Ravens’ Pass Rush Vanishes at Worst Possible Time

The Baltimore Ravens walked out of M&T Bank Stadium with a 27-22 loss that felt heavier than the score, mostly because the same issues keep showing up at the worst possible moments.

The pass rush did not just slow down, it basically vanished. According to Next Gen Stats, only four Baltimore players recorded a single pressure all night, and that is against a Steelers offensive line that has been banged up for weeks.

Only four #Ravens recorded a QB pressure against the Steelers per @NextGenStats

Dre’Mont Jones | 3
Mike Green | 2
John Jenkins | 1
Brent Urban | 1 pic.twitter.com/3bKq9YZy2O
— SleeperRavens (@SleeperRavenss) December 8, 2025

Dre’Mont Jones led with three pressures, Mike Green followed with two, while John Jenkins and Brent Urban added one each. That was the entire list, and you could feel how thin the impact was the longer the game went on.

It is the same pattern we saw against Cincinnati, when they had only 12 pressures on Joe Burrow despite 46 pass attempts. When the front cannot finish, this defense becomes way too reliant on hoping someone in the secondary makes a play instead of dictating anything.

Officiating Frustrations and Pittsburgh Taking Control

The officiating did not help either, especially on the Isaiah Likely play that should have at least been reviewed with more seriousness. Lamar Jackson put the ball exactly where it needed to be, Likely secured it, fought through contact, and broke the plane. Somehow, the call was that he did not maintain possession long enough for it to count, even though he took multiple steps with clear control before the ball came out. Those kinds of moments swing games, and in a rivalry like Baltimore versus Pittsburgh, they swing momentum just as much.

Instead of tying things up and keeping control, Baltimore had to settle for frustration and another missed opportunity in a season where the margin for error is basically gone.

Dec 7, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (4) reacts after a play against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images | Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh walked away not just with the win, but now leading the AFC North. They did not have to dominate, Baltimore made it easy. Aaron Rodgers was not pressured, was not hurried, and was not uncomfortable. This is a Steelers team dealing with their own offensive line injuries, especially at the tackle spots, yet they still kept their quarterback clean. That contrast says everything about where these two teams stand right now.

One is adjusting, patching things together, and still finding ways to win. The other keeps stumbling over the same problems, especially in games that demand physicality.

For Baltimore, it is not panic season yet, but it is close enough to feel the heat. If the pass rush keeps disappearing in big moments and if calls like the Likely touchdown keep going the other way, they will keep watching the AFC North slip further out of reach. This team has the talent, but the execution and consistency keep going missing at the worst times, and Sunday was the latest reminder.

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