Patriots clinch playoffs with win; Ravens in must-win territory
- - Patriots clinch playoffs with win; Ravens in must-win territory
Field Level MediaDecember 19, 2025 at 10:55 PM
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Dec 14, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel reacts from the sideline as they take on the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images (David Butler II-Imagn Images)
The New England Patriots will be looking to avoid their first losing streak of the season and remain in the hunt for the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs when they visit the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night.
The Patriots (11-3) are coming off a 35-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills last week. Denver (12-2) is the only AFC team with a better record than New England, but the Broncos own the tiebreaker against the Patriots if the teams finish with the same record.
New England would clinch a playoff berth with a win. Coach Mike Vrabel was asked Wednesday if a team can benefit from a late-season loss.
"I would say that's TBD," Vrabel said. "I don't know. It's only depending on how you respond, how you prepare, how you practice and ultimately how you play. So, we'll see. There's a lot of good things in there and we'll need all those things on Sunday night against this football team that's 6-2 after their bye, and really coming off a big win last week. A dominant win."
The Ravens (7-7) ended a two-game losing streak by beating Cincinnati 24-0 last Sunday. Baltimore, however, will likely need a strong finish to earn a playoff berth.
If the Ravens win their final three regular-season games (New England, at Green Bay and at Pittsburgh), they will win the AFC North, although there are other scenarios in which Baltimore can qualify for the playoffs.
"You just assume that you have to take care of your business," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "It would be a stretch for us not to have to win out. So, we'll plan on that and that's what we're going to have to try to do."
New England is 6-0 on the road this season and will be facing a Baltimore team that's 3-5 at home. The Ravens were without quarterback Lamar Jackson for home losses to Houston (44-10) and the Los Angeles Rams (7-3) in early October because of a hamstring injury.
"The Houston game was probably our worst home game that I can ever remember, (but) our guys were fighting their butts off -- the guys that were out there playing, who were playing in the game," Harbaugh said. "That game is what it was. The Rams game is what it was. Guys are fighting their butts off in that game, too. So, those games are history."
New England ranks seventh among NFL teams in both scoring offense (27.3) and scoring defense (19.7). Baltimore is 14th in scoring offense (23.9) and 15th in scoring defense (22.8).
"Obviously, someone is coming into our house," Baltimore center Tyler Linderbaum said. "We have to win games. We have to put on a show for our crowd and end up getting wins like how we're supposed to."
Jackson didn't participate in practice on Wednesday due to an illness but he was back to work fully the next two days.
Ravens tackle Ronnie Stanley (knee/ankle) and defensive lineman John Jenkins (illness) were listed as questionable, as was safety Kyle Hamilton after he sustained an ankle injury in practice on Friday.
The Patriots ruled out linebacker Robert Spillane (ankle) for Sunday. Cornerback Carlton Davis III (hip), cornerback Marcus Jones (knee), linebacker Harold Landry III (knee) and defensive tackle Christian Barmore (knee) are all questionable.
--Field Level Media
Source: “AOL Sports”
