Baltimore Ravens Move A Step Closer To No. 1 Seed In AFC With Win Over Jaguars
The Baltimore Ravens held on to sole possession of first place in the AFC after a strong win on the road over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Led by yet another strong defensive performance, the Ravens moved to 11-3 on the season, tied for the best record in football. They held Jacksonville to just seven points on a 65-yard touchdown from Trevor Lawrence to Jamal Agnew.
While the Jaguars were able to move the ball for much of the game, Baltimore's defense got stops when it needed to and was aided by two missed field goals from Jacksonville kicker Brandon McManus.
Read up on the biggest stories from the Ravens win on Sunday Night Football.
Charlie Kolar caught his second pass of the season against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Nathan Ray Seebeck, USA TODAY Sports
Best Defense In The AFC
Baltimore has been putting on a defensive clinic this season, one that has only been matched by the NFC's San Francisco 49ers. After completely shutting down the Jaguars, the Ravens are now giving up just 16.1 points per game to opponents, the best number in the NFL.
Baltimore held Jacksonville to 3-for-13 on third downs and 0-for-3 in the red zone, a masterclass in getting stops when it needed to. Additionally, the Jaguars could get nothing going in the ground game, rushing for just 75 yards on 17 carries.
Injuries Are Baltimore's Worst Enemy
Rookie running back Keaton Mitchell was having an excellent game, picking up 73 rushing yards as well as two receptions for 15 yards, until early in the fourth quarter when he suffered a stomach-turning knee injury that led to him being helped off the field and then carted to the locker room. Mitchell was immediately ruled out for the rest of the game and is awaiting further evaluation.
The Ravens also lost safety Marcus Williams on the last play of the first half to a groin injury and offensive lineman Ronnie Stanley to concussion protocol.
In Week 11, the Ravens lost Pro Bowl tight end Mark Andrews for the season due to an ankle injury he suffered against the Cincinnati Bengals. If there's one thing that could ruin a Baltimore run to the Super Bowl, injuries are pretty high on the list. Last year, the Ravens' season ended without star quarterback Lamar Jackson on the field after he had to miss the AFC Wild Card game due to injury.
Jackson Eyeing Second MVP
Sunday's slate of football featured Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott putting up an abysmal performance against the Buffalo Bills after entering the week as the MVP favorite. Prescott threw for just 134 yards and an interception in a blowout loss, likely moving him down the MVP ladder. Brock Purdy of the 49ers had yet another solid performance in a win, moving him temporarily into the MVP favorite slot.
However, with his team at 11-3 in first place in the AFC, Jackson could steal the MVP if he outperforms Purdy on Christmas Day when the two quarterbacks and their teams face off.
