Just like that, the Baltimore Ravens have gone from a midseason

CARSON Germaine Pratt Jersey , Calif. (AP) — swoon to the brink of their first playoff trip in four years.The resurgent Ravens continued their late push with a 22-10 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday behind Lamar Jackson’s first 200-yard passing game and a stingy defense that held one of the NFL’s top offenses under 200 yards for the first time since 2014.Baltimore, which has won five of its past six with Jackson as the starter, dominated for most of the night to remain in possession of the last AFC wild card with one game remaining in the regular season. And the Ravens (9-6) would move into first place in the AFC North if Pittsburgh loses at New Orleans on Sunday.Article continues below ...“I’m proud of our guys. So many of them stepped up and made plays,” coach John Harbaugh said. “Our guys were winning the 1-on-1 battles and our coverage was real good.”Baltimore got a win against a Los Angeles squad that had already clinched a playoff spot with wins in 10 of its last 11 games. The Chargers’ loss, which drops them to 11-4, deals a big blow to their hopes of winning the AFC West. Kansas City can wrap up the division title and a first-round playoff bye with a win at Seattle on Sunday night.“We couldn’t get them off the field on defense. And we couldn’t stay on the field on offense,” coach Anthony Lynn said. “We got outplayed. We got outcoached. It’s just that simple.”Jackson, the 32nd overall draft pick in April, completed 12 of 22 passes for 204 yards. He had come into the game averaging 146.2 yards in the previous five games.“I’m used to playing on big stages and people doubting us. I try to prove them wrong,” Jackson said. “We can play with anyone. That was a great team. We can fight and everyone sees it now.”Baltimore led 6-3 at halftime but the Chargers took the lead less than two minutes into the third quarter on Melvin Gordon’s touchdown from a yard out. The Ravens got the ball to start the second half but Chargers rookie safety Derwin James forced Kenneth Dixon’s fumble, which was recovered by Melvin Ingram at the Ravens 21 and returned 3 yards.The Ravens quickly answered on the ensuing possession when tight end Mark Andrews split safeties Adrian Phillips and Jahleel Addae, taking Jackson’s pass in stride and racing 67 yards for a TD.“We turned it over so it was up to us to go back down and score http://www.bengalsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-ryan-finley-jersey ,” said Jackson, who also rushed for 39 yards. “It was play action. Mark got open and made a great catch.”The Ravens’ defense, which came into the game as the top-ranked unit in the NFL, frustrated the Chargers most of the night. Philip Rivers — who went 23 of 37 for 181 yards — was sacked four times, threw two interceptions and didn’t have a touchdown pass for the first time this season.Baltimore converted three Los Angeles turnovers into 10 points. The Ravens were up 16-10 with 2:40 remaining when Patrick Onwuaso forced Antonio Gates to fumble and Tavon Young scooped it up and returned it 62 yards for a touchdown.“I saw a couple opportunities where I could punch the ball out and that was one of them. Once I punched it I didn’t know if he was down or not,” Onwuaso said.STUCK IN NEUTRALThe 198 net yards by the Chargers’ offense was their fourth-lowest total since Rivers became the starting quarterback in 2006. The last time they were held under 200 yards was Nov. 2, 2014, at Miami (178).“We got off to a terrible start, turning the ball over on the first play. And we had three third-down conversions called back really that we couldn’t overcome. We got ourselves in third-and-super-long a lot,” Rivers said. “It’s a good defense and they outplayed us today. Depending on what happens we may get another crack at them in two weeks.”It is the fourth time this season the Ravens have held a team under 200 yards and the 20th time since Harbaugh became coach in 2008.PRETTY GOOD TRIPIt ended up being a great 48 hours for Harbaugh. On Friday, the Ravens announced their longtime coach will be back next season. Some had wondered if Harbaugh’s 11th season in Baltimore would be his final one because the team has reached the postseason only once since winning the Super Bowl in 2012.“This is about our guys in the locker room and us. We’re fighting to accomplish something,” Harbaugh said.While Harbaugh tried to deflect questions about his contract extension, players were supportive of the decision.“That’s really cool that he’s going to keep being here when I excel Renell Wren Jersey ,” Jackson said.BATTLE OF THE BACKSBaltimore’s Gus Edwards had 92 yards rushing on 14 carries. Nearly half his yards came on the Ravens’ first offensive play when he went 43 yards up the middle for his longest run of the season. It was also the longest rushing play the Chargers have allowed all season. The rookie has rushed for 578 yards over the past six games.Gordon, who missed the past three games due to a knee injury, had 41 yards on 12 carries and a touchdown.UP NEXTRavens: Host the Cleveland Browns in the regular-season finale Dec. 30.Chargers: At the Denver Broncos on Dec. 30. FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Tom Brady smiled his way through the week leading up to Sunday’s AFC championship game, mostly brushing aside questions about being an underdog for one of the few times during the Patriots‘ unprecedented run of titles.But when Rex Burkhead crossed the goal line for a 2-yard touchdown to give New England a 37-31 overtime win over the Kansas City Chiefs, Brady let joy alter his usual coy demeanor.He ripped off his helmet and leapt wildly in the air as his teammates rushed the field around him. The Patriots were heading back to another Super Bowl.It will mark their third straight appearance for the Patriots and ninth overall for Brady, who again will be chasing a record sixth ring.A victory over the NFC champion Los Angeles Rams would also put an emphatic stamp on what may have been the Patriots’ toughest road to a Super Bowl since Brady and Bill Belichick earned their first ring together in 2001.“The odds were stacked against us. It hasn’t been that way in a while and it certainly was this year,” Brady said.The obstacles that Brady referred to occurred both on and off the field for this latest incarnation of the Patriots.The offseason saw the departure of several key players from last year’s team that came up short in a Super Bowl loss to Philadelphia. Receiver Brandin Cooks was traded to the Rams and cornerback Malcolm Butler, running back Dion Lewis, receiver Danny Amendola, and offensive linemen Nate Solder and Cam Fleming all left in free agency.Then came news that stalwart receiver Julian Edelman would be suspended for the first four games of the regular season for violating the league’s policy on performance enhancers.It helped contribute to a surprise 1-2 start and the first — albeit small — signs of age for the 41-year-old Brady.New England took a chance and traded for receiver Josh Gordon after Cleveland decided it was time to part ways with him. His arrival helped calm things and contributed to six consecutive victories.But questions returned after a lopsided Week 10 loss at Tennessee that exposed vulnerabilities on both sides of the ball. The Patriots won their next two, but then suffered a fluky last-second loss at Miami.That was followed by a loss at Pittsburgh and the abrupt loss of Gordon when he was suspended indefinitely by the NFL for violating an agreement that allowed him to play after multiple drug suspensions.Still, despite facing the prospect of not having their usual home-field advantage in the postseason http://www.bengalsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-michael-jordan-jersey , the Patriots rediscovered their run game and offensive efficiency during wins over the Bills and Jets to close the regular season.Brady threw for four touchdowns and had his highest quarterback rating of the season in the 38-3 victory over the Jets. It set the stage for a vintage performance by Brady in their divisional-round playoff win over the Chargers. And on Sunday against Kansas City, he had 348 yards passing despite throwing two interceptions.He also got support from a resurgent defense and revamped rushing attack on offense. The latter has gotten back-to-back 100-yard rushing games from rookie Sony Michel, who set a rookie NFL playoff record with five touchdowns in his first two postseason games.Also making huge contributions in the fourth quarter and OT against the Chiefs were both Edelman and tight end Rob Gronkowski.Gronk’s regular season was mostly underwhelming as he dealt with nagging injuries, but he was surehanded at the perfect time against Kansas City, catching six passes for 79 yards. Edelman had seven catches for 96 yards as both came through with huge third-down catches late in the game.Gronk said he took his cues from Brady.“You’re always comfortable with Tom going down on drives,” said Gronkowski, who is the first tight end with 1,000 postseason receiving yards. “He’s always ready for these moments. And that’s why he’s the best quarterback — hands down.“It was one of the sweeter victories definitely of my career.”The Patriots will have a chance to top it in two weeks in Atlanta.Safety Devin McCourty said it’s a position they always thought they’d be in.“We’re not worried about stats. We’re not worried about Pro Bowls, All-Pros,” he said. “When we come back in April each year, it’s about getting to this game no matter what it takes.“This year was a tough one. We battled some things. We’ve been questioned and doubted by a lot of people. But I think the great thing is we trust in what we believe. Our faith never wavered inside the locker room.”