Ravens clinch playoff spot with win over error-prone Jaguars

Lamar Jackson threw a touchdown pass to Isaiah Likely and the Baltimore Ravens clinched an AFC playoff spot with a 23-7 victory over the hosts Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday night.

Gus Edwards added a rushing score for Baltimore (11-3), who have won four straight games and eight of their past nine. Jackson completed 14 of 24 passes for 171 yards and an interception and added 97 yards on 12 rushes.

Likely caught five passes for 70 yards and Justin Tucker kicked three field goals for the Ravens.

Trevor Lawrence completed 25 of 43 passes for 264 yards and one touchdown but also lost two fumbles for the Jaguars. Jamal Agnew caught a touchdown pass for Jacksonville (8-6), which lost its third straight game and fell into a tie for the AFC South lead with the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans.

Baltimore’s Keaton Mitchell rushed for 73 yards on nine carries before departing with a knee injury early in the fourth quarter.

It took the Jaguars more than 2 1/2 quarters to find the end zone. Agnew got wide open down the left sideline, made the catch and completed a 65-yard scoring play to cut Baltimore’s lead to 10-7 with 7:15 left in the third quarter.

The Ravens pushed their lead back to 10 when Edwards scored on a one-yard run two seconds into the fourth quarter. Tucker kicked field goals of 26 and 34 yards to give Baltimore a 16-point lead with 6:01 left en route to finishing off the win.

Gus Edwards scores a touchdown for the Ravens en route to victory at Jacksonville

Baltimore led 10-0 at halftime as Jacksonville repeatedly squandered chances. Tucker booted a 43-yard field goal with 6:21 left in the first quarter to give the Ravens a 3-0 edge.

The Jaguars’ Brandon McManus clanked a 50-yard field-goal attempt off the right upright with 3:03 left in the opening quarter, and then was wide left from 55 yards out with 13:01 remaining in the first half.

Later in the second quarter, Lawrence was scrambling when he fumbled, and Arthur Maulet of the Ravens recovered the ball at the Baltimore 19 and returned it 21 yards with 5:42 left in the frame.

The Ravens then drove 60 yards in 13 plays, with Jackson connecting with Likely on a 16-yard scoring pass with 1:12 left in the half. Jacksonville came up empty again in the final seconds as receiver Parker

Washington were unable to get out of bounds at the Baltimore 4-yard line, and the Jaguars were unable to get another play off before the half ended.

What’s next?

The Ravens play at San Francisco on Boxing Day, while the Jaguars are at the Buccaneers two days before on Christmas Eve.

Sky Sports will broadcast two exclusive live games every Sunday throughout the regular season in the 6pm and 9pm slots, while also showing every Thursday Night, Sunday Night and Monday Night match-up as well as every Christmas Day fixture.

Fans can also watch every minute of the playoffs across January, followed by Super Bowl LVIII at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on February 11.

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