Not only do the Baltimore Ravens lead the AFC North, but they are now positioned to control their destiny to hold the best record in the entire AFC. The Ravens are now 10-3 on the season after a thrilling Week 14 overtime victory over the Los Angeles Rams that ended with a punt return touchdown.
The Miami Dolphins could tie the Ravens' record if they beat the Tennessee Titans on Monday Night Football. But the Ravens play the Dolphins in Week 17 in a game that could determine the number one seed in the AFC. After the Kansas City Chiefs and the Jacksonville Jaguars lost on Sunday, the Ravens now hold a two-game lead over them as well as the Cleveland Browns, who beat the Jaguars.
Baltimore has dealt with a ton of adversity and injuries, as they seemingly always do. The most notable losses have been Mark Andrews and JK Dobbins. But left tackle Ronnie Stanley has missed time, and their star safety Kyle Hamilton just got hurt against the Rams.
But the adversity the Ravens have faced this season made this win and this season so far all the more impressive. Players have stepped up time and time again for this team. Three, in particular, did so in Week 14.
Tylan Wallace
It's fair to start with the guy who literally won the game for the Ravens, Tylan Wallace. Wallace was a fourth-round pick back in 2021, but has been used sparingly as a receiver since arriving in Baltimore. He has six receptions in his career and none this season. He didn't have a touchdown in his career… until Week 14 when he scored the walk-off punt return touchdown.
That was only the third punt Wallace has returned all season long and the third time he's touched the ball in a game. He couldn't possibly have done more with it.
Isaiah Likely
Isaiah Likely has had some big games filling in for Mark Andrews over the couple of seasons. Likely burst onto the scene in that exact situation on a Thursday night game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when he went for 77 yards and a touchdown while bringing in six of his seven targets. Likely also racked up 103 yards on 13 targets and eight receptions in Week 18 of last season in a game where the Ravens were resting their starters.
Likely hasn't had one of those games yet this season filling in for Andrews, who got injured in Week 11 – until he met the Rams. Likely caught five of his seven targets for 83 yards and scored a touchdown, the second of his career.
Yes, the touchdown came on a busted coverage by the defense, but Likely still made the play happen, as he does every time he has the opportunity to do so. Likely's 83 yards on Sunday was second on the Ravens behind only Odell Beckham Jr., who had 97. In the two weeks Likely has entered the game as the starting tight end for the Ravens, he has registered six and seven targets in those games.
He also has nine receptions for 123 yards and a touchdown. Prorated over 13 games, Likely would rank fourth among tight ends in receiving yards, sixth in targets, eighth in receptions, and fifth in touchdowns.
What a luxury to have a tight end of Likely's caliber backing up one of the best tight ends in the game in Mark Andrews. But Likely is a necessity now, and he's playing like it.
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