Week 12 of the NFL season saw a new team take the lead of the AFC North. Let’s check in on the Ravens and the rest of their divisional opponents!
Baltimore Ravens (6-5)
The Ravens have a record above .500 for the first time this season following a 23-10 win over the New York Jets. Baltimore now leads the AFC North since they have the tiebreaker advantage over the Steelers.
The Ravens offense had another frustrating outing this week, outside of a couple of touchdown drives. Lamar Jackson’s health has been a topic of discussion;
he has dealt with hamstring, knee, ankle, and toe injuries this season. The electric quarterback has barely been a factor in the run game and appears to be noticeably slower than his usual self when trying to outrun defenders or escape pressure in the pocket. This, paired with a struggling offensive line, has severely hampered the Ravens’ offensive efficiency, particularly in the red zone, where Baltimore ranks 30th in red zone touchdown percentage after finishing first in 2024. Jackson finished the Jets game with 13 completions on 23 passes for 153 yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions. Derrick Henry led the ground attack with 64 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries. Zay Flowers continues to lead the team in receiving yards each week, as he finished with 58 on five catches.
The Ravens’ defense was stout once again, continuing their streak of turnovers with a forced fumble by Marlon Humphrey, which was recovered by Alohi Gilman, and a late interception by T.J. Tampa. Dre’Mont Jones led the team with 1.5 sacks. Baltimore fans held their breath when Kyle Hamilton exited the game late with an ankle injury, but the do-it-all defender appears good to go for the team’s pivotal game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Thanksgiving.
Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5)
The Steelers lost the division lead with a 31-28 loss to the Chicago Bears in Week 12.
Pittsburgh was without Aaron Rodgers against the Bears due to a wrist injury suffered against the Bengals in Week 11. Mason Rudolph made the start in his place, throwing for 171 yards, one touchdown, and one interception while completing 24 of 31 pass attempts. Kenneth Gainwell led the team with 92 rushing yards on 10 carries, while Calvin Austin led all receivers with 36 receiving yards on four catches. DK Metcalf’s first season with the Steelers continues to be a disappointment, as the big-time trade acquisition had just 22 receiving yards on five catches against the Bears. However, he did add another 12 yards and a touchdown on two rushing attempts. Metcalf has crossed 50 receiving yards in just five games this season and 100 yards only once.
Pittsburgh’s lone sack in the game came from T.J. Watt. Watt stripped Caleb Williams on the sack, and Nate Herbig returned the fumble for a touchdown. With a daunting schedule remaining, the Steelers will need more from their defense if they want to remain in playoff contention, especially if Rodgers misses any more games.
Cincinnati Bengals (3-8)
Cincinnati fell to 3-8 with a 26-20 loss to the New England Patriots in Week 12.
Joe Burrow’s return did not come to fruition on Sunday as Joe Flacco remained the starter. Flacco, in what was likely his last start of the season, completed 19 of 37 pass attempts for 183 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. With Ja’Marr Chase absent due to a one-game suspension, it was Andrei Iosivas who led the team with 61 receiving yards on four catches. Chase Brown had another strong game, rushing for 107 yards on 19 carries while catching 2 passes for another 23 yards. Tee Higgins exited the contest in the fourth quarter with a concussion and has already been ruled out for the Thanksgiving game against the Ravens.
The Bengals will also be without defensive end Trey Hendrickson on Thursday, who has been absent with a sports hernia since late October. Jalen Davis recorded the team’s only sack against the Patriots, while Geno Stone forced the only turnover when he returned an interception for a touchdown against Drake Maye. Cincinnati now turns to Burrow for any hope of salvaging their season, starting this week against Baltimore.
Cleveland Browns (3-8)
The Cleveland Browns got their third win of the season in Week 12 with a 24-10 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.
A week after being thrust into action unexpectedly against the Ravens, Shedeur Sanders got the first start of his NFL career against the Raiders. The fifth-round pick flashed his potential, particularly on passes deep down the field, as he completed 11 of 20 passes for 209 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Sanders is set to remain the starter in Week 13 against the San Francisco 49ers. Quinshon Judkins led the team with 47 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, while fellow rookie running back Dylan Sampson led the team with 59 receiving yards and a touchdown on two receptions.
Myles Garrett had another monster game with three sacks against Las Vegas. The former Defensive Player of the Year is just five sacks away from breaking the single-season sack record of 22.5 with six games left to play. The Browns’ defense as a whole finished with a whopping 10 sacks, with eight different players contributing. If Sanders continues to spark the offense, then Cleveland will be a tough out for any team with the way their defense has played this season.
