Tyler Loop’s Missed Kick Seals Steelers’ Dramatic Division Triumph
This one really came down to the final heartbeat of the NFL regular season, and unfortunately for Tyler Loop, it was his kick that decided everything. On a wild Sunday night in Pittsburgh, the Steelers clinched the AFC North title in the most dramatic way possible, as the Ravens’ rookie kicker missed a 44-yard field goal with time expiring. Just like that, Pittsburgh walked away with a 26–24 win, a division crown, and a playoff spot that felt ripped straight out of a movie script.
The game itself had already turned into chaos long before that final kick. What was expected to be a gritty, defensive slugfest between longtime rivals instead became an offensive shootout, especially in the fourth quarter. Four lead changes were packed into the final 15 minutes, and three of them came in the last four minutes alone. Every drive felt like it could be the one that ended the season for someone.
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Aaron Rodgers was at the center of it all for Pittsburgh. Late in the game, with the Steelers trailing and the pressure fully on, he delivered a clutch touchdown pass to Calvin Austin III with just 55 seconds left. That throw put Pittsburgh ahead 26–24 and seemed like it might be the defining moment. However, when the extra point was missed, the door was left open for Baltimore. That single point loomed large as the Ravens got one last chance to steal the game back.
Lamar Jackson, playing through a painful back contusion, showed why he’s trusted in moments like this. He quickly moved the Ravens downfield, highlighted by a 28-yard connection that pushed Baltimore into field goal range. The setup was there. The season, the division, and the playoff picture were all resting on one kick from Tyler Loop.
The ball was snapped, the kick was away, and almost immediately, it was clear it wasn’t right. The attempt drifted wide to the right, never threatening the uprights. As the ball sailed off target, the Steelers poured onto the field in celebration, while the Ravens were left frozen in disbelief. Loop, a rookie placed in the toughest possible situation, became the unfortunate focal point of the night.
For Pittsburgh, the missed kick ended a five-year wait for an AFC North title and secured a home playoff game. For Baltimore, it was a brutal ending to a fiercely fought rivalry game. Moments like these are what make the NFL unforgettable, but they also show how thin the line is between hero and heartbreak. On this night, that line was defined by one missed kick from Tyler Loop.
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