The 2020 season was the Baltimore Ravens' 25th in the National Football League (NFL) and their 13th under head coachJohn Harbaugh. They failed to improve upon their franchise-best 14–2 regular season and were denied their third consecutive AFC North title following a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 12 after 18 of their players contracted COVID-19. Despite this, as well as a 6–5 start, the Ravens won their five remaining games to finish 11–5 and after a win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 17, clinched their third consecutive playoff berth. The Ravens rushed for 3,071 yds during the regular season, best in the NFL for the second consecutive season.[1]
In the playoffs, the Ravens defeated the Tennessee Titans 20–13 in the wild-card round, avenging their Divisional round loss to the Titans from the previous year. The win marked quarterback Lamar Jackson's first career playoff victory and was the Ravens' first win in the playoffs since beating the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2014–15 NFL playoffs. Baltimore's season would end in the divisional round for the second straight year, this time to the Buffalo Bills by a score of 17–3. As of 2024, the Ravens remain the most recent AFC wild card team to win a playoff game.
The Ravens traded their sixth-round selection and offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor to the New England Patriots in exchange for New England's fourth-round selection.[5]
The Ravens traded their fourth-round selection and tight end Hayden Hurst to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for Atlanta's second-round and fifth-round selections (55th and 157th overall).[6]
The Ravens traded the fifth-round selection they received from the Atlanta Falcons to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for defensive end Calais Campbell.[7]
The Ravens traded their second- and fourth-round selections (60th and 129th overall) to the New England Patriots in exchange for New England's third-round selections (71st and 98th overall).[8]
The Ravens traded their seventh-round selection (225th overall) and the 2021 fifth-round pick they acquired from the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for Minnesota's sixth- and seventh-round selections (201st and 219th overall).[9]
Lamar Jackson went 20 for 25 for 275 yards and 3 touchdowns and was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week.[13] With the 38–6 win, the Ravens became the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive season openers by 30 points or more[14] and the only NFL team to have scored at least 20 points in their last 24 regular season games.
The Ravens defense dominated the Texans, sacking Watson 4 times, with one interception and one fumble returned for a touchdown. Houston was limited to 51 yards total rushing, compared to the Ravens' 230 yards.
Week 3: Kansas City Chiefs 34, Baltimore Ravens 20
This loss snapped a 14-game regular season winning streak dating back to week 4 of last season; it also dropped Jackson's record as a starter to 0–3 against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. It was the Ravens' only multi-score loss of the season.
Week 4: Baltimore Ravens 31, Washington Football Team 17
Lamar Jackson threw for 193 yards and 2 touchdowns, rushed for 52 yards and 1 touchdown making him the fastest player in NFL history to reach 5,000 yards passing and 2,000 yards rushing.[15]
Baltimore's defense dominated the matchup, sacking rookie Bengals' QB Joe Burrow seven times and allowing just 3 points in a blowout win. It also was the Ravens' fourth straight win over the Bengals.
Week 6: Baltimore Ravens 30, Philadelphia Eagles 28
After taking a 17–0 halftime lead, Baltimore survived a furious second-half rally from the Eagles, stopping a two-point conversion, recovering the ensuing onside kick, and getting a first down in the final two minutes to earn their third straight win, and their first ever road win over the Eagles. It was John Harbaugh's 2nd return to Philadelphia.
With the loss, the Ravens fell to 5–2 and lost to the Steelers for the first time since week 9 of the 2018 season. It was also Jackson's first career loss to the Steelers since taking over as starter.[16]
Week 9: Baltimore Ravens 24, Indianapolis Colts 10
After losing a tough game at home to the Steelers the previous week, the Ravens looked to bounce back against the Colts. The Ravens offense was limited to 55 yards of total offense in the first half, the fewest since Lamar Jackson took over as the Ravens quarterback in 2018, and trailed the Colts 10–7 going into halftime. In the second half, the Ravens scored 17 unanswered points while the defense forced a turnover, a punt and 2 turnover on downs against the Colts. With the win, the Ravens improved to 6–2. This was also the franchise's first ever road win in Indianapolis.
Week 10: New England Patriots 23, Baltimore Ravens 17
With the upset loss, the Ravens dropped to 6–3 and ended their record streak for most consecutive regular season games scoring at least 20 points, at 31.
Although it was originally scheduled for Thanksgiving night, a COVID-19 outbreak with the Ravens organization caused the game to be postpone three times. 18 players were out for the Ravens, including QB Lamar Jackson, RBs Mark Ingram II and J. K. Dobbins, FB Patrick Ricard, TE Mark Andrews, WR Willie Snead, DE Calais Campbell, and NT Brandon Williams. With the loss, the Ravens fell to 6–5 and were eliminated from AFC North contention. They would be swept by the Steelers for the first time since 2017.
Most of the Ravens starters, including Lamar Jackson, returned as Ravens defeated the Cowboys. The Ravens as a team rushed for 294 yards and two touchdowns, while Jackson added 107 yards passing and two more touchdowns. The game would have also pitted WR Dez Bryant against his former team, but a positive COVID-19 test right before the game caused him to be held out.
In the highest scoring game in the history of the Browns–Ravens rivalry, as well as in the 2020 NFL season, Lamar Jackson rushed for two touchdowns but left the game for a short time in the fourth quarter with "cramps", allowing the Browns to rally from a 34–20 deficit to take a 35–34 lead. Backup Trace McSorley was forced into the game as a result, but left with a knee injury at the two-minute warning. Jackson then came back out and threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to Marquise Brown on 4th and 5, putting the Ravens back in front, 42–35. After Cleveland quickly drove down the field and tied the game, Jackson led the Ravens on a short drive that got them into field goal range, where Justin Tucker booted a 55-yard field goal with two seconds remaining to win the game for the Ravens. A safety on the Browns' final play capped the wild finish and brought the final score to 47–42.
After a thrilling shootout win the week prior, the Ravens routed the Jaguars in Week 14 to keep their playoff hopes alive. Lamar Jackson threw for 243 yards with three touchdowns and an interception while also adding 35 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Jackson second touchdown throw was an 11-yard pass to WR Dez Bryant late in the second quarter. It was Bryant's first touchdown since Week 14 of the 2017 season. It also marked the first time since Week 13 of that same season that he along with Larry Fitzgerald and Antonio Brown all caught touchdown passes in the same week.[18]
The Ravens won their fourth straight game behind another dominant running performance as the team rushed for 249 yards. Their win coupled with critical losses by the Cleveland Browns against the New York Jets and the Indianapolis Colts against the division rival Pittsburgh Steelers put the Ravens in a "win and in" playoff scenario against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 17.[19]
Needing a win to clinch a playoff berth, the Ravens rushed for a club-record 404 yards — the fourth team since 1950 to rush for more than 400 in a single game — and Lamar Jackson became the first quarterback to rush for over 1,000 yards in more than one season as the Ravens routed the Bengals for their fifth straight victory.[20] The Week 17 win secured the Ravens' third straight playoff run under Jackson.[21]
^ abTennessee finished ahead of Indianapolis based on division record.
^ abBaltimore finished ahead of Indianapolis based on head-to-head victory. Division tiebreaker used to eliminate Cleveland (see below).
^ abBaltimore finished ahead of Cleveland based on head-to-head sweep.
^ abCleveland finished ahead of Indianapolis based on head-to-head victory.
^ abNew England finished ahead of the LA Chargers based on head-to-head victory.
^When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division.
The Ravens achieved their first playoff win since 2014 and the first for quarterback Lamar Jackson, outscoring the Titans 20–3 after trailing 10–0. It was also Jackson's first win in a game in which he trailed by two scores. In the five playoff games between the two teams, the home team has yet to win.
The Ravens' season ended with a game in which they scored the fewest points since John Harbaugh became head coach. Lamar Jackson was intercepted in the end zone for a pick-six, then was later knocked out of the game with a concussion.
^ abcThe Ravens' home game vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers, originally scheduled during Week 7 (October 25), was moved to Week 8 (November 1), which was the original bye week for both teams. The scheduling change was made due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the Tennessee Titans' organization that forced the Steelers–Titans game, originally scheduled during Week 4, to be moved to Week 7.[11]
^ abcdThe Ravens' away game vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers, originally scheduled for November 26 on Thanksgiving, was moved to November 29 then December 1, and then finally December 2. The scheduling change was made due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the Ravens' organization as seven players tested positive. This forced the Ravens' Week 13 game vs. the Dallas Cowboys, originally scheduled for Thursday Night Football on December 3, to be pushed back to December 8.[12]