Louis Riddick details how the Patriots always find a way to take advantage of their opponents' weakness, including on the 79-yard touchdown to Chris Hogan. (1:51)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The Baltimore Ravens still control their playoff fate, but there is a question mark as to what they could do even if they reach the postseason.

On Monday night, the Ravens showed a national television audience that they have the mettle to rally against QB Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Baltimore just couldn't come up with the big plays in the fourth quarter that were required to beat the upper-echelon team.

The Ravens' 30-23 loss to the Patriots was as frustrating as their loss earlier in the season to the Dallas Cowboys. The Ravens have proved they can play with the best. They just fall short in beating the best.

"I don't know what a shot in the mouth feels like, but I can almost guarantee you this can be kind of similar," linebacker Terrell Suggs said. "We didn't come here for no moral victory."

The Ravens' offense is too streaky. It went the first 38 minutes without scoring a touchdown, and QB Joe Flacco seemed content to check down against a Patriots defense that surprisingly played zone coverage against the Ravens. Baltimore then capitalized on two special-teams mistakes by the Patriots to reach the end zone twice in 1 minute, 26 seconds.

Joe Flacco completed 37 of 52 passes for 324 yards on Monday, but it wasn't enough to get past the Patriots. AP Photo/Steven Senne

Down 23-17, Flacco had a chance to give the Ravens the lead in the fourth quarter. But on third down at the Patriots' 12-yard line, he took a sack and settled for a field goal, which has been a troublesome trend all season.

"We just didn't play at the level we needed to play out," tight end Dennis Pitta said. "The game was close, but without those two fumbles and touchdowns there to get us back in it, it wasn't a good performance."

The NFL's top-ranked defense has to take blame as well after giving up a season-worst 496 yards and the decisive score in the fourth quarter. Ravens safety Eric Weddle took the blame for allowing a 79-yard touchdown to Patriots receiver Chris Hogan with 6:18 left.

"I should be there," said Weddle, who was playing in a secondary that was without cornerbacks Jimmy Smith (ankle) and Jerraud Powers (concussion). "I told everyone that play-action was coming. I move around so much that it hurt me in that play. It's just unfortunate that you have a chance to win the game and you give them a play like that. It wasn't so much them. It was us."

The Ravens (7-6), who fell one game back of the AFC North-leading Pittsburgh Steelers, have to shake off this loss quickly. Baltimore plays host to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday after a short week.

If the Ravens win the rest of their games -- home against the Eagles and at the Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals -- they'll win the AFC North and host a playoff game.

The Ravens could've gained a huge dose of confidence by making a statement against the current top seed in the AFC. But too many mistakes in the first half -- a safety, a blocked field goal and an interception on a deep ball -- left Baltimore questioning what might have been.