Game over: Ravens lose a heartbreaker on a last second FG miss by Tyler Loop, Score: 26-24

This season has seen prime-time HBO-level drama.

It seems like a long time ago, but the Ravens were once 1-5 and staring down the hallway of having a top 5 pick in next season's draft.

After some games, quarterback changes, and injuries, they stand at 8-8 with a chance to secure their playoff ticket.

The 2x MVP Lamar Jackson is back and practiced fully this week and will be donning some extra protection for his back.

What's at stake?:

It's simple - win or book tickets for Cancun.

1st quarter:

After a nice mix of run and passing, Lamar hit Tez for a TD dot on 4th down. Score 7-0.

Ravens defense force a punt on the first drive.

Zay and Keaton with huge dropped passes that were right on the money. Ravens punt.

Ravens defense comes up with a huge stop on 4th down. Bird ball.

2nd Quarter:

Derrick Henry Carry Watch:

Henry has 11 carries to this point. Ravens are winning the time of possession game so far.
Ravens stopped in the redzone. Loop is good. Score 10-0 Ravens. Steelers get some movement and kick a field goal.

Score: Ravens 10-3

Injury Alert: Daniel Faalele walks off the field. Emory Jones is in for him at right guard.
Injury Alert: Faalele is back after one series.

Ravens have had about 5 penalties so far. A handful of them were killing.
Tyler Linderbaum gets a hold of what would have been a huge 3rd down conversion for Lamar on a scramble.

This team has to be more disciplined.

Derrick Henry Carry Watch:

22 has 15 carries so far with 3:09 left to go before halftime.
Ravens' defense gets a huge stop on 4th down on the goal line going into halftime.

Quarter 3:

Steelers' first offensive drive.

Injury Alert: Kyle Hamilton and Alohi Gilman collided. Gilman gets walked off the field. Kyle Hamilton is still on the ground. Kyle gets up and walks off the field.

With Kyle being carted off, the Steelers began to attack the seams in the passing game.
The Steelers tied the game 10-10.

This game is going the exact way the Ravens didn't want it to go. Lamar's pass is tipped and intercepted at the line of scrimmage.

The Steelers have the ball in the redzone. The Steelers get stopped and kick a field goal.

Score: 13-10 Steelers

4th Quarter:

The offense hasn't done anything since the first quarter.

On the first drive, the Ravens were running a dink and dunk quick passing game. However, like usual, this team goes away from what's working.

Ravens' defense forces a punt. The offense wakes up like a zombie in the thriller video.

Lamar hits Zay Flowers for a 50-yard bomb.

Score: 17-13 Ravens

The Steelers score a TD on a goal-line run.
Score: 20-17 Steelers

Lamar hits Zay for another 63-yard bomb!

Score: 24-20 Ravens

Steelers score again, 26-24

Lamar walks the Ravens to the redzone and runs the clock for a field goal attempt. Tyler Loop misses the FG.

Ravens lose 26-24

Final Thoughts:

What can really be said here?

The offense started as they usually do, with Lamar - red hot.

Even though Henry was getting the ball on the ground, the pass scheme changed when the Ravens needed to throw.

On the first drive, the Ravens were taking what the defense was giving them, which was mostly quick passes.

Then, after that drive, it seemed like they were pushing for the home run swing instead of taking base hits.

This put the breaks on the offense.

The defense made a valiant effort to hold on with several critical 4th down stops earlier in the game.

Then the dam broke after Kyle Hamilton went out with a concussion.

The Steelers offense then began getting big chunk plays downfield.

This defense shouldn't be Kyle Hamilton or bust.

A big piece of the blame pie is the fact this defense was built from the outside in. This part is a front office issue. This is a draft and free agency issue.

This defense does not have enough playmakers in its front seven to apply pressure to QB's.

This has been the story for several seasons now. Kyle is the team's best safety, linebacker, and edge rusher.

The Ravens' offense came back to life after a long drought.

The offensive line was giving 8 time.

Lamar launches two dots downfield for TDs, launching his own haymakers in response to Pittsburgh.

He finishes the game with 238 yards and 3 touchdowns and walks the team down to the redzone with a fantastic ice-cold 4th-down pass to Isaiah Likely.

This catch by 80 is a glimpse into what fans expected from him all season.

This should have been enough, but it wasn't.

Tyler Loop has a chance to kick what would have been the game-winning FG, but he missed.

This loss sums up large sections of this season.

When the offense is hot, the defense isn't.

When the defense is hot, the offense isn't.

Sometimes when both sides of the ball are hot, special teams isn't.

Even though it was ugly, the offense and defense did enough to win.

To put the final nail in the coffin, Derrick Henry didn't get the ball nearly enough in the second half.

Going into halftime, he had 15 carries. He finished the game with 20 carries.

Only time will tell if there will be changes in Owings Mills.