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Ravens clinch AFC North, Bengals still alive

2025-01-05 HKT 14:08
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  • Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens finishes the regular season with 4,172 yards passing and 915 yards rushing, the best combined record for an NFL quarterback. File photo: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images via Reuters
    Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens finishes the regular season with 4,172 yards passing and 915 yards rushing, the best combined record for an NFL quarterback. File photo: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images via Reuters
Lamar Jackson threw two touchdown passes and the Baltimore Ravens won the AFC North for the second straight season, clinching the division with a 35-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns.

In the other NFL game on Saturday, the Cincinnati Bengals kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a 19-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Ravens (12-5) will open the playoffs at home against either the Los Angeles Chargers or Steelers.

Baltimore was two games behind the Steelers in the division before winning its final four to finish on top.

Jackson threw TD passes to Mark Andrews in the second quarter and Rashod Bateman in the third, finishing a spectacular statistical season that might be good enough to earn him a third MVP award.

He finished the season with 4,172 yards passing, 41 touchdown passes and only four interceptions. He became the first quarterback to reach 4,000 yards passing with 40 TD passes and four or fewer interceptions.

Jackson also finished the season with 915 yards rushing, becoming the first to throw for 4,000 yards and rush for at least 800. His passer rating of 119.6 wasn't quite enough to break the single-season record of 122.5 held by Aaron Rodgers.

The biggest concern coming out of this game for the Ravens was the health of Pro Bowl receiver Zay Flowers, who left in the second quarter with a right knee injury.

Cleveland (3-14) ended a dreadful season with six straight losses. Both Bailey Zappe and Dorian Thompson-Robinson took snaps at quarterback in the finale. Neither could move the ball much, and Zappe had an interception returned 26 yards for a touchdown by rookie Nate Wiggins for the game's first points.

In Pittsburgh, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow passed for 277 yards and a touchdown and Cade York kicked four field goals in Cincinnati's win.

Burrow also threw an interception and his NFL record streak of consecutive games with at least 250 yards passing and three touchdowns came to an end. But he did enough to propel the Bengals (9-8) to their fifth straight win and keep them in the mix until the season's final day.

Cincinnati will earn the seventh seed in the AFC if Denver loses to Kansas City and Miami either loses to or ties the New York Jets on Sunday.

Pittsburgh is assured of playing next week despite a four-game losing streak. The Steelers will be the fifth seed if the Chargers lose at Las Vegas. If the Chargers win, Pittsburgh will be the sixth seed and travel to rival Baltimore in the first round. (AP)

Ravens clinch AFC North, Bengals still alive