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{{Short description|26th season in franchise history, winless collapse after 8-3 start}}
{{Short description|26th season in franchise history, winless collapse after 8-3 start}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL team season
{{Infobox NFL team season
| team = Baltimore Ravens
| team = Baltimore Ravens

Revision as of 21:25, 31 August 2023

2021 Baltimore Ravens season
OwnerSteve Bisciotti
General managerEric DeCosta
Head coachJohn Harbaugh
Home fieldM&T Bank Stadium
Results
Record8–9
Division place4th AFC North
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Pro BowlersTE Mark Andrews
RS Devin Duvernay
QB Lamar Jackson
FB Patrick Ricard
K Justin Tucker
AP All-ProsTE Mark Andrews (1st team)
RS Devin Duvernay (1st team)
K Justin Tucker (1st team)
Team MVPTE Mark Andrews
Uniform

The 2021 season was the Baltimore Ravens' 26th season in the National Football League and their 14th under head coach John Harbaugh.

Several NFL records were broken or achieved by the Ravens this season. On August 23, the Baltimore Ravens and John Harbaugh claimed the record of consecutive preseason wins with 20, overtaking Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers record with a win over the Washington Football Team.[1] On September 26, placekicker Justin Tucker broke the NFL record for the longest field goal in history, kicking a 66-yard field goal as time expired to beat the Detroit Lions 19–17.[2] The next week, on October 3, the Ravens tied the record for most consecutive games rushing over 100 yards as a team with 43 (tied with their division rival Steelers) in a 23–7 win over the Denver Broncos.

However, despite starting the season 8–3, the Ravens suffered a late-season collapse, ending the season with a brutal six game losing streak in which five of the losses were by a combined 8 points, including two of the five losses as a result of a failed two-point conversion late in the fourth quarter, and failed to improve on their 11–5 record from last season after a Week 15 loss to the Green Bay Packers. The Ravens also suffered their first losing season since 2015, finished last place in the AFC North for the first time since 2007, and failed to qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2017 after a loss to the Steelers in Week 18. It was the first time in the Lamar Jackson era that the Ravens failed to qualify for the postseason.[3]

The Ravens suffered many injuries to key players throughout the season, including losing J. K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, Justice Hill, L. J. Fort, and Marcus Peters to season-ending injuries before the regular season started, and losing Ronnie Stanley, Marlon Humphrey, Derek Wolfe, DeShon Elliott and more during the season, while quarterback Lamar Jackson missed the final four games of the season due to an ankle injury.[4] The Ravens ended the season with a league high 19 players on injured reserve. The year was also only the second in Ravens history to not have a Pro Bowler on defense, the other being 2005.

Offseason

Players added

Position Player Tag 2020 Team Date
G Kevin Zeitler UFA (Cut) New York Giants March 15
TE Josh Oliver Traded Jacksonville Jaguars March 17
FS Geno Stone UFA Houston Texans March 23
WR Sammy Watkins UFA Kansas City Chiefs March 26
OT Alejandro Villanueva UFA Pittsburgh Steelers May 4
OT Ja'Wuan James UFA (Cut) Denver Broncos June 7
DE Chris Smith UFA Las Vegas Raiders July 27
DE Justin Houston UFA Indianapolis Colts July 31
RB Le'Veon Bell UFA Kansas City Chiefs September 7
RB Devonta Freeman UFA New York Giants September 9
RB Latavius Murray UFA (Cut) New Orleans Saints September 10

Players lost

Position Player Tag 2021 Team Date
QB Robert Griffin III Waived January 18
WR De'Anthony Thomas Waived January 18
CB Tramon Williams Waived Retired January 18
RB Mark Ingram II Waived Houston Texans January 19
OLB Matthew Judon UFA New England Patriots March 15
EDGE Yannick Ngakoue UFA Las Vegas Raiders March 15
WR Chris Moore UFA Houston Texans March 15
DE Jihad Ward UFA Jacksonville Jaguars March 16
LS Morgan Cox UFA Tennessee Titans March 17
C Matt Skura UFA New York Giants March 18
S Jayron Kearse UFA Dallas Cowboys March 24
WR Willie Snead UFA Las Vegas Raiders March 26
OT Orlando Brown Jr. Traded Kansas City Chiefs April 23
OLB Chauncey Rivers Waived Green Bay Packers August 4
TE Jake Breeland Waived/Injured August 9
CB Davontae Harris Waived San Francisco 49ers August 15
TE Eli Wolf Waived August 15
CB Shaun Wade Traded New England Patriots August 26
C Greg Mancz Traded Miami Dolphins August 28
OG Ben Bredeson Traded New York Giants August 31
SS Nigel Warrior Waived Seattle Seahawks August 31

2021 NFL Draft

Main article: 2021 NFL Draft
2021 Baltimore Ravens Draft
Round Selection Player Position College
1 27 Rashod Bateman WR Minnesota
31 Odafe Oweh OLB Penn State
3 94 Ben Cleveland OG Georgia
104 Brandon Stephens CB SMU
4 131 Tylan Wallace WR Oklahoma State
5 160 Shaun Wade CB Ohio State
171 Daelin Hayes OLB Notre Dame
184 Ben Mason FB Michigan

Notes

  • Baltimore traded offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr., their 2021 second-round selection (No. 58) and a 2022 sixth-round selection to Kansas City for their 2021 first-round selection (No. 31), 2021 third-round selection (No. 94), 2021 fourth-round selection (No. 136), and a 2022 fifth-round selection.[5]
  • Baltimore traded its third-round selection (No. 91) and a conditional 2022 fifth-round pick to Minnesota in exchange for linebacker Yannick Ngakoue.
  • Baltimore received compensatory third-round selections in 2021 (No. 104) and 2022 when its assistant head coach and passing game coordinator David Culley was hired by Houston as head coach.[6]
  • Baltimore traded the fourth-round selection it had earlier acquired from the Kansas City Chiefs (No. 136) and its own sixth-round selection (No. 210) to Arizona for their 5th round selection (No. 160) and a 2022 fourth-round pick.[7]
  • Baltimore received a compensatory fifth-round selection (No. 184) in 2021 due to the loss of DT Michael Pierce in free agency the previous offseason.

Undrafted free agent signings

2021 Baltimore Ravens Undrafted Free Agent Signings
Player Position College
Ar'Darius Washington S TCU
Adrian Ealy OT Oklahoma
Tony Poljan TE Virginia
Sam Cooper OG Merrimack
Foster Sarell OT Stanford
Xavier Kelly DT Arkansas
Blake Gallagher LB Northwestern
Nate McCrary RB Saginaw Valley State
Donte Sylencieux WR Graceland
Barrington Wade LB Iowa
Kenji Bahar QB Monmouth
Jake Verity K East Carolina
Jovan Swann DL Indiana

Staff

2021 Baltimore Ravens staff

Front office

  • Owner – Steve Bisciotti
  • President – Dick Cass
  • Executive vice president/general manager – Eric DeCosta
  • Executive vice president/player personnel – Ozzie Newsome
  • Senior vice president of football administration – Pat Moriarty
  • Director of pro personnel – Vince Newsome
  • Director of college scouting – Joe Hortiz
  • Director of football administration – Nick Matteo
  • Director of compliance – Jessica Markison
  • Senior personnel assistant – George Kokinis
  • Director of football information – Megan McLaughlin
  • Director of football research – Scott Cohen

Head coaches

  • Head coach – John Harbaugh
  • Assistant to the Head Coach – Dan Parsons

Offensive coaches

Defensive coaches
  • Defensive coordinator – Don Martindale
  • Defensive line/run game coordinator – Anthony Weaver
  • Assistant defensive line – Jason Brooks
  • Inside Linebackers – Rob Ryan
  • Assistant linebackers – Jay Peterson
  • Outside linebackers – Drew Wilkins
  • Defensive backs – D'Anton Lynn
  • Passing defense coordinator – Chris Hewitt

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

  • Head strength and conditioning – Steve Saunders
  • Assistant strength and conditioning – Anthony Watson
  • Coaching analyst - performance – Scott Elliott
  • Coaching analyst - performance – Sam Rosengarten
  • Coaching analyst - performance – Ron Shrift


Final roster

2021 Baltimore Ravens roster
Quarterbacks (QB)

Running backs (RB)

Wide receivers (WR)

Tight ends (TE)

Offensive linemen (OL)

Defensive linemen (DL)

Linebackers (LB)

Defensive backs (DB)

Special teams

Practice squad

Reserve

Rookies in italics
52 active, 21 reserve, 15 practice squad (+3 exempt)

Preseason

The Ravens' preseason opponents and schedule were announced in the spring.

Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap
1 August 14 New Orleans Saints W 17–14 1–0 M&T Bank Stadium Recap
2 August 21 at Carolina Panthers W 20–3 2–0 Bank of America Stadium Recap
3 August 28 at Washington Football Team W 37–3 3–0 FedExField Recap

Note

  • The Ravens' three preseason victories extended their preseason winning streak to 20 games (an NFL record).[8]

Regular season

Schedule

The Ravens' 2021 schedule was announced on May 12. Apart from their AFC North division games, the Ravens played games against the AFC West and NFC North in accordance with the NFL's schedule rotation. They also played against the Indianapolis Colts, the Miami Dolphins, and the Los Angeles Rams, who finished 2020 in the same position as the Ravens in the two other AFC divisions and the NFC West, which the Ravens would play fully in 2019 and 2023.

Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap
1 September 13 at Las Vegas Raiders L 27–33 (OT) 0–1 Allegiant Stadium Recap
2 September 19 Kansas City Chiefs W 36–35 1–1 M&T Bank Stadium Recap
3 September 26 at Detroit Lions W 19–17 2–1 Ford Field Recap
4 October 3 at Denver Broncos W 23–7 3–1 Empower Field at Mile High Recap
5 October 11 Indianapolis Colts W 31–25 (OT) 4–1 M&T Bank Stadium Recap
6 October 17 Los Angeles Chargers W 34–6 5–1 M&T Bank Stadium Recap
7 October 24 Cincinnati Bengals L 17–41 5–2 M&T Bank Stadium Recap
8 Bye
9 November 7 Minnesota Vikings W 34–31 (OT) 6–2 M&T Bank Stadium Recap
10 November 11 at Miami Dolphins L 10–22 6–3 Hard Rock Stadium Recap
11 November 21 at Chicago Bears W 16–13 7–3 Soldier Field Recap
12 November 28 Cleveland Browns W 16–10 8–3 M&T Bank Stadium Recap
13 December 5 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 19–20 8–4 Heinz Field Recap
14 December 12 at Cleveland Browns L 22–24 8–5 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap
15 December 19 Green Bay Packers L 30–31 8–6 M&T Bank Stadium Recap
16 December 26 at Cincinnati Bengals L 21–41 8–7 Paul Brown Stadium Recap
17 January 2 Los Angeles Rams L 19–20 8–8 M&T Bank Stadium Recap
18 January 9 Pittsburgh Steelers L 13–16 (OT) 8–9 M&T Bank Stadium Recap

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: Las Vegas Raiders 33, Baltimore Ravens 27 (OT)

Week 1: Baltimore Ravens at Las Vegas Raiders – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34OTTotal
Ravens 7 7 310027
Raiders 0 10 017633

at Allegiant Stadium, Paradise, Nevada

Game information

The Ravens blew multiple fourth quarter leads and lost in overtime 27–33 to the Raiders on Monday Night Football.

The Raiders received the opening kickoff and moved into Baltimore territory before a shotgun snap that was not expected by Las Vegas quarterback Derek Carr led to a 15-yard loss. As a result of the play, the Raiders were forced to punt. The Ravens were unable to do much with the ball and punted as well. A three-and-out series by the Raiders gave the ball to the Ravens at their own 35. The Ravens moved into Raider territory, but were faced with a fourth and one at the Raider 35-yard line. Ty'Son Williams broke through the line on the fourth down play for a 35-yard touchdown run to give Baltimore a 7–0 lead. The teams exchanged punts on their next possessions before the Ravens moved into Raider territory again. Lamar Jackson hit Marquise Brown on a 10-yard touchdown pass with nine minutes remaining in the second quarter and it appeared the Raiders might get blown out. However, on the ensuing possession, Carr was finally able to connect with tight end Darren Waller and move the ball to the Ravens two-yard line before Josh Jacobs scored to cut the lead in half, 14–7. The Ravens again moved into Raider territory with less than two minutes left in the half, but were stopped short on fourth down and turned the ball over to Las Vegas. Carr quickly moved the Raiders to the Baltimore 14-yard line, but had to settle for a Daniel Carlson 34-yard field goal as the half ended leaving the score 14–10 at halftime.

In the second half, the team exchanged punts again before the Ravens connected on a 40-yard field goal by Justin Tucker to move the lead back to seven at 17–10. The Raiders looked to answer by moving in to Raven territory, but were stuffed on a fourth-and-one at the Raven 13. The teams again exchanged punts as the game moved to the fourth quarter. The Ravens took over with 13:23 remaining in the quarter, but Jackson scrambled and had the ball knocked out of his hands and fumbled with the Raiders' Denzel Perryman recovering the ball at the Baltimore 41. Four plays later, Jacobs scored on a 25-yard run to tie the game at 17. The Ravens quickly answered as Latavius Murray scored on an eight-yard touchdown run to give the Ravens a 24–17 lead with about six minutes remaining. Carr moved the Raiders down field and, with just under four minutes left, hit Waller for a 10-yard touchdown pass to again tie the game. Baltimore responded by moving into Raider territory, but were unable to get a first down on a third-down play at the Vegas 31 and were forced to settle for a field goal with 37 seconds remaining. Carr, with no timeouts, hit Bryan Edwards for a 20-yard gain on the first play of the ensuing possession. After a spike to stop the clock, Carr hit Edwards again for 18 yards to move the ball to the Raven 37. Carlson then hit a 55-yard field to tie the game at 27. With two second remaining in the quarter, the Ravens took a knee to settle for overtime.

In overtime, the Raiders won the toss and moved into Raven territory on a pass by Carr to Hunter Renfrow. Renfrow appeared to step out of bounds at least once on the 27-yard play, but no review was made. Two plays later, Carr, backpedaling to avoid the rush, threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Edwards to apparently win the game. As players celebrated on the field, the play was reviewed and it was determined Edwards was down near the one-yard line, overturning the touchdown. After clearing the field, Carr was stuffed on sneak attempt. Rookie right tackle Alex Leatherwood then committed a false start penalty and the ball was moved back outside the five-yard line. Following an incompletion, Carr's next pass went through the hands of Willie Snead and bounced off a DeShon Elliott's helmet before being intercepted by Anthony Averett in the end zone for a touchback. After the Ravens took over at the 20, Jackson fumbled again which was again recovered by the Raiders. Following a one-yard run to the Ravens' 26, the Raiders belatedly decided to attempt a field goal. However, due to the slow decision, Carlson did not get on the field in time and the Raiders, who had used their two timeouts on the prior possession, committed a delay of game penalty. Jon Gruden decided to not try the field goal on the next play and Carr, under pressure and backpedaling, threw to a wide open Zay Jones for a 31-yard touchdown to end the game.

With the heartbreaking upset loss, the Ravens fell to 0–1 for the first time since 2015. This game marked the 12th game with an upset in Week 1 during the 2021 NFL season an NFL record.

Week 2: Baltimore Ravens 36, Kansas City Chiefs 35

Week 2: Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Chiefs 14 7 14035
Ravens 7 10 71236

at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

Game information

The Ravens overcame two 11-point 2nd half deficits to stun the Chiefs 36–35 on Sunday Night Football, avoiding an 0–2 start. Lamar Jackson ran for two fourth quarter touchdowns on consecutive drives, overcoming two first quarter interceptions, the former of which was a Pick 6, by Tyrann Mathieu. Kansas City then drove into field goal range, but rookie outside linebacker Odafe Oweh forced and recovered a fumble by Clyde Edwards-Helaire at the Baltimore 34-yard line with 1:20 left to go in regulation. The Ravens then forced the Chiefs to use all 3 of their timeouts before Jackson sealed the win with a 2-yard run on 4th and 1 from the Baltimore 43. It was Jackson's first ever win over Patrick Mahomes in four tries as well as the largest deficit he's overcome in his career. It was also the Ravens’ first win over the Chiefs since their 2012 Super Bowl season. With the win, the Ravens improved to 1–1.

Week 3: Baltimore Ravens 19, Detroit Lions 17

Week 3: Baltimore Ravens at Detroit Lions – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Ravens 0 10 6319
Lions 0 0 71017

at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

Game information

The Ravens survived a fourth quarter rally by the Detroit Lions to win 19–17 at Ford Field. After trailing 7–16 going into the fourth quarter, the Lions scored 10 unanswered points, taking the lead with 1:04 left to play on a Ryan Santoso 35-yard field goal. On the ensuing possession, the Ravens faced a 4th & 19 deep in their own territory with less than 30 seconds to go, but Lamar Jackson found Sammy Watkins for a long gain out to the Lions 48 yard line. After spiking the ball, Jackson took four more seconds off the clock by throwing the ball out of bounds, leaving only three seconds on the clock. However, the referees missed that the play clock expired before the play, which should have been a five-yard penalty for delay of game. Longtime Ravens kicker Justin Tucker, who missed a 49-yard field goal earlier, then hit an NFL-record 66-yard field goal as time expired to win the game. With the win, the Ravens improved to 2–1.

Week 4: Baltimore Ravens 23, Denver Broncos 7

Week 4: Baltimore Ravens at Denver Broncos – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Ravens 0 17 0623
Broncos 0 7 007

at Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado

Game information

Facing a 0–7 deficit after a slow start, the Ravens rattled off 17 second quarter points and defeated the Denver Broncos 23–7 for their third straight win. Lamar Jackson threw for 316 yards and a touchdown, his first 300-yard passing game since Week 1 of the 2019 season, while adding 28 yards on the ground. The Ravens also tied the record for most consecutive games rushing over 100 yards as a team with 43 (tied with their division rival, the Steelers) with a 5-yard run by Jackson on the last play of the game. With their third-straight win, the Ravens improved to 3–1.

Week 5: Baltimore Ravens 31, Indianapolis Colts 25 (OT)

M&T Bank Stadium at night during the Ravens Monday Night Matchup vs the Colts
Week 5: Indianapolis Colts at Baltimore Ravens – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34OTTotal
Colts 7 3 123025
Ravens 0 3 616631

at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

  • Date: October 11
  • Game time: 8:15 p.m. EDT
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 69 °F (21 °C)
  • Game attendance: 70,510
  • Referee: Land Clark
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Louis Riddick, and Lisa Salters
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Trailing 3–22 late in the third quarter, the Ravens scored four touchdowns in as many drives to defeat the Colts in overtime 31–25 on Monday Night Football. Lamar Jackson had 442 yards passing, both a career high and franchise record, and four touchdowns while adding 62 yards rushing. The Colts also had a field goal blocked with 4:37 left in the fourth quarter and missed a potential game winner at the end of regulation. It was the largest deficit (19 points) that Jackson had overcome in a game, beating out the 11-point deficits he overcame against the Kansas City Chiefs earlier in the season. With their fourth straight win, the Ravens improved to 4–1 and moved into first place in the AFC North due to losses by both the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals.

Week 6: Baltimore Ravens 34, Los Angeles Chargers 6

Week 6: Los Angeles Chargers at Baltimore Ravens – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Chargers 0 6 006
Ravens 7 10 10734

at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

  • Date: October 17
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
  • Game weather: Partly Cloudy, 63 °F (17 °C)
  • Game attendance: 70,704
  • Referee: Bill Vinovich
  • TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel, Adam Archuleta, and AJ Ross
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

The Ravens used dominant offensive and defensive performances to rout the Chargers 34–6. Baltimore rushed for 187 yards and three touchdowns while the defense held the Chargers to just 208 yards of total offense and only 26 rushing yards while holding the ball for over 38 minutes. The victory was Lamar Jackson's 35th as a starter, setting the record for the most wins by a starting quarterback before their 25th birthday in NFL history, surpassing the previous mark of 34 set by Dan Marino. With their fifth straight win, the Ravens improved to 5–1.

Week 7: Cincinnati Bengals 41, Baltimore Ravens 17

Week 7: Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Bengals 3 10 141441
Ravens 0 10 7017

at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

Game information

The Ravens five-game win streak along with their five-straight wins over the Bengals came to a brutal end as the Bengals scored 28 unanswered second half points and routed them 17–41. The Bengals outgained the Ravens 520–393 and had five sacks as Baltimore was 1 for 4 on fourth downs in the second half. It was the Ravens worst home loss since a 6–35 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 14 of the 2015 season and the first time they've lost at home to the Bengals since Week 17 of the 2017 season. It was also Lamar Jackson's worst loss in his career as well as his first lost in the month of October, and his first loss to the Bengals. With the loss, the Ravens dropped to 5–2 and entered a tie with the Bengals for 1st place in the AFC North.

Week 9: Baltimore Ravens 34, Minnesota Vikings 31 (OT)

Week 9: Minnesota Vikings at Baltimore Ravens – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34OTTotal
Vikings 7 10 77031
Ravens 3 7 714334

at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

Game information

The Ravens overcame a slow start, two 14-point deficits, and an overtime interception to defeat the Minnesota Vikings 34–31 in overtime. Trailing 3–17 late in the second quarter, the Ravens scored touchdowns on four consecutive long drives to take 31–24 lead late in the fourth quarter behind three touchdown passes by Lamar Jackson and a touchdown run by Le'Veon Bell. However, the Vikings then drove down and tied the game at 31 on an Adam Thielen touchdown reception from Kirk Cousins, his second touchdown pass of the game. In overtime, the Ravens won the toss and drove into Vikings territory, but the drive abruptly ended when a pass by Jackson was tipped and intercepted by Anthony Barr. The Vikings were unable to capitalize, however, as they went three and out and punted the ball back to the Ravens. Needing only a field goal to win, the Ravens again drove into Vikings territory and won on a 36-yard field goal by Justin Tucker. With the win, the Ravens improved to 6–2.

Week 10: Miami Dolphins 22, Baltimore Ravens 10

Week 10: Baltimore Ravens at Miami Dolphins – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Ravens 3 0 0710
Dolphins 0 6 01622

at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

Game information

The Ravens offense struggled to get anything going against the Miami Dolphins, resulting in a stunning 10–22 upset loss on Thursday Night Football. After the first two drives ended in field goal attempts, the second of which was missed, the Ravens failed to score on nine consecutive drives, with seven of them ending in punts, one ending with a lost fumble by Sammy Watkins – which was returned by Xavien Howard for a touchdown –, while one ended by the end of the first half. Meanwhile, the Dolphins scored 15 unanswered points and held off a late comeback attempt by the Ravens to win their second straight game. With the loss, the Ravens fell to 6–3.

Week 11: Baltimore Ravens 16, Chicago Bears 13

Week 11: Baltimore Ravens at Chicago Bears – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Ravens 0 6 01016
Bears 0 0 7613

at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois

Game information

Playing without star quarterback Lamar Jackson due to an illness, the Ravens behind second-year QB Tyler Huntley rallied in the final minute to defeat the Chicago Bears 16–13. Earlier in the week, Jackson had designated as questionable due to an undisclosed non-COVID illness. He was removed from the injury report that Friday, but was reinserted on it the next day when his condition abruptly degraded before being ruled out on gameday. Without Jackson, along with wide receiver Marquise Brown, the Ravens struggled to move the ball, but were able to do just enough to take a 9–7 lead late in the fourth quarter on a Justin Tucker 46-yard field goal. On the ensuing drive, however, Andy Dalton, who was in for Justin Fields after the latter suffered a rib injury in the third quarter, threw his second touchdown pass of the day to Marquise Goodwin from 49-yards out on 4th and 11 with less than 1:45 left to go in regulation. Trailing by four after the Bears failed on the two-point conversion, the Ravens quickly drove down the field and retook the lead on a Devonta Freeman 3-yard run touchdown run with just 0:22 to go. The Bears were unable to get into field goal range on their final drive and Dalton was sacked by Tyus Bowser before the former could get off a hail mary throw on the last play of the game. It was the first time the Ravens had defeated the Bears at Soldier Field (they were 0–3 in the stadium prior to this game). With the win, the Ravens improved to 7–3.

Week 12: Baltimore Ravens 16, Cleveland Browns 10

Week 12: Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Browns 0 3 7010
Ravens 3 3 7316

at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

Game information

Lamar Jackson and the Ravens overcame four interceptions, including three straight in as many drives in the second quarter, and won their second consecutive game with a 16–10 victory on Sunday Night Football. The Ravens improved to 8–3 and gained control on the number one seed in the AFC.

Week 13: Pittsburgh Steelers 20, Baltimore Ravens 19

Week 13: Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Ravens 7 0 3919
Steelers 0 3 01720

at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Date: December 5
  • Game time: 4:25 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 50 °F (10 °C)
  • Game attendance: 59,303
  • Referee: Scott Novak
  • TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, and Tracy Wolfson
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

The Ravens blew a fourth quarter lead, allowing the Steelers to get 17 points before failing on a two-point conversion on a last-minute touchdown, losing 19–20. Going into the fourth quarter, the Ravens led 10–3, but the Steelers outscored them 17–3, taking a 20–13 lead on a Ben Roethlisberger touchdown pass to Diontae Johnson along with a two-point conversion. The Ravens then quickly drove down the field and Lamar Jackson threw a short touchdown pass to Sammy Watkins with only 12 seconds left. Due to losing CB Marlon Humphrey earlier in the game, leaving them with only 5 CBs available to play, the Ravens attempted to win the game by going for two instead of tying it with an extra point. However, Lamar Jackson pass to Mark Andrews on the attempt was off-target and Andrews was unable to catch it, leaving the Ravens down by one. The Steelers then recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock. With the loss, the Ravens fell to 8–4 out and dropped from the number 1 seed to the 3 seed.

Week 14: Cleveland Browns 24, Baltimore Ravens 22

Week 14: Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Ravens 0 6 31322
Browns 10 14 0024

at FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

Game information

The Ravens lost their second straight game as their late comeback attempt failed in a 22–24 defeat to the Cleveland Browns. The Ravens lost QB Lamar Jackson to an ankle injury in the first quarter and were down 3–24 late in the second quarter. The defense shut out the Browns in the second half and the Ravens recovered an onside kick following their second fourth quarter touchdown, but were unable to convert on 4th and 6 to get into field goal range. With the loss, the Ravens fell to 8–5.

Week 15: Green Bay Packers 31, Baltimore Ravens 30

Week 15: Green Bay Packers at Baltimore Ravens – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Packers 0 14 71031
Ravens 7 7 31330

at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

  • Date: December 19
  • Game time: 4:25 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Sunny, 43 °F (6 °C)
  • Game attendance: 70,815
  • Referee: Brad Allen
  • TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews, and Tom Rinaldi
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

A late Ravens comeback attempt fell short due to failing a two-point conversion after a final minute touchdown in a 30–31 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Playing without QB Lamar Jackson due to an ankle injury, backup QB Tyler Huntley attempted to keep up with the Packers offensive attack led by QB Aaron Rodgers. After going into halftime tied at 14, the Packers went ahead 31–17 about midway through the fourth quarter. Tyler Huntley then led a touchdown drive to cut the lead to 7 while the defense forced a three and out. The Ravens drove again and scored again on Huntley scramble with 42 seconds left, his second touchdown run in as many drives. For the second time in three weeks, the Ravens attempted to go for two to take the lead, but Huntley's pass intended for Mark Andrews was broken up leaving the Ravens down by one. The Packers then recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock. With their third straight loss, the Ravens fell out of the playoff picture and dropped to 8–6.

Week 16: Cincinnati Bengals 41, Baltimore Ravens 21

Week 16: Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Ravens 7 7 0721
Bengals 10 21 3741

at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

  • Date: December 26
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: Mostly sunny, 53 °F (12 °C)
  • Game attendance: 63,922
  • Referee: Clete Blakeman
  • TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan, Trent Green and Melanie Collins
  • Recap, Game Book
Game information

Down to their third string quarterback, the Ravens were unable to keep up with the Bengals offensive attack and were again blown out 21–41. QB Joe Burrow threw for 525 yards and four touchdowns with 184 yards and two of those touchdowns going to WR Tee Higgins on 12 receptions. With QBs Lamar Jackson (ankle injury) and Tyler Huntley (positive COVID-19 test) both out, recently signed Josh Johnson started for the Ravens, throwing for 304 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception in a losing effort. With the loss, the Ravens fell to 8–7 and were swept by the Bengals for the first time since 2015.

Week 17: Los Angeles Rams 20, Baltimore Ravens 19

Week 17: Los Angeles Rams at Baltimore Ravens – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Rams 0 7 01320
Ravens 7 6 3319

at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

Game information

The Ravens blew yet another fourth quarter lead and lost at home to the Los Angeles Rams 19–20. The Ravens took the lead on a 17-yard interception return touchdown by Chuck Clark in the first quarter, the Ravens' first defensive touchdown of the year and the first of three turnovers committed by Matthew Stafford on the day. Clark picked off Stafford again on the next drive and the Ravens extended their lead to 10–0 on the first of four Justin Tucker field goals. They went into halftime up 13–7 and into the fourth quarter up 16–7. The Rams scored a touchdown early in the quarter before the Ravens began another long drive that got them into the red zone late in the quarter. However, the drive stalled and Tucker kicked a chip shot field goal. The Rams then drove again, converting a fourth down in the red zone and took the lead thanks to Matthew Stafford touchdown pass to Odell Beckham Jr. with less than a minute to go. The Ravens were never able to get into field goal range and Huntley was stripped sacked on the last play of the game. With their fifth straight loss, the Ravens fell to 8–8. With the Steelers' win over the Browns on Monday Night, they fell to third place in the AFC North with only a slim chance to make the playoffs the next week.

Week 18: Pittsburgh Steelers 16, Baltimore Ravens 13 (OT)

Week 18: Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34OTTotal
Steelers 3 0 37316
Ravens 0 3 73013

at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland

Game information

The Ravens were eliminated from playoff contention with a brutal loss in overtime at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers, resulting in their sixth straight loss.

In the first quarter, the Steelers scored the only points when Chris Boswell kicked a 28-yard field goal to make it 3–0. The Ravens tied it up at 3–3 in the second quarter when Justin Tucker kicked a 24-yard field goal. This would be the score at halftime. In the third quarter, the Ravens moved into the lead when Latavius Murray ran for a 46-yard touchdown to make it 10–3. The Steelers then came within 4 when Boswell kicked a 40-yard field goal, making the score 10–6. The Ravens drove into the red zone on the next drive, but Tyler Huntley, who was replacing Lamar Jackson for the fourth straight game, threw his second interception of the day in end zone early in the fourth quarter. The Steelers retook the lead in the final three minutes of the fourth when Ben Roethlisberger found Chase Claypool on a 6-yard touchdown pass to make it 13–10. Tucker then tied the game up at 13–13 with a 46-yard field goal. In overtime, the Ravens won the toss, but their drive stalled, forcing them to punt. The Steelers were able to drive down the field, converting a 4th & 8 along the way, and eventually Boswell was brought out to kick the game-winning 36-yard field goal to win the game 16–13.

With the loss, the Ravens extended their losing streak to six games and finished the season with a losing record at 8–9 and in last place of the AFC North for the first time since 2007. Even if the Ravens had won, they still would have been eliminated from playoff contention due to the Miami Dolphins defeating the New England Patriots 33–24 later that afternoon.

Standings

Division

AFC North
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
(4) Cincinnati Bengals 10 7 0 .588 4–2 8–4 460 376 L1
(7) Pittsburgh Steelers 9 7 1 .559 4–2 7–5 343 398 W2
Cleveland Browns 8 9 0 .471 3–3 5–7 349 371 W1
Baltimore Ravens 8 9 0 .471 1–5 5–7 387 392 L6

Conference

AFC
# Team Division W L T PCT DIV CONF SOS SOV STK
Division winners
1[a] Tennessee Titans South 12 5 0 .706 5–1 8–4 .472 .480 W3
2[a] Kansas City Chiefs West 12 5 0 .706 5–1 7–5 .538 .517 W1
3 Buffalo Bills East 11 6 0 .647 5–1 7–5 .472 .428 W4
4 Cincinnati Bengals North 10 7 0 .588 4–2 8–4 .472 .462 L1
Wild cards
5[b] Las Vegas Raiders West 10 7 0 .588 3–3 8–4 .510 .515 W4
6[b] New England Patriots East 10 7 0 .588 3–3 8–4 .481 .394 L1
7 Pittsburgh Steelers North 9 7 1 .559 4–2 7–5 .521 .490 W2
Did not qualify for the postseason
8[c] Indianapolis Colts South 9 8 0 .529 3–3 7–5 .495 .431 L2
9[c][d] Miami Dolphins East 9 8 0 .529 4–2 6–6 .464 .379 W1
10[c][d] Los Angeles Chargers West 9 8 0 .529 3–3 6–6 .510 .500 L1
11[e] Cleveland Browns North 8 9 0 .471 3–3 5–7 .514 .415 W1
12[e] Baltimore Ravens North 8 9 0 .471 1–5 5–7 .531 .460 L6
13 Denver Broncos West 7 10 0 .412 1–5 3–9 .484 .357 L4
14[f] New York Jets East 4 13 0 .235 0–6 4–8 .512 .426 L2
15[f] Houston Texans South 4 13 0 .235 3–3 4–8 .498 .397 L2
16 Jacksonville Jaguars South 3 14 0 .176 1–5 3–9 .512 .569 W1
Tiebreakers[g]
  1. ^ a b Tennessee finished ahead of Kansas City based on head-to-head victory.
  2. ^ a b Las Vegas finished ahead of New England based on win percentage in common games (5–1 vs. 2–4 against: Miami, Dallas, LA Chargers, Cleveland, and Indianapolis).
  3. ^ a b c Indianapolis finished ahead of Miami and Los Angeles based on conference record (7–5 vs. 6–6).
  4. ^ a b Miami finished ahead of LA Chargers based on win percentage in common games (5–1 vs. 2–4 against: New England, Las Vegas, Houston, Baltimore, and NY Giants).
  5. ^ a b Cleveland finished ahead of Baltimore based on division record (3–3 vs. 1–5).
  6. ^ a b NY Jets finished ahead of Houston based on head-to-head victory.
  7. ^ When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest-ranked remaining team from each division.

Individual awards

Recipient Award(s)
Mark Andrews Pro Bowler, First-team All-Pro
Devin Duvernay Pro Bowler, First-team All-Pro
Lamar Jackson Week 5: AFC Offensive Player of the Week[9]Pro Bowler
Patrick Ricard Pro Bowler
Odafe Oweh Week 2: AFC Defensive Player of the Week[10]
Justin Tucker Week 3: AFC Special Teams Player of the Week[11]Pro Bowler, First-team All-Pro

References

  1. ^ "Ravens secure NFL record 20th-straight preseason win". Ravens Wire. August 29, 2021. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  2. ^ "Ravens' Tucker wins game on record 66-yard FG". ESPN.com. September 26, 2021. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
  3. ^ Hensley, Jamison (January 13, 2022). "A rare free fall: Ravens went from No. 1 seed to out of playoffs in six weeks". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  4. ^ "Decimated By COVID-19 and Injuries, Ravens Defense Is Playing 'Squid Games'". www.baltimoreravens.com. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  5. ^ "Chiefs acquire OT Orlando Brown in trade with Ravens". NFL. April 23, 2021. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  6. ^ "Texans set to hire Ravens assistant David Culley as head coach". NFL. January 27, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  7. ^ "Ravens trade No. 136 pick, receive No. 160 in swap with Cardinals". RavensWire. May 1, 2021. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
  8. ^ "Ravens secure NFL record 20th-straight preseason win". Ravens Wire. August 29, 2021. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
  9. ^ Gordon, Grant. "Ravens QB Lamar Jackson, Buccaneers QB Tom Brady lead Players of the Week". NFL.com. NFL. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  10. ^ Gordon, Grant. "Titans RB Derrick Henry, Cardinals QB Kyler Murray among NFL Players of the Week". NFL.com. NFL. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
  11. ^ Gordon, Grant. "Record-setting Ravens kicker Justin Tucker leads Players of the Week". NFL.com. NFL. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
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