Who will come out on top in a battle of AFC contenders?
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye throws against the Baltimore Ravens during the first quarter Sunday in Baltimore. Scott Taetsch / Getty Images
Uh oh.
Lamar Jackson came off the field for a 3rd and 12 after taking a shot on first down. Tyler Huntley threw a short pass that led to a field goal on fourth down.
More importantly for the Ravens, Jackson headed back to the locker room in some discomfort. Baltimore has already listed him as questionable to return with a back injury.
It’s a 10-10 game with under a minute to go in the second quarter.
A 45-yard field goal puts the Patriots ahead with a little more than 5 minutes to play before halftime.
The Ravens can’t answer the Patriots touchdown, going three and out after the Hunter Henry score. New England will now have the ball on its own 25-yard line with a chance to take its first lead of the night.
The score is 7-all in the second quarter after an impressive New England drive. Facing third-and-13 near midfield, Drake Maye hit Mack Hollins across the middle for 20 yards. One play later, Maye completed another ball to Austin Hooper for 26 yards, putting New England on the doorstep of a touchdown in just two plays.
The Patriots didn’t waste their red-zone opportunity this time. Maye then used play-action to complete a touchdown to a wide-open Hunter Henry.
One scoring drive and two turnovers in an eventful first quarter.
The Patriots are driving as we head into the second — they’ll have a second and short near midfield when play resumes.
Lamar Jackson is 4 of 4 for 69 yards, while Drake Maye is 3 of 5 for 35 yards and a pick so far.
A knee injury has left starting left tackle Morgan Moses questionable to return to tonight’s game, the Patriots just announced. It could be a setback for an offensive line that has allowed 43 sacks, fourth most in the NFL.
The Ravens were marching yet again, working on a nine-play drive into New England territory, before Derrick Henry fumbled.
The Pats have the ball back after the Drake Maye interception, still trailing 7-0.
On third-and-13, Baltimore gets a defensive stop inside the red zone after Patriots quarterback Drake Maye’s pass is too low and too far in front of his receiver but in just the right place for Marlon Humphrey to pick him off.
Baltimore takes over.
With a win or a tie tonight, the Patriots will clinch a playoff berth. They would also clinch a playoff berth if Indianapolis loses or ties against San Francisco tomorrow.
New England’s defense was shredded on Baltimore’s first possession, leading to a touchdown in less than three minutes. It’s a shaky start for a team that, at 6-0, is the only unbeaten team on the road this season.
That was quick!
The Ravens wasted no time getting busy on offense tonight, scoring less than three minutes into the game on a five-play, 65-yard drive.
Derrick Henry ran three times for 28 yards, including 21 on the touchdown.
Baltimore has an early 7-0 lead.
… And “Sunday Night Football” is underway! The Ravens will take over first from their own 35.
Mike Florio and Michael Holley discuss the improving health of Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson ahead of his next game tonight against the New England Patriots.
In a game with huge playoff implications, Chris Simms and Mike Florio discuss whether the New England Patriots can bounce back against the Baltimore Ravens on “Sunday Night Football.”
Mike Florio and Michael Holley discuss the improving health of Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson ahead of his next game tonight against the New England Patriots.
Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick preview “Sunday Night Football”with the New England Patriots facing the Baltimore Ravens, leaning towards the Patriots’ getting too many points on the road.
Henderson had a career-high 148 rushing yards with two touchdown runs in last Sunday’s loss to Buffalo.
Henderson is one of three players in NFL history to have multiple career games with more than two touchdown runs of 50-plus yards, including the playoffs (Saquon Barkley two last season and Chris Johnson two in 2009).
His four touchdown runs of 50-plus yards are tied for the most by a rookie in NFL history (Barkley with the New York Giants in 2018 and Lenny Moore with the Baltimore Colts in 1956).
New England led 21-0 in the second quarter against the Buffalo Bills. It was then outscored 35-10 for the rest of the game.
The loss snapped New England’s streak of 133 straight home wins when it was leading by 17-plus points, including the playoffs (the longest streak in NFL history).
Jackson is 2-1 in three career starts against the Patriots. In those three games, he has 10 total touchdowns (seven passing, three rushing) and two turnovers (both interceptions).
In the last meeting between these teams (37-26 Baltimore win in 2022), Jackson threw for 218 yards with four touchdown passes and one pick while rushing for 107 yards with one touchdown run. It is the only game of Jackson’s career in which he threw four-plus touchdown passes and also ran for a touchdown.
The Ravens started this season 1-5, tied for the worst start through six games in franchise history. They then won five straight games to improve to 6-5 before losing back-to-back games against the Bengals and the Steelers in Weeks 13 and 14. They got back to .500 with their 24-0 win at Cincinnati last Sunday.
Baltimore is looking to become the fifth team in NFL history to reach the playoffs after starting 1-5.
In last Sunday’s win over Cincinnati, Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson went 8-for-12 passing for 150 passing yards with two touchdown passes and one interception. Eight completions and 12 pass attempts were both the fewest of his career in a start in which he did not leave early because injury. His 150 passing yards were his second fewest this season (had 147 passing yards in the Week 4 loss at KC, which he left early because of a hamstring injury).
The Patriots would clinch a playoff berth with a win over the Ravens. They cannot clinch the AFC East in Week 16. New England would also clinch a playoff berth next week if Houston loses to Las Vegas (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET) or Indianapolis loses to San Francisco (on “Monday Night Football”).
Baltimore controls its path to the AFC North division title. It plays at Pittsburgh in Week 18.
Patriots QB Drake Maye has impressed in his first full season as the starter in New England. According to DraftKings (as of Sunday night), Maye has the second-best odds to be named NFL MVP (+425) behind Matthew Stafford (-300). The only Patriot to be named NFL MVP is Tom Brady (three times).
This season, Maye has a league-high 70.9 completion% with 3,567 passing yards (fifth in the NFL) and 23 TD passes (tied for fifth in the NFL).
This is the first meeting between these teams since Week 3 of the 2022 season, when the Ravens beat the Patriots, 37-26, in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson had five total touchdowns in that win (four passing, one rushing).
Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick preview “Sunday Night Football” with the New England Patriots facing the Baltimore Ravens, leaning toward the Patriots’ getting too many points on the road.
Rohan Nadkarni is a sports reporter for NBC News.
Andrew Greif is a sports reporter for NBC News Digital.
Greg Rosenstein is the sports editor for NBC News Digital.