The silence in Acrisure Stadium was heavy for exactly one second before the Pittsburgh crowd erupted. If you're looking for what's the score of the Baltimore Ravens game, the final number is a painful 26-24.
That was it. Season over. No playoffs.
It wasn't just a loss. It was a 44-yard field goal attempt by rookie Tyler Loop that sailed wide right as the clock hit zero. In a year where Lamar Jackson fought through back issues and Derrick Henry looked like a freight train in purple, the Ravens' 2025-26 campaign ended on a chilly January night in Pittsburgh. The Steelers took the AFC North crown, and Baltimore was left wondering how an 8-9 record felt so much heavier than the numbers suggest.
Breaking Down the Ravens vs. Steelers Score
Honestly, the scoreboard doesn't even tell the half of it. The lead changed hands like a hot potato in the fourth quarter. One minute you've got Zay Flowers burning the secondary for a 64-yard touchdown to put the Ravens up 24-20, and the next, Aaron Rodgers—yes, the Steelers actually have Rodgers now—is carving up the middle of the field.
Here is how the scoring broke down in that final Week 18 clash:
- First Quarter: Devontez Walker caught a 38-yard dime from Lamar. Ravens 7, Steelers 0.
- Second Quarter: Tyler Loop hit a 40-yarder, but Chris Boswell answered with a monster 57-yard kick. Ravens 10, Steelers 3.
- Third Quarter: Things got messy. Connor Heyward punched in a 1-yard run. By the end of the third, Pittsburgh led 13-10.
- Fourth Quarter: The absolute madness. Zay Flowers scored twice. Kenneth Gainwell scored for Pittsburgh. Then, Calvin Austin III caught the go-ahead 26-yard touchdown with 55 seconds left.
Final Score: Pittsburgh Steelers 26, Baltimore Ravens 24.
Why the Ravens Missed the Postseason
It’s easy to blame the kicker. Everyone does. But if you watched the game, you saw the "self-inflicted wounds" that head coach John Harbaugh usually hates talking about.
Lamar Jackson finished 11-of-18 for 238 yards and three touchdowns. That’s a great stat line, but the interception he threw earlier in the game—deflected off Ronnie Stanley's hands—gave Pittsburgh the short field they needed. Plus, the Ravens' defense allowed 390 total yards. You can’t let a Rodgers-led offense stay on the field for 34 minutes and expect to win.
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Derrick Henry did his thing, though. 126 yards on 20 carries. He was a beast early on, but the Steelers basically stacked the box in the second half and dared Lamar to beat them over the top. It almost worked. Those two deep balls to Flowers were legendary, but they weren't enough to overcome the nine penalties that cost Baltimore 78 yards.
The Playoff Picture That Wasn't
Because of this loss, the Ravens finished second in the AFC North. Usually, 8-9 might keep you in the hunt for a Wild Card spot, but the AFC was a gauntlet this year. The Bengals finished right behind at 6-11, and the Browns ended at 5-12. It was a weird year for the division.
What Happens Next for Baltimore?
The "what's the score of the Baltimore Ravens game" question is going to shift toward the draft and the 2026 schedule very quickly. Since the season ended on January 4th, the front office has already started looking at the 2026 opponents.
We already know they'll be playing the AFC South and the NFC South next year. That means games against the Jaguars, Titans, Buccaneers, and Saints at home. They’ll also have to travel to face the Bills and the Cowboys because of their second-place finish.
Key Offseason Priorities
- The Kicking Situation: Does Tyler Loop keep his job? Punter Jordan Stout made All-Pro, but the place-kicking was shaky when it mattered most.
- Defensive Depth: The secondary got torched by Calvin Austin III in the clutch. They need speed.
- Lamar's Health: Keeping Jackson's back 100% is the only way this team survives a full season.
If you’re a Ravens fan, this one is going to hurt for a while. It’s the first time they’ve missed the playoffs since 2021. The talent is there, but the consistency just vanished in the final stretch.
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To stay ahead of the curve for next season, start tracking the coaching carousel. The Ravens have already been linked to several coordinators as they look to tighten up the discipline that cost them those 78 penalty yards in the finale. Keep an eye on the compensatory pick announcements in early spring, as Baltimore typically uses those to rebuild the depth they lost to free agency. Draft prep starts now, with the Senior Bowl and Combine being the next major milestones to see who might join Lamar and King Henry in the backfield for 2026.