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BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Ravens maintain control of their playoff chances thanks to a tight victory over a Philadelphia Eagles team that lost because it played to win.Baltimore (8-6) entered the final three weeks of the season knowing it would capture the AFC North by winning its final three games.The Ravens crossed the first item off the list, beating the Eagles 27-26 Sunday. So now, if the Ravens defeat Pittsburgh on Christmas Day and knock off Cincinnati in the finale, they will be back in the postseason after a one-year hiatus.We want to win a Super Bowl, so we have to go through Pittsburgh next week to get there, Ravens running back Kenneth Dixon said.Baltimore (8-6) might have to play better than it did against the Eagles (5-9). The Ravens were cruising with a 27-17 lead before allowing Philadelphia to climb back into it.A 4-yard touchdown run by Carson Wentz with 4 seconds left got the Eagles to 27-26. Instead of taking the easy kick to force overtime, first-year coach Doug Pederson sent his offense onto the field to attempt a 2-point conversion.The pass to Jordan Matthews was tipped by linebacker C.J. Mosley and fell incomplete.It would hurt a lot to lose this game, Ravens safety Lardarius Webb said. As long as you can control your own destiny, thats all you can ask for. We have a shot.And the Eagles? Despite absorbing their sixth loss by seven points or fewer, they appreciated Pedersons decision to go for 2.I loved it, tight end Zach Ertz said. We had all the confidence in the world we were going to get it done on that play.Some things we learned about the Eagles and Ravens:RUNNING IT UP: The Eagles shredded the NFLs top rushing defense with surprising ease, piling up 169 yards and averaging 4.4 yards per carry.Most of that came from Ryan Mathews, who exploited the middle of the defense for 128 yards and several big gains.Its getting on a roll, Mathews said. Guys were excited to run the ball.Pederson praised the offensive line, and Mathews noted that receivers were chipping in with downfield blocks.It just came down to sheer patience and determination and the offensive line, Pederson said.HORRIBLE CALL: The Ravens had a 10-point lead and first down at the Philadelphia 11 with just over six minutes remaining when Joe Flacco let Philadelphia right back into the game.Baltimores quarterback threw an interception while following orders on what coach John Harbaugh later labeled, the all-time worst call ever.But receiver Mike Wallace said, Throw it. Throw it. It was a great call. Just dont throw an interception.Precisely.I turned the ball over there at the end and thats the only reason it was really a game, Flacco said.MOMENTUM SHIFT: Flaccos pass was intercepted by linebacker Jordan Hicks, whose 34-yard return put the Ravens on their heels. If only those kind of plays occurred regularly, the Eagles might have been a factor in the NFC East this season.We need more of those types of plays, Hicks said. On defense, we believe we are going to set the tone for this team. And in order for that to happen, weve got to come up with the energy, make plays and be the momentum setters.DIALING LONG DISTANCE: When Baltimores Justin Tucker made his 10th field goal of at least 50 yards, he tied Blair Walshs NFL record set in 2012.With the wind swirling and the pressure on in a huge game, Tucker hit a 53-yarder in the first quarter to stake the Ravens to a 10-3 lead.Tuck is so accurate, and he has such a strong leg he can make those kicks, Harbaugh said. Today was tough; there was a lot of wind out there.Tucker has made 31 of 32 kicks this season. His only miss of the year was blocked. Hes hit on 12 consecutive 50-yarders, including 10 straight in 2016.The next kick is the most important kick, he said. Sure, its another accolade piece to put on the mantel, but at the exact same time there is more important stuff to take care of, and that starts with a win in Pittsburgh on Christmas Day.GO WEST: Terrance West rattled off a 41-yard run for Baltimore in the third quarter, the longest of his career. He finished with 77 yards and averaged 5.9 yards per carry.He now has 729 yards for the season, topping his previous high of 673 in 2014 with Cleveland.I thought our offense grinded it out and played a pretty good game, Flacco said.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFLHOUSTON -- After losing two of three to the Chicago Cubs over the weekend, the Houston Astros will enter a three-game series against the Rangers facing the grim reality that another series loss to Texas would snuff out their slim hopes of winning the American League West.With their 9-5 defeat Sunday night, the Astros (75-68) remained 9 1/2 games behind Texas, which lowered its magic number to win the AL West to 10 games despite losing in Anaheim to the Los Angeles Angels earlier Sunday.The Astros are 3-13 against the Rangers this season, and even if they match their season series win total, it appears that Houston would only be delaying the inevitable with just 16 games left on the schedule at the conclusion of the Texas series.The Astros are 3 1/2 games behind AL wild-card co-leaders, the Toronto Blue Jays and the Baltimore Orioles. However, a total of seven teams are within four games of those wild-card spots.Astros right-hander Mike Fiers, who took the loss Sunday night, was asked if the club was looking at the standings.I dont think so, he said. I think were pretty focused on what we need to do here, and thats why were in the spot were at. So we still have a great chance at getting the wild card. So just have to figure out what we need to do and do that out in the field. At the end of the day, well see where were at.The Astros will give the ball to right-hander Doug Fister (12-11, 4.14 ERA) for the series opener. Given his recent struggles, and his career-long woes against the Rangers, Fister might be a dubious choice.Fister is 1-2 with a 4.57 ERA in four starts against the Rangers this season and 5-6 with a 5.18 ERA over 14 ccareer starts against them.ddddddddddddAfter tossing seven shutout innings at the Pirates in Pittsburgh on Aug. 22, Fister has absorbed three consecutive losses, posting a 10.95 ERA while allowing 26 hits and five walks over 12 1/3 innings.Left-hander Martin Perez (10-10, 4.25 ERA) will start Monday for the Rangers (85-59). Perez is 5-3 with a 2.45 ERA over eight career starts against the Astros, including 1-1 with a 4.85 ERA in two starts against Houston this season.The Rangers have lost five of eight games following a seven-game winning streak that was snapped in the series finale against the Astros on Sept. 4 in Arlington. Texas did get a measure of good news on Sunday when right-hander Colby Lewis returned from the disabled list and made his first start since late June.Lewis, who had been sidelined due to a Grade 2 lat strain, gave up three runs -- on three solo homers -- in 5 1/3 innings.It was kind of vintage Colby, Texas manager Jeff Banister said. He was able to move the fastball around and use the curveball and the slider to get the outs. Other than the three pitches that went for home runs, he felt like he was in control of what he needed to do. It was nice to see. Were going to need him down the stretch.Lewis wasnt as enthusiastic about his performance.I didnt make the pitches I needed to make, he said. Thats all there is to it.Reinstating Lewis only deepens the Rangers veteran-laden rotation, which includes left-handers Cole Hamels and Derek Holland and righties Yu Darvish and A.J. Griffin. ' ' '