommy DeVito (emergency third QB)LB Robert Spillane (ankle)OT Marcus BryantTE CJ DippreWR Efton Chism

The Ravens entered Week 16 one game behind the Steelers in the win column, but Pittsburgh was able to beat the Detroit Lions to move further ahead of Baltimore. The Steelers already have a head-to-head win over the Ravens too, so Baltimore has little room for error down the stretch of the season.

Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6, 3-1 AFC North)Baltimore Ravens (7-7, 3-2)Cincinnati Bengals (6-10, 3-2)Cleveland Browns (3-13, 0-4)

The Patriots enter tonight’s game in first place in the AFC East. Here’s the division standings entering “Sunday Night Football”:

New England Patriots (11-3)Buffalo Bills: (11-4)Miami Dolphins (6-9)New York Jets (3-12)Denver Broncos (12-3, AFC West leaders)*New England Patriots (11-3, AFC East leaders)Jacksonville Jaguars (11-4, AFC South leaders)Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6, AFC North leaders)Los Angeles Chargers (11-4, wild card No. 1)Buffalo Bills (11-4, wild card No. 2)Houston Texans (10-5, wild card No. 3)

In the hunt: Indianapolis Colts (8-6), Baltimore Ravens (7-7)

Seattle Seahawks (12-3, NFC West leaders)*Chicago Bears (11-4, NFC North leaders)*Philadelphia Eagles (10-5, NFC East winners)*Carolina Panthers (8-7, NFC South leaders)Los Angeles Rams (11-4, wild card No. 1)*San Francisco 49ers (10-4, wild card No. 2)*Green Bay Packers (9-5-1, wild card No. 3)

In the hunt: Detroit Lions (8-7), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8)

Baltimore has one of the toughest end-of-season slates in the league, according to Tankathon rankings. All three of their final regular-season games are against teams that enter Week 16 in position to make the playoffs.

Week 16: vs. New England Patriots (11-3)Week 17: at Green Bay Packers (9-5-1)Week 18: at Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6)

Here’s a look at the updated first-round order as Week 16 results come in, according to Tankathon, which calculates strength of schedule differently from the NFL:

New York Giants: 2-13 record; .530 strength of scheduleLas Vegas Raiders 2-13; .543 SOSCleveland Browns: 3-12, .490 SOSNew York Jets: 3-12, .536 SOSTennessee Titans: 3-12, .574 SOSArizona Cardinals: 3-12; .575 SOSWashington Commanders: 4-11; .502 SOSNew Orleans Saints: 5-10; .494 SOSCincinnati Bengals: 5-10; .516 SOSMiami Dolphins: 6-9; .488 SOSAtlanta Falcons (pick belongs to Los Angeles Rams): 6-9; .500 SOSKansas City Chiefs: 6-9; .518 SOSDallas Cowboys: 6-8-1; .443 SOSMinnesota Vikings: 7-8; .522 SOSTampa Bay Buccaneers: 7-8, .524 SOSBaltimore Ravens: 7-7; .498 SOSDetroit Lions: 8-7; .494 SOSIndianapolis Colts (pick belongs to Jets): 8-6; .531 SOSCarolina Panthers: 8-7, .510 SOSPittsburgh Steelers: 9-6; .508 SOSGreen Bay Packers (pick belongs to Cowboys): 9-5-1; .484 SOSPhiladelphia Eagles: 10-5; .478 SOSHouston Texans: 10-5; .542 SOSBuffalo Bills: 11-4, .460 SOSSan Francisco 49ers: 10-4, .496 SOSLos Angeles Chargers: 11-4; .459 SOSJacksonville Jaguars (pick belongs to Browns): 11-4; .496 SOSLos Angeles Rams: 11-4, .531 SOSChicago Bears: 11-4; .448 SOSNew England Patriots: 11-3; .378 SOSDenver Broncos: 12-3; .433 SOSSeattle Seahawks: 12-3; .500 SOS

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