The Ravens’ stint as the best present on turf was a brief one.
Every week after scoring on every of their first 4 possessions and Lamar Jackson threw 4 landing passes and ran for one more towards the Detroit Lions, Baltimore’s offense hit a drought towards the Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Still, it did simply sufficient, discovering the top zone 4 occasions after which doing what it does greatest: counting on its protection to make clutch performs when it mattered most.
The Ravens (6-2) stopped Arizona on fourth down twice, intercepted Joshua Dobbs twice, and held the quarterback to 208 yards passing en path to a shaky 31-24 win over the Cardinals (1-7). The victory retains Baltimore atop the AFC North on a day the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers misplaced and the Cincinnati Bengals gained to every transfer to 4-3.
“It was a tough game,” coach John Harbaugh mentioned. “We weren’t as crisp and sharp as we wished to be by any stretch and but, we saved grinding, we saved combating and we discovered a technique to get the job accomplished.
“You’re just not going to be hitting on every cylinder every single week. You have to find a way to win those games. I think the best teams, over time, prove that they’ll win games even when they’re not at their best.”
Leading the best way defensively for Baltimore was sort out Michael Pierce, who bullied his manner by the Cardinals’ line, racking up 5 tackles, together with one for a loss, pulling down a fourth-and-1 cross and forcing a fumble on a strip sack.
“Mike was dominant,” Harbaugh mentioned. “He simply took over the sport inside.
“When you’re struggling and not hitting … someone’s gotta step up. Someone has to make plays. … Somebody’s gotta do something to make the plays to keep you going. Michael was definitely that guy for us.”
Geno Stone additionally had his NFL-leading fifth interception of the season, selecting off Dobbs on the Cardinals’ 24-yard line late within the third quarter. Stone’s NFL-leading 5 interceptions tie him with Hall of Famer Ed Reed (2007) for probably the most by a Ravens participant within the staff’s first eight video games of a season in staff historical past, in line with ESPN Stats & Information.
But it was the play of Pierce that helped set the tone for the NFL’s greatest protection.
The Ravens entered Sunday having given up a league-low 13.9 factors per recreation and having allowed the second-fewest yards per recreation. Yet, the Cardinals at occasions managed to maneuver the ball — till they couldn’t.
After Dobbs scored on a 1-yard sneak to cap a 12-play, 75-yard drive on the primary collection of the sport — one which was aided by a Kyle Hamilton unlawful contact penalty that negated a Justin Madubuike sack on third down and a 23-yard Marlon Humphrey cross interference penalty — Baltimore, and Pierce, bore down.
On the Cardinals’ second possession and dealing with a fourth-and-1 from the Ravens’ 44, Pierce knocked down a cross meant for former Raven Marquise “Hollywood” Brown. On their subsequent drive and dealing with one other fourth-and-1, this time from the Ravens’ 36, the 6-foot, 355-pound seventh-year veteran stuffed Emari Demercado on a handoff up the center.
Dobbs was 8 of 12 for simply 55 yards within the first half. The Cardinals completed with 310 whole yards; the Ravens had solely 268.
Still, it was sufficient.
On the Ravens’ first possession, in addition they drove 75 yards for a landing — and likewise acquired assist with large receiver Odell Beckham drawing a cross interference penalty for a 19-yard achieve all the way down to the Cardinals’ 8. Two performs later, Jackson, who was 6 of seven for 64 yards on the collection, hit tight finish Mark Andrews for a 5-yard landing cross over the center behind the top zone. It was his fortieth profession rating, transferring him to inside one in every of Todd Heap’s franchise report for a decent finish.
The Ravens then took benefit of a Brandon Stephens second-quarter interception (his second of the yr) on the Cardinals’ 47 with slightly below two minutes left and drove 43 yards in six performs with Gus Edwards plowing in from a yard out.
Edwards (19 carries, 80 yards) then discovered the top zone once more on a 7-yard scamper following Stone’s interception, and Justin Tucker later added a 48-yard discipline purpose early within the fourth quarter.
Dobbs lastly discovered the top zone by the air, connecting with tight finish Trey McBride from 17 yards out halfway by the fourth, then added a 2-point conversion run.
But Edwards put the sport out of attain together with his third landing of the sport — one other 1-yard run — with 2:51 to go.
Dobbs related with Brown for a 1-yard rating with 1:14 remaining however the 2-point attempt failed. Matt Prater’s profitable onside kick gave Arizona one other shot down 10, and Prater related on a 47-yard discipline purpose with 26 seconds left however the Cardinals didn’t get well one other onside kick, with Nelson Agholor cradling it and the Ravens operating out the clock.
“A win is a win, but I feel we need to put more points on the board,” mentioned Jackson, who completed 18 of 27 for 157 yards with one landing. “The type of defense they were playing, some of the plays we had, we shouldn’t be holding the ball long. They were able to get after us a little, disrupt the backfield a little. That’s all.”
The Ravens now finish a protracted stretch of 4 of their previous 5 on the street and can end the season with six of their last 9 at M&T Bank Stadium.
Week 9
Seahawks at Ravens
Sunday, 1 p.m.
TV: CBS
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM
Line: Ravens by 4 1/2
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Source: www.bostonherald.com