In an odd half-season of hovering begins, wild finishes and all the pieces conceivable in between, Thursday night time provided perhaps the strangest ending but for the Ravens: an offense lacking three of its prime weapons rolling to perhaps its greatest recreation — and largest win — of the season.
With All-Pro tight finish Mark Andrews, prime large receiver Rashod Bateman and prime operating again Gus Edwards all sidelined by accidents, quarterback Lamar Jackson led the Ravens to 24 second-half factors in a 27-22 win over Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium.
In securing their first successful streak of the season, the Ravens (5-3) scored on all 4 of their second-half possessions, excluding a late kneel-down. Their 453 yards of complete offense have been probably the most Tampa Bay (3-5) has allowed all season.
Jackson completed 27-for-38 for 238 yards, together with an ideal 8-for-8 after halftime, and two touchdowns and added seven carries for 45 yards. The Ravens’ operating recreation rolled for 231 yards on 31 carries. Rookie tight finish Isaiah Likely had six catches for a team-high 77 yards. Wide receiver Demarcus Robinson had a game-high-tying six for 64 yards.
Brady, in perhaps his remaining begin in opposition to the Ravens, completed 26-for-44 for 325 yards and a landing. He was additionally sacked 3 times, passing the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger for probably the most taken in an NFL profession, and misplaced a 3rd straight recreation for the primary time in 20 years. Wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin mixed for 198 yards.
The Ravens have now 11 days to relaxation up earlier than a “Monday Night Football” matchup in opposition to the New Orleans Saints, their remaining recreation earlier than a Week 9 bye. If the Cincinnati Bengals beat the Cleveland Browns on Monday, the Ravens would fall out of first place within the North.
A extra urgent deadline awaits, although. The Ravens, needing an impression large receiver and maybe defensive depth as they metal themselves for an intense divisional battle, have till 4 p.m. Tuesday to commerce for assist.
They didn’t want a lot of it within the second half. After a ragged first half of offense, Jackson led the Ravens on back-to-back-to-back landing drives, marching 77 yards for the primary, 80 for the second and 83 for the third.
Their operating recreation, largely ignored within the first half, powered the primary two landing pushes till Jackson punctuated them by means of the air. He discovered operating again Kenyan Drake for a 5-yard landing to tie the sport and tight finish Isaiah Likely for a 10-yard rating and 17-10 benefit.
The decisive blow got here halfway by means of the fourth quarter, when large receiver Devin Duvernay took an end-around on third-and-1 for a 15-yard landing. The Buccaneers minimize into the Ravens’ 27-16 lead with a brief subject objective and a last-minute landing drive, however the scores sandwiched a Ravens subject objective by kicker Justin Tucker. An onside-kick restoration by Likely set the Ravens to win with a uncommon sigh of aid.
Injuries waylaid the Buccaneers earlier than the short-week recreation — they have been with out Pro Bowl security Antoine Winfield Jr., beginning cornerback Carlton Davis III and beginning tight finish Cameron Brate, amongst others — and the Ravens throughout it.
Andrews, stored off form all week by a knee harm, left early within the second quarter with a shoulder harm and didn’t return. Bateman, once more restricted by a foot harm, ran 11 routes and bought only one goal within the first half, in response to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, earlier than he was dominated out. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey left briefly within the second quarter with a hamstring harm. Edwards walked off the sphere slowly after a fourth-quarter hamstring harm.
Before accidents mounted up, although, missed alternatives plagued the Ravens’ begin. After a heads-up play by security Geno Stone pressured a Buccaneers fumble on their first punt return, the Ravens settled for a subject objective after beginning at Tampa Bay’s 6-yard line.
On the Buccaneers’ opening possession, Humphrey dropped a would-be interception on Brady’s first drop-back. Later, cornerback Marcus Peters missed an open-field deal with on Godwin’s 44-yard catch-and-run. A defensive-holding penalty on Peters close to the objective line stored the Buccaneers from a third-and-10.
The finish end result: Tampa Bay’s first first-quarter landing all season and first landing general since Week 5, a 1-yard plunge by operating again Leonard Fournette. After the Ravens went three-and-out, the Buccaneers adopted their 75-yard drive with a 50-yard drive and added a 31-yard subject objective for a 10-3 lead.
If the Ravens’ early protection was erratic — they stiffened up within the second quarter — their early offense, usually lacking its prime two receivers, was invisible. The unit’s first play went for 22 yards. Over their subsequent 12 performs, the Ravens went backward (a mixed minus-6 yards). Their fourth drive ended on a third-and-22; their fifth drive, on a third-and-36, was pushed again by penalties on large receiver James Proche II and Jackson.
Their sixth drive was their better of the sport, getting so far as Tampa Bay’s 9 simply earlier than halftime, however it yielded nothing. On fourth-and-2, the Ravens stored Tucker on the sideline; Jackson’s end-zone go to Robinson was damaged up.
When Tucker did get a crack at his second subject objective try, a 61-yarder as time expired within the first half, it was blocked. The Ravens jogged off to the locker room, the place a comeback was already underway.
This story will probably be up to date.
Week 9
Ravens at Saints
Monday, Nov. 7, 8:15 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com