Getty Ravens coach John Harbaugh and Steelers coach Mike Tomlin after Week 18 game.
The regular season ended tonight for the Baltimore Ravens with a 17-10 loss against AFC rival the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Ravens had already secured the No. 1 seed, so they decided to sit some of their star starters like, QB Lamar Jackson, WRs Odell Beckham Jr. and Zay Flowers, CB Marlon Humphrey and safety Kyle Hamilton.
It looks like they made the right choice, as the weather tonight was rainy, windy and cold with players on both sides going down with injuries.
Head coach John Harbaugh gave an update on some of the Ravens that went down, saying, “It looks like we got through okay health-wise… Right now it looks like we would have all those guys back for the Divisional Game.”
Ravens fans can breathe a sigh of the relief as breakout safety Geno Stone was one of the players who left the game with a knee injury.
Coach Harbaugh on the opportunity and challenge ahead and his appreciation for the fans today:
“Some of them looked a little tough,” Harbaugh noted. Additionally, defensive end Brent Urban is being evaluated for a concussion according to editorial director Ryan Mink.
The weather was horrid during the game, leading to sloppy conditions on the field. The Ravens will be thrilled to have made it through with minimal concerns because according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter the Steelers star DE T.J. Watt suffered a sprained MCL.
Yet, the Ravens can now look to writing their “next chapter” as Harbaugh put it and get ready for their upcoming playoff run. They will have two weeks off before their next game, which will be critical rest time for any injuries.
Ravens Will Practice This Week According to John Harbaugh
Even though the Ravens have the extra week before they need to play, they will start practicing for the playoffs this week according to Harbaugh.
“Plan is to practice Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. We will organize those practices in the next few days,” Harbaugh told reporters. The challenge will be not gaining any rust between now and the divisional round.
However, Jackson, Flowers and Beckham will have a total of three weeks off before they suit up again, so practice is going to be critical.
Coach Harbaugh on the plan for the bye week:
Harbaugh said, “It will be preparation, you know preparation for the postseason.” As a result, his schedule for the week will be to simulate a game week, hoping to keep the routines of his players intact.
The team will look to avoid the result of 2019 where they were bounced in their first game post-bye of the playoffs by the Tennessee Titans. It will be on Harbaugh to prevent the team from getting complacent and coming out flat like they did back in 2019.
Jadeveon Clowney Celebrates Huge Sack
The Ravens may have lost, but linebacker Jadeveon Clowney added to his pocketbook with a big sack. Entering Week 18, Clowney only needed 0.5 sack to hit a $750k incentive in his contract.
Clowney got it with time running out in the second half when he took down QB Mason Rudolph. He knew right away what the sack meant and began dancing on the field elated with joy.
Clowney signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract before the season so the bonus is serious money comparatively. Clowney has been a diamond in the rough find for the Ravens and has become a favorite amongst fans, media and of course the team.
.@clownejd needed a sack to reach his incentive for the season.
He got it and went CRAZY. 😅👏
📺: #PITvsBAL on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus t.co/WxnOXJY8R6
Sarah Ellison, co-host of “The Vault: A Daily Ravens Podcast, posted, “I’m dying right now with Jadeveon Clowney dancing with the biggest SMILE on his face after that sack. You KNOW he knows he just hit his sack incentive and now gets an extra $750K. Good for him.”
Former player, and current NFL Network host, Jason McCourty posted, “Jadeveon Clowney 30 yrs finished with 9.5 sacks. Veteran players who didn’t make waves when they signed but have been a huge part of an elite Ravens defense!”
Clowney will be 0.5 sack short of tying his career high, but he will not be complaining.