As one of the NFL’s worst COVID-19 outbreaks sidelined star players, and injuries hit others, the Baltimore Ravens didn’t look like a playoff team in late November.
But as quarterback Lamar Jackson came roaring back, so did Baltimore.
After a Dec. 2 loss to Pittsburgh with Jackson on the COVID-19 list, the Ravens rebounded and won the next four. That set them up to earn a wild card with a victory in the finale against the Cincinnati Bengals, who finally had some momentum after winning two straight.
The Ravens left no doubt they belonged in the postseason with a 38-3 rout of the Bengals on Sunday, with Jackson throwing three touchdown passes and becoming the first quarterback in NFL history with two seasons of more than 1,000 rushing yards.