Late reversal helps Steelers hold on for 27-22 win over Ravens and sole possession of division lead

BALTIMORE (AP) — For a while now, Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers have walked the fine line between success and recriminations.

They remained on the right side of it Sunday, thanks to Aaron Rodgers and a couple of late replays.

Rodgers threw for 284 yards and a touchdown and even ran for a TD in perhaps his best game with the Steelers, and Pittsburgh took sole possession of first place in the AFC North, holding on for a 27-22 win over the Ravens when a Baltimore touchdown with 2:43 remaining was overturned by a replay review.

The Ravens (6-7) had caught Pittsburgh in the standings despite a 1-5 start, leading to the latest round of speculation — plus some chants from fans — suggesting Tomlin's 19-year tenure as Steelers coach might be nearing an end.

Not so fast.

“At least maybe you guys will shut the hell up for a week,” Rodgers said.

The Ravens nearly rallied from an 11-point deficit in the final quarter, but a pair of big reviews went against them. With the Steelers up 27-22, a pass by Rodgers was batted into the air by C.J. Okoye before the ball disappeared into a mass of humanity, with Rodgers in the middle of it. The play was initially ruled an interception, but Rodgers very briefly had his hands on the ball before losing control, and after a review, officials determined Rodgers caught his own pass and was down by contact.

The Steelers still had to punt, but the reversal cost Baltimore quite a bit of field position.

Later, Isaiah Likely secured a pass from Lamar Jackson with two hands in the end zone, and both his feet came down, but as he was about to complete another step with his right foot, Joey Porter Jr. of the Steelers knocked the ball free. It was initially called a touchdown then changed to incomplete. The Ravens eventually turned the ball over on downs.

To the untrained eye, Likely seemed to the control the ball longer and more persuasively than Rodgers had, but under the NFL's complicated rules about catches, the play in the end zone was not a touchdown.

“The receiver controlled the ball in the air, had his right foot down, then his left foot down. The control is the first aspect of the catch. The second aspect is two feet or a body part in bounds, which he did have,” NFL Vice President of Instant Replay Mark Butterworth said. “Then the third step is an act common to the game and before he could get the third foot down, the ball was ripped out. Therefore, it was an incomplete pass.”

Baltimore held defensively and then reached the Pittsburgh 30-yard line, but Jackson took a sack when the Ravens had no timeouts left, and the clock expired.

Rodgers didn’t complete a pass longer than 31 yards in the whole month of November, but he had four of at least that distance Sunday, plus two more for more than 20. The first offensive play for Pittsburgh (7-6) was a 52-yard throw to DK Metcalf, which set up a 1-yard run by Rodgers that put the Steelers up 7-3.

That was the 42-yard quarterback’s first rushing touchdown since the 2022 season.

“That was in no way the play at all," Rodgers said. “The whole left side just caved in. I started running. I had two larger humans chasing me that I maybe was equal to or slightly faster than."

As they have for several weeks now, Jackson and the Ravens sputtered offensively through most of the first half, and although there were eventually some signs of life, Baltimore is now in another precarious spot. The Ravens won five in a row after their terrible start, but now they've lost back-to-back divisional games at home to Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.

The Steelers led 17-9 at halftime, and as he did in the first half, Rodgers connected for a big gain to Metcalf to start the third quarter. That 41-yard pickup led to a field goal, but Keaton Mitchell raced free for a 56-yard run for the Ravens, who made it 20-16 on Jackson’s 4-yard scoring pass to Likely.

Rodgers answered with a 31-yard pass to Calvin Austin III on third down, then Jaylen Warren took a short pass 38 yards to the end zone — also on third down — for a 27-16 lead.

The Ravens managed a couple of field goals but couldn't produce the late touchdown they needed.

Rodgers, who played the previous weekend against Buffalo with a brace on his broken left wrist, used a soft cast Sunday and wasn’t sacked a single time by the Ravens. This was his most yards passing since joining the Steelers before this season.

Jackson was intercepted in the first half by his cousin, defensive back James Pierre. A penalty on a field-goal attempt gave Pittsburgh a new set of downs, and Kenneth Gainwell's 6-yard touchdown run made it 17-3.

Jackson scored on a 6-yard run just before halftime, but Tyler Loop missed the extra point.

Afterward, Jackson said his level of frustration was “through the roof” — he threw for 219 yards and ran for 43.

The Ravens lost despite outrushing Pittsburgh 217-34. It was the largest rushing advantage by a losing team since Jacksonville outran Indianapolis 243-45 in 2022 and lost 34-27.

“They smashed us today,” Tomlin said. “I've got to give them credit.”

In 2020, the Ravens outrushed the Steelers 265-48 but lost 28-24.

It was a bruising afternoon typical of this rivalry. Tight end Darnell Washington and linebacker Malik Harrison left with concussions for Pittsburgh, cornerback Brandin Echols was evaluated for one and guard Andrus Peat went into the protocol as well.

Mitchell left with a knee injury for Baltimore.

Steelers: Host Miami next Monday night.

Ravens: At Cincinnati on Sunday.

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

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) runs to the end zone for a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (30) celebrates with quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) after a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell (14) runs the ball against Baltimore Ravens safety Keondre Jackson (39) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (56) and linebacker Nick Herbig (51) tackle Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Kyle van Noy, left, and defensive tackle John Jenkins (94) tackle Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (30) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. (24) breaks up a pass intended for Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely (80) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Tua Tagovailoa warmed up pretty quickly against the New York Jets and put his cold weather woes on ice.

Tagovailoa threw a touchdown pass to stay undefeated against his AFC East rivals, Miami rushed for three scores and the Dolphins ran away with a 34-10 victory Sunday for their fourth straight win. The defense also stifled an already struggling Jets offense.

“That's a formula to win games in December,” coach Mike McDaniel said.

Tagovailoa improved to 7-0 against the Jets as a starter and 8-0 overall in games in which he has played against the AFC East rivals. And with the temperature 41 degrees at kickoff, Tagovailoa moved to 1-7 in his career when the temperature is 46 or colder.

“I felt good, but it’s football," Tagovailoa said. “Whether it’s hot, whether it's cold, you've got to go out there and you've got to play.”

De'Von Achane ran for 92 yards and a touchdown before leaving in the second quarter with a rib injury following a 29-yard run, but McDaniel said the star running back could've returned in “an emergency.”

He wasn't needed, though. Jaylen Wright filled in and had a career-high 107 yards and his first NFL score. Rookie Ollie Gordon II also ran for a TD for Miami (6-7), which rushed for 239 yards overall and has won five of its last six to remain in the playoff hunt after starting the season 1-6.

“I don’t think I’ve been in the league where I’ve had a stretch necessarily like this one," Tagovailoa said, "in terms of the start to the year and finding that flow toward the later end of the year.”

Tagovailoa was 13 of 21 for 127 yards with a touchdown pass to Jaylen Waddle before sitting for the final minutes with the game well in hand. Zach Wilson, New York's No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 draft, finished for Miami.

Zach Sieler had 2 1/2 of the Dolphins' six sacks of the Jets (3-10), who were officially eliminated from playoff contention with the loss. It's the 15th straight year — the NFL's longest active drought — without a postseason appearance for New York.

“This game was definitely disappointing," first-year coach Aaron Glenn said. "Really hard to try to put this in words. The only thing I can say is I didn’t have these guys ready to play. That was obvious by the way we went out there and played.”

Undrafted rookie quarterback Brady Cook made his regular-season NFL debut for the Jets when he replaced the injured Tyrod Taylor with 3:39 remaining in the first quarter. Taylor left with what the team announced was a groin injury. Glenn didn't have an immediate update on Taylor, who was 1 for 4 for 6 yards and an interception.

Cook, who was Taylor's backup because Justin Fields was ruled out with knee soreness, was 14 of 30 for 163 yards and two interceptions. The rookie said he “absolutely” felt more comfortable as the game went on after a rough start.

“I think you definitely saw flashes there in the fourth quarter of us moving the ball," Cook said. "We need more of it.”

On Miami's opening drive, Tagovailoa was hit as he was throwing, but got enough on the pass to complete it to Waddle for a 3-yard touchdown that gave Miami a 7-0 lead.

Achane made it 14-0 a few minutes later with a 13-yard touchdown run to cap Miami's second possession.

“We knew they were going to come out fast and the biggest thing was us coming out fast, too,” Jets linebacker Quincy Williams said. “We didn't do that the first series. ... We didn't show up earlier.”

Tyrel Dodson gave the Dolphins the ball right back when Taylor's pass went off Mason Taylor's hands and right to the linebacker. It was originally called an incompletion, but McDaniel challenged the call and it was ruled via video review that Dodson kept the ball from hitting the ground for an interception by pinning it between his knees.

Tyrod Taylor, who made his third straight start in place of the benched Fields, was hurt on the play.

Isaiah Williams gave the Jets a spark when he returned a punt 78 yards for a touchdown — his second score on a punt return this season — to make it 21-7 with 20 seconds left in the opening quarter.

Trailing 24-7 late in the third quarter, New York's special teams again came up big. With Austin McNamara set to punt on fourth-and-8, Malachi Moore took the direct snap and then lateraled to Isaiah Davis, who gained 20 yards and a first down.

The Jets' offense stalled, though, and New York settled for Nick Folk's 31-yard field goal.

Dolphins: LB Caleb Johnson left in the first quarter with a shoulder injury and didn't return. ... S Elijah Campbell was ruled out in the third with knee and ankle injuries.

Jets: Glenn said TE Mason Taylor has a stinger. ... TE Stone Smartt has a possible concussion. ... Rookie DE Tyler Baron was ruled out with a knee injury. ... Rookie LB Kiko Mauigoa cleared the concussion protocol, but didn’t return because of a shoulder injury.

Dolphins: Take on the Steelers in Pittsburgh next Monday night.

Jets: Travel to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars next Sunday.

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

Miami Dolphins cornerback Rasul Douglas (26) intercepts a pass intended for New York Jets wide receiver John Metchie III (3) at the goal line during the second quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Miami Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II (31) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the New York Jets during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

New York Jets quarterback Brady Cook (4) passes against the Miami Dolphins during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane (28) carries the ball for a touchdown against New York Jets cornerback Brandon Stephens (21) during the first quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) reacts during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)