Odermatt becomes Switzerland's most successful male skier with another GS win on the Gran Risa

LA VILLA, Italy (AP) — Marco Odermatt is back to his imperious best.

Odermatt followed up his first win in Val Gardena in Saturday’s downhill by winning a World Cup giant slalom on Sunday as he continued to dominate the Gran Risa to become Switzerland's most successful male skier.

It was Odermatt’s 41st World Cup victory, putting the three-time defending overall champion one above Pirmin Zurbriggen for wins for the Swiss men's team. Vreni Schneider holds the overall record for her country with 55.

“This is crazy now,” Odermatt said. “To be here the best Swiss alpine skier ever ... Pirmin Zurbriggen is the biggest legend we have in Swiss skiing history so this is a very special moment.”

Odermatt was third fastest in a tricky first run in Alta Badia but was much more aggressive in the second to make it back-to-back GS wins after a difficult start to the season.

“I think every run is different down here,” Odermatt said. “Today, in the morning it was very difficult with the changing conditions and insane run. I felt better already after the inspection. I saw that on the ground is better, so I knew I can ski my plan, I can attack, it’s less dangerous.”

Odermatt beat Léo Anguenot by 0.85 seconds. The Frenchman also had a strong second run to rise from ninth to clinch his first World Cup podium finish. Anguenot had never placed inside the top 10 before.

Alexander Steen Olsen was third, 0.88 behind Odermatt and just ahead of first-run leader Filip Zubcic.

Olympic champion Odermatt has now won five of the past six GS races on the Gran Risa. Only Lucas Pinheiro Braathen has interrupted that streak.

However, Odermatt had appeared uncharacteristically beatable in his favorite discipline this year.

Odermatt won the first nine of 10 giant slalom races last season on his way to a third straight crystal globe in the discipline as well as a third straight overall title.

But the Swiss standout then failed to finish the final event in March and the first two races of the new season before finally picking up his first GS points with a win in Val d’Isère last weekend.

The Gran Risa is already one of the toughest courses on the circuit and it was made even more difficult by flat light, while there were also plenty of ruts and bumps on the course — although that was improved between the first and second run.

“I know that I’m strong in this condition, when it’s tough, when it’s a fight, when you have to ski smart,” Odermatt said.

Henrik Kristoffersen called it “dangerous” and “really bad” after the first run, adding: “maybe we shouldn’t have skied today, that was my feeling.”

Kristoffersen was fourth fastest after the first run but dropped to ninth.

Odermatt moved a point above Kristoffersen into top spot in the GS standings and extended his lead in the overall standings to 121 points above the Norwegian.

There is a slalom on Monday also in Alta Badia before the men's circuit moves to Bormio for speed events.

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt, center, winner of an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom, celebrates with second-placed France's Leo Anguenot, left, and third-placed Norway's Alexander Steen Olsen, in Alta Badia, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt, center, winner of an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom, celebrates with second-placed France's Leo Anguenot, left, and third-placed Norway's Alexander Steen Olsen, in Alta Badia, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt celebrates with the team after winning an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom, in Alta Badia, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt celebrates on the podium after winning an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom, in Alta Badia, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

France's Leo Anguenot speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom, in Alta Badia, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

France's Leo Anguenot celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom, in Alta Badia, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

France's Leo Anguenot celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom, in Alta Badia, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt checks his time at the finish area of an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom, in Alta Badia, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom, in Alta Badia, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt celebrates at the finish area of an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom, in Alta Badia, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

The Italian Frecce Tricolori acrobatic squad flies past ahead of an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom, in Alta Badia, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati)

Brazil's Lucas Pinheiro Braathen concentrates ahead of an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom, in Alta Badia, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

Croatia's Filip Zubcic speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom, in Alta Badia, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom, in Alta Badia, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup giant slalom, in Alta Badia, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Lamar Jackson thought it was over. That the Baltimore Ravens' unwieldy season would end up in a familiar spot: the playoffs.

Then, rookie kicker Tyler Loop's potential game-winning field goal from 44 yards out drifted a little right. And then a little further right. And then a little further right still.

By the time it fluttered well wide of the goalposts, the playoffs were gone. So was Jackson's certainty after a 26-24 loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday night sent the Ravens into what could be a turbulent offseason.

“I'm definitely stunned, man,” Jackson said. “I thought we had it in the bag. ... I don't know what else we can do.”

Jackson, who never really seemed fully healthy during his eighth season as he battled one thing after another, did his part. The two-time NFL MVP passed for 238 yards and three touchdowns, including two long connections with Zay Flowers in the fourth quarter that put the Ravens (8-9) in front.

It just wasn't enough. Baltimore's defense, which played most of the second half without star safety Kyle Hamilton after Hamilton entered the concussion protocol, wilted against 42-year-old Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers passed for a season-high 294 yards, including a 26-yard flip to a wide-open Calvin Austin with 55 seconds to go after a defender slipped, symbolic of a season in which Baltimore's defense only occasionally found its form.

Still, the Ravens had a chance when Jackson found Isaiah Likely for a 28-yard gain on fourth down from midfield. A couple of snaps later, the 24-year-old Loop walked on to try to lift Baltimore to its third straight division title.

Instead, the rookie said he “mishit” it. Whatever it was, it never threatened to sneak between the goalposts.

“It’s disappointing,” Loop said.

Loop was talking about the game. He might as well have been talking about his team's season.

The Ravens began 1-5 as Jackson dealt with injuries and the defense struggled to get stops. Baltimore found a way to briefly tie the Steelers for first in late November, only to then split its next four games, including a home loss to Pittsburgh.

Still, when Jackson and the Ravens walked onto the Acrisure Stadium turf on Sunday night in the 272nd and final game of the NFL regular season, Baltimore was confident. The Ravens drilled Pittsburgh in the opening round of the playoffs a year ago behind the ever-churning legs of running back Derrick Henry.

When Henry ripped off a gain of 40-plus yards on the game's first offensive snap, it looked like it was going to be more of the same. While Henry did rush for 126 yards and joined Hall of Famer Barry Sanders as the only running backs in NFL history to have five 1,500-yard seasons, he was less effective in the second half.

Even that first run was telling of what night it was going to be, as an illegal block by wide receiver Zay Flowers cost Baltimore some field position. The Ravens ended up scoring on the drive anyway, thanks to a 38-yard fourth-down flip from Jackson to a wide-open Devontez Walker, but it started a pattern that was hard to shake as several steps forward were met with one step back on a night the Ravens finished with nine penalties for 78 yards.

“We were having a lot of penalties, which kept stopping drives," Jackson said. “But I'm proud of my guys because we kept overcoming. We kept overcoming adversity and situations like this. Divisional games (can) be like that sometimes.”

Particularly when the Steelers are on the other side of the line of scrimmage. Pittsburgh has won 10 of the last 13 meetings. And while a handful of them have been in late-season matchups with the Ravens already assured of reaching the playoffs, the reality is the Steelers have been able to regularly do something that most others have not: found a way to beat Jackson.

“It comes down to situations like this,” Jackson said. “Two-point conversion one year. Field goal another year. And again this year. Just got to find a way to get that win here.”

And figure out who is going to be around to help get it.

Head coach John Harbaugh's 18th season in Baltimore ended with the Ravens missing the playoffs for just the second time in eight years. Jackson turns 29 this week and is still one of the most electric players in the league.

Yet Harbaugh and Jackson have yet to find a way to have that breakthrough season that Harbaugh enjoyed with Joe Flacco in 2013 when the Ravens won the Super Bowl.

There was hope when the season began that the roadblocks that have long been in the franchise's way — Kansas City and Patrick Mahomes chief among them — would be gone.

While the Ravens did get their way in a sense — the Chiefs will watch the playoffs from afar for the first time in a decade after a nightmarish season of their own — it never all came together.

Jackson declined to endorse Harbaugh returning for a 19th season, saying the loss was still too fresh to zoom out on what it might mean for the franchise going forward.

Harbaugh, for his part, certainly seems up for running it back in the fall.

“I love these guys,” he said afterward. “I love these guys.”

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, right, hands the ball off to running back Derrick Henry (22) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh talks with an offical during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)

Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward, left, greets Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) after an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Jabrill Peppers (40) reacts after Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop (33) missed a field goal attempt in the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)