Late reversal helps Steelers hold on for 27-22 win over Ravens and sole possession of division lead

BALTIMORE (AP) — Aaron Rodgers threw for 284 yards and a touchdown and even ran for TD in perhaps his best game with the Steelers, and Pittsburgh took sole possession of first place in the AFC North, holding on for a 27-22 win over the Ravens on Sunday when a Baltimore touchdown with 2:43 remaining was overturned by a replay review.

Isaiah Likely secured a pass from Lamar Jackson with two hands in the end zone, and both his feet came down, but as he was about to complete another step with his right foot, Joey Porter Jr. of the Steelers knocked the ball free. It was initially called a touchdown but then changed to incomplete. The Ravens eventually turned the ball over on downs.

Baltimore (6-7) held defensively and then reached the Pittsburgh 30-yard line, but Jackson took a sack when the Ravens had no timeouts left, and the clock expired.

Rodgers didn’t complete a pass longer than 31 yards in the whole month of November, but he had four of at least that distance Sunday, plus two more for more than 20. The first offensive play for Pittsburgh (7-6) was a 52-yard throw to DK Metcalf, which set up a 1-yard run by Rodgers that put the Steelers up 7-3.

That was the 42-yard quarterback’s first rushing touchdown since the 2022 season.

As they have for several weeks now, Jackson and the Ravens sputtered offensively through most of the first half, and although there were eventually some signs of life, Baltimore is now in another precarious spot. The Ravens rebounded from a 1-5 start with five straight victories, only to lose back-to-back divisional games at home to Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.

The Steelers led 17-9 at halftime, and as he did in the first half, Rodgers connected for a big gain to Metcalf to start the third quarter. That 41-yard pickup led to a field goal, but Keaton Mitchell raced free for a 56-yard gain for the Ravens, who made it 20-16 on Jackson’s 4-yard scoring pass to Likely.

Rodgers answered with a 31-yard pass to Calvin Austin III on third down, then Jaylen Warren took a short pass 38 yards to the end zone — also on third down — for a 27-16 lead.

The Ravens managed a couple of field goals, then a pass by Rodgers was batted into the air by C.J. Okoye before the ball disappeared into a mass of humanity, with Rodgers in the middle of it. The play was initially ruled an interception, but after a review, officials determined Rodgers caught his own pass and was down by contact.

The Steelers still had to punt, but the reversal cost Baltimore quite a bit of field position.

Rodgers, who played the previous weekend against Buffalo with a brace on his broken left wrist, wasn’t sacked a single time by the Ravens. This was his most yards passing since joining the Steelers before this season.

Jackson was intercepted in the first half by his cousin, defensive back James Pierre. A penalty on a field-goal attempt gave Pittsburgh a new set of downs, and Kenneth Gainwell’s 6-yard touchdown run made it 17-3.

Jackson scored on a 6-yard run just before halftime, but Tyler Loop missed the extra point.

Injuries

It was a bruising afternoon typical of this rivalry. Tight end Darnell Washington and linebacker Malik Harrison left with concussions for Pittsburgh, cornerback Brandin Echols was evaluated for one and guard Andrus Peat went into the protocol as well.

Mitchell left with a knee injury for Baltimore.

Up next

Steelers: Host Miami next Monday night.

Ravens: At Cincinnati on Sunday.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL