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The final game of the 2025 NFL regular season may have been the best, and it came down to the final seconds.
Twenty-seven points were scored in the fourth quarter instead of 30 when Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop missed what would have been a walk-off field goal to send the Ravens to the playoffs.
Instead, the AFC North title went to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who had their fair share of miraculous fourth-quarter efforts while the Ravens’ season ended in heartbreak.
Baltimore Ravens place kicker Tyler Loop (33) reacts after missing the game-winning field goal against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second half at Acrisure Stadium. (Charles LeClaire/Imagn Images)
It’s no secret that the face of the Ravens, Lamar Jackson, hadn’t been himself all this season, but he played his best game of the campaign — and maybe his career — midway through the fourth quarter. On third-and-4 from midfield and trailing by three, Jackson avoided a sack and let one fly to Zay Flowers, who caught it in stride for the long touchdown to give the Ravens a 17-13 lead. The Steelers didn’t sweat it, though, as they responded with an eight-play drive that ended with a touchdown by Kenneth Gainwell to take a 20-17 lead with 3:49 left. But apparently Jackson saved his best for last, finding Flowers again, this time for 64 yards to go up 24-20 with 2:20 left.
The Steelers quickly got across midfield, and on third-and-10, Aaron Rodgers found Calvin Austin wide open and scored with 55 seconds left. However, Chris Boswell missed the extra point and it was just a two point lead. The Ravens took the kickoff to their own 47-yard line and had three timeouts – a golden opportunity.
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Jackson completed his first pass, but after an illegal formation and two incompletions, he faced a fourth-and-7. Jackson threw up a prayer and Isaiah Likely highlighted it for an incredible catch. Jackson took a knee to set up the field goal drive in the middle of the rushes with two seconds left, but it was for naught as the Steelers were the ones celebrating a wide-right kick.
Aaron Rodgers of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates after throwing a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Acrisure Stadium on January 4, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
The scoring started from an unlikely source when Lamar Jackson found Devontez Walker for a 38-yard touchdown to take the early lead. Both teams then traded punts before the Steelers turned the ball over on downs and the Ravens took advantage by kicking a field goal to go up 10-0 early in the second quarter. Pittsburgh answered with a field goal of its own for its first score.
In the final seconds of the first half, the Steelers benefited from a defensive penalty that put them at the 2-yard line with two seconds left. They opted to go for the touchdown instead of a field goal, but the decision backfired when Kenneth Gainwell was stuffed as the clock hit zero.
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Fortunately for them, the Steelers got the ball to start the second half and didn’t let their opening drive go to waste, finding the end zone to tie the game at 10. Then, in his first game back from a collapsed lung, TJ Watt caught a batted ball on the line for an interception. Pittsburgh then added a field goal for its first lead of the game.
Connor Heyward (83) of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates a touchdown with Pat Freiermuth (88) in the third quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Acrisure Stadium on January 4, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
The Steelers, with 42-year-old Rodgers and a head coach in Mike Tomlin that fans were ready to give up on, finished the season 10-7 and will host the Houston Texans on Monday night in the wild-card round.
