5 takeaways from Ravens’ 23-7 win vs. Jaguars on Sunday Night Football

The AFC South just got a whole lot more interesting.

The Baltimore Ravens maintained a cushion atop the AFC North with a 23-7 win at the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday Night Football, simultaneously keeping hold of the top seed in the conference.

Baltimore led 10-0 at halftime but were fortunate Jacksonville couldn’t act professional in scoring positions, wasting several opportunities.

Jacksonville made things interesting in the third when Trevor Lawrence delivered a career-long 65-yard touchdown pass to Jamal Agnew, but that would be the team’s lone score of the game.

With the result, Baltimore moved to 11-3 to tie the current league-best record (San Francisco 49ers, NFC) while Jacksonville slipped for the third game running to dip to 8-6.

Let’s analyze the game further with five takeaways:

Jaguars too wasteful in the first half

The second half could’ve been much more intriguing had the Jaguars capitalized in key scoring opportunities early on. Brandon McManus botched field goals on consecutive drives while Lawrence fumbled at the Ravens’ 20 on the possession after the second miss.

Then right before halftime, Lawrence got Jacksonville to the Ravens’ five-yard line before opting not to spike it with no timeouts, then completing a pass inbounds. The clock ran out and ended the half.

Hindsight is 20/20 on what happens after if Jacksonville put points on the board, but its own mistakes cost them in a pivotal moment.

Lamar Jackson’s dynamism comes through

Jackson didn’t have the cleanest game through the air, but his ability to stretch plays on the ground shone yet again. He completed just 14 of 24 passes for 171 yards, one touchdown and one pick while adding 97 rushing yards on 12 attempts. If you shut him down in one aspect, you have to remember he can hurt you with the other.

Isaiah Likely also helped Jackson with an outlet, catching five passes on six targets for 70 yards and a touchdown. He was needed with star tight end Mark Andrews out.

Keaton Mitchell’s knee injury a blow to Ravens

Mitchell has been of the best stories of the season as an undrafted running back shining for an elite team. But the young running back suffered a rough moment early in the fourth quarter that Baltimore later called a knee injury.

The 21-year-old broke through Jacksonville’s defense but had his knee bend awkwardly as he fell to the ground. Head coach John Harbaugh said he’s likely out for the season after the game. He had 73 yards on nine carries prior to exiting. Gus Edwards and Justice Hill will have to shoulder the load the rest of the way, along with Jackson’s two-way threat.

AFC South becomes a real three-way race

Jacksonville seemingly had the AFC South locked up at 8-3, but three straight losses has dealt a severe blow. The Jaguars are now at 8-6, which is tied with the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans. They still own the tiebreakers currently and lead the division, but it’s fair game for all teams now.

Jacksonville still has to play Tampa Bay, Carolina and Tennessee. Indianapolis has Atlanta, Las Vegas and Houston while Houston has Cleveland, Tennessee and Indianapolis. This race is really anyone’s game, both on paper and on the field.

Baltimore gears up for tight finish on a high note

The Ravens have a brutal end to the regular season. The three remaining games are at the 49ers, at home to the Miami Dolphins and at home to the Pittsburgh Steelers. It’s the best team in the NFC, a contender for the No. 1 seed in the AFC and Baltimore’s premier rival, who can never be counted out.

Winning this conference battle versus Jacksonville was a pivotal result to go into the stretch on a high. A loss to San Francisco wouldn’t be a reason to panic, but they’ll certainly need wins in the final two games to secure the top seed.