Lamar Jackson, Ravens Beat Baker Mayfield, Browns to Win AFC North over Steelers

The legend of Lamar Jackson grew after the rookie quarterback helped the Baltimore Ravens clinch the AFC North title on Sunday.

Entering the final week of the regular season, the Ravens needed to beat the Cleveland Browns in order to guarantee themselves a division championship. Baltimore defeated Cleveland 26-24, with Jackson throwing for 179 yards and running for 90 yards and two touchdowns.

Ravens linebacker C.J. Mosley intercepted a Baker Mayfield pass with 1:06 remaining to seal the victory. The result was a tough blow for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who needed a Ravens loss in order to win the division.

After beating the Cincinnati Bengals 16-14, some Steelers players followed the final moments of Cleveland vs. Baltimore on the Heinz Field Jumbotron.

Heading into its Week 10 bye, Baltimore's postseason hopes appeared to be fading quickly. The Ravens had lost to Pittsburgh to fall to 4-5.

Jackson replaced Joe Flacco as the starting signal-caller ahead of Week 11, a move that reignited the Ravens' season.

Baltimore went 6-1 to finish the season, and Jackson firmly established himself as the franchise quarterback. He threw for 1,114 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions while running for 556 yards and four scores over the final seven weeks.

From the moment the Ravens traded up to select Jackson 32nd overall in the 2018 draft, Flacco's days appeared to be numbered. Now Baltimore is headed to the playoffs for the first time since 2014, and the 21-year-old is firmly entrenched as the starter.

An AFC North championship all but guarantees head coach John Harbaugh's return in 2019 and potentially longer as well.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport described this year as a "playoffs-or-bust season" in November and reported Harbaugh was very much on the hot seat.

The Ravens announced Dec. 21 they planned on bringing the 56-year-old back for the final year of his contract and were working with their head coach on an extension. Harbaugh's bargaining position is a little stronger now.

Before he and the Ravens can turn their attention toward a new deal, they have the postseason to worry about.

While it's often a cliche to say a team is peaking at the right time heading into the playoffs, that description does apply to Baltimore.

According to Football Outsiders, the Ravens rank second in defensive efficiency. Offensively, they have discovered a potent balance with Jackson under center. Whereas the offense relied too heavily on the aerial attack with Flacco, his fellow quarterback's mobility has added a new dimension.

During his seven starts, the Ravens have averaged 229.5 yards on the ground, which would be good enough for first in the NFL over a full season. The Seattle Seahawks had the No. 1 rushing offense at 158.5 yards per game entering Sunday.

Gus Edwards deserves plenty of credit for that as well, running for 654 yards and two scores in that span. The undrafted free agent has emerged as a dynamic power back.

When the playoffs begin next week, the Kansas City Chiefs will likely be the betting favorites to capture the AFC championship. Between their dominant defense and steady running game, though, the Ravens have the recipe for a Super Bowl contender.