Ravens Fans Furious After Likely TD Overturned in Loss to Steelers

Baltimore fans are still sick over Sunday’s 27-22 loss to the Steelers, and not just because the Ravens’ playoff hopes took a major hit. It was that moment, the one everyone in the city is still replaying in their heads, that has fans wondering what else the team has to do to get a call.

With 2:47 left and the Ravens down five, Lamar Jackson dropped a dime to Isaiah Likely. A perfect 13-yard strike. Likely secured it, two feet down in the end zone, M&T Bank Stadium ready to explode — touchdown, right? Game-changer, right? Not according to the officials.

As Likely came down, Steelers corner Joey Porter Jr. managed to punch the ball out, and after review, what Ravens fans believed was the go-ahead TD was ruled incomplete. The NFL later doubled down on that decision, saying Likely didn’t complete a “third step” before the ball was dislodged.

NFL VP of Instant Replay Mark Butterworth explained it like this: Likely controlled the ball, got both feet down, but because the “third step” considered an act common to the game didn’t happen before the ball was knocked out, the catch didn’t count.

John Harbaugh confirmed that’s the explanation he received, though fans in Baltimore weren’t buying it. Especially since earlier in the quarter, a Ravens interception overturned in favor of Aaron Rodgers raised its own set of eyebrows.

The overturned TD proved costly. The Ravens couldn’t punch it in on the next few plays, ultimately turning the ball over on downs. They got one more chance — driving all the way to the Steelers’ 30 — but with the clock bleeding and no margin for error, Lamar never got the Hail Mary off. Alex Highsmith closed the door with a sack.

Baltimore entered Week 14 with a 64 percent chance of making the playoffs. After Sunday’s loss? That number dropped to 33 percent. The Steelers now sit alone atop the AFC North, while the Ravens, at 6-7, are officially sitting on the bubble with four games to go.

Next up: Cincinnati in Week 15, and then another shot at Pittsburgh in Week 18. The margin for error? Basically gone. The frustration? Very, very real in Baltimore.

Ravens Robbed? Baltimore Reacts to Controversial No-Catch Call vs. Steelers was originally published on 92q.com