OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — John Harbaugh said he had some coaches and players over to watch the Pittsburgh-Cleveland game that could have eliminated his Baltimore Ravens from the playoffs.
When the Browns won, saving Baltimore's season for now, the reaction was what you'd expect.
“It was uncorked man. It was raucous,” Harbaugh said. “It was great. Everybody was jumping around and fired up and happy. A lot of hugging.”
Now it's time to get back to business for the Ravens, who improbably have a chance to win the AFC North on Sunday night when they play at Pittsburgh. To stay alive, Baltimore needed a win at Green Bay last weekend and a loss by the Steelers. Both those results happened.
The Ravens (8-8) managed to beat the Packers 41-24 on Saturday night despite Lamar Jackson's absence. Jackson has been nursing a back injury, but Tyler Huntley improved to 2-0 as the starting quarterback this season and Derrick Henry ran for 216 yards and four touchdowns.
Then the Browns pulled off a 13-6 upset against Pittsburgh on Sunday. Harbaugh said he wasn't watching that game like a coach.
“I'm in fan mode to be honest with you," he said. "I'm complaining about the play calls.”
Harbaugh said he'll have a better sense Wednesday about Jackson's status for this next game, but the Baltimore coach shot down the idea that Huntley's success would make the Ravens at all hesitant to bring back Jackson.
“The fact that we have a lot of confidence in Tyler is a real big positive, a real plus, but it doesn't factor into whether Lamar plays,” Harbaugh said. “If Lamar's ready to go, he's playing.”
Jackson has missed four games this season because of hamstring and back problems, but he played earlier this month when the Ravens lost at home to Pittsburgh, 27-22.
The rematch will be the final game of the entire NFL regular season — a major showcase on national television.
That's after both teams struggled for much of the season and neither was able to pull away with the division.
“It's a great opportunity. We'll be playing a division championship game on Sunday,” Harbaugh said. “We've worked hard to get to this position. There's a lot of different paths in football, and there's a lot of different paths in life, and this is the path of the 2025 season. So here we are, and our goal is to make the most of it.”
It's the second straight season the Steelers and Ravens are playing an elimination game. Baltimore beat Pittsburgh 28-14 in the playoffs back in January.
If Jackson is able to play, this will be a chance for him to move past a rocky stretch. He hurt his hamstring in Week 4, and by the time he came back Baltimore was 2-5. The Ravens won their first four games after his return, but he dealt with other health issues and still hasn't had a full week of practice since early November.
Losses at home to Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and New England meant the Ravens were facing elimination when they went to Green Bay, and Jackson missed the second half of the game against the Patriots. He wasn't able to play against the Packers, but Harbaugh said there was progress last week with his back injury.
“It was not good at all early in the week, and it improved as the week went on," Harbaugh said. "That was cause for optimism.”
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Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh watches during the first half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)
RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Host nation Morocco and South Africa advanced to the Africa Cup of Nations’ knockout stage on Monday, when Egypt star Mohamed Salah got a rest with his team already through.
Morocco made sure of its place in the last 16 with a 3-0 rout of Zambia. The hosts topped Group A to stay on course for having all their knockout games in Rabat’s near 70,000-capacity Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, which will also stage the final on Jan. 18.
Results in Group A, where Comoros finished third with two points, and Group B, where Angola also finished third with two points, prompted celebrations elsewhere. That's because teams with more than two points and already assured of at least third place in their groups have reached the last 16.
The four best third-placed teams from the six groups progress, along with the top two in each.
It means 2021 winner Senegal and Congo are through ahead of their final games in Group D, and defending champion Ivory Coast and five-time winner Cameroon are through from Group F.
Angola, which has a better goal difference than Comoros, can still go through with two points if already-qualified Nigeria beats Uganda and Tunisia beats Tanzania in Group C on Tuesday.
This time there were only cheers, after Morocco fans had whistled the team during its previous game, prompting a rebuke from team captain Achraf Hakimi on Sunday.
Ayoub El Kaabi headed the opener in the ninth minute, Brahim Díaz swept the second inside the left post in the 27th, and El Kaabi made sure of the win in the 50th with a spectacular bicycle kick – his second of the tournament.
An offside flag added to the drama as the goal was ruled out and then allowed after a VAR check confirmed El Kaabi was onside, setting off more joyous celebrations among the vast majority of fans in the stadium.
They had further reason to cheer when Hakimi went on as a substitute in the 64th for his first appearance since recovering from an ankle injury. Hakimi drew a brilliant save from Willard Mwanza on an otherwise perfect comeback.
The African Footballer of the Year will likely start on Sunday, when Morocco will play one of the third-placed finishers from Groups C, D or E, the first of what the home fans hope will be four wins to lift the title.
Mali’s 0-0 draw with Comoros was enough to finish second in Group A with three draws. Mali midfielder Amadou Haidara was sent off late.
“If we keep playing like this, we won't stay long in the tournament,” Mali coach Tom Sainfiet said.
The Eagles will play the second-placed finisher in Group D in Casablanca on Saturday, possibly Congo.
Oswin Appollis fired South Africa into the last 16 with a hard-fought 3-2 win over Zimbabwe.
The Bafana Bafana progressed in second place in Group B, behind Egypt, which drew 0-0 with Angola in Agadir. Both final group games were played at the same time.
With his team already through, Egypt coach Hossam Hassan rested his regulars including Salah, Omar Marmoush, and Trézéguet. They’re set to return for the Pharaohs’ first knockout game, also in Agadir, against a third-place finisher from Groups A, C or D on Jan. 5.
"Regardless of who we face, we are ready,” Hassan said.
South Africa needed a win in Marrakech to be sure of progress without relying on a favor from Egypt. But Zimbabwe twice came from behind and pushed for an equalizer late on.
“We repeated the same mistakes as in previous games – poor passing and bad positioning,” said South Africa coach Hugo Broos, who has complained about the lack of an ”AFCON vibe" at the tournament.
South Africa awaits results in Group F as it will play the second-placed finisher from that group – Ivory Coast, Cameroon or Mozambique – on Sunday.
AP at the Africa Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/africa-cup-of-nations
Morocco's Achraf Hakimi comes on during the second half of the Africa Cup of Nations group A soccer match between Zambia and Morocco in Rabat, Morocco, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Morocco's fans celebrate during the Africa Cup of Nations group A soccer match between Zambia and Morocco in Rabat, Morocco, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Morocco's Ayoub El Kaabi celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the Africa Cup of Nations group A soccer match between Zambia and Morocco in Rabat, Morocco, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Angola's Beni Mukendi and Egypt's Mahmoud Saber compete for the ball during the Africa Cup of Nations group B soccer match between Angola and Egypt in Agadir, Morocco, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Egypt's head coach Hossam Hassan during the Africa Cup of Nations group B soccer match between Angola and Egypt in Agadir, Morocco, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Angola's Gelson Dala, right, controls the ball past Egypt's Ahmed Zizo during the Africa Cup of Nations group B soccer match between Angola and Egypt in Agadir, Morocco, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Angola's Gelson Dala, right, kicks the ball during the Africa Cup of Nations group B soccer match between Angola and Egypt in Agadir, Morocco, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
Egypt's Mohamed Salah, center, smiles as he sits on the bench ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations group B soccer match between Angola and Egypt in Agadir, Morocco, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)
