The Ravens heard the roar.
The Detroit Lions got here into Sunday’s recreation in opposition to Baltimore with only one loss, averaging 28 factors per recreation and having racked up at the very least 350 yards of offense each week. They additionally arrived at M&T Bank Stadium with headlines and hype as the most effective groups within the NFL.
It wasn’t misplaced on Ravens gamers.
“I’m from the ‘show me’ business,” linebacker Roquan Smith stated. “A whole lot of issues occurred right here and there, however it’s a must to present me as soon as we’re on the sector. I don’t imagine in all of the stuff you hear and say. Like I stated, that crew hadn’t been examined simply but, in order that’s what it was.
“I think the score is the judge, as well as … They got cheap yards at the end, but hats off to just the way we played as a team, and I’m just proud to be a part of it.”
That rating, a 38-6 drubbing, was a press release — of a Ravens offense lastly delivering the type of explosive efficiency it hadn’t come near this season, and of a protection that continues to search out methods to sack the quarterback, create turnovers and stifle opposing offenses.
The Ravens got here into the ballyhooed showdown with the Lions having given up 15.2 factors per recreation. That quantity is now 13.8 after the Ravens allowed a meaningless fourth-quarter landing when the end result was all however determined.
Was this a press release win?
“[It was] a statement for the outsiders who don’t quite know exactly what we’re about,” Smith stated. “As far as the guys in the locker room, we had faith all week. Once we got back from London we knew exactly what were had at hand and we went out and handled business from Monday to Sunday.”
Smith additionally had a message for his teammates within the pregame huddle, a task he has taken on this season.
“I was telling those guys it was our house at the end of the day,” he stated. “They say it was lions and they were coming to the bank. It wasn’t a den. I talked to team security and told them lock the doors and we’ll decide when we want to let ‘em out.”
They heard him.
Quarterback Lamar Jackson threw for 357 yards and three touchdowns and ran for a rating. Running again Gus Edwards had 14 carries for 64 yards and a landing together with one catch for 80 yards. Tight finish Mark Andrews and large receiver Zay Flowers had 4 catches apiece, for 63 and 75 yards, respectively, with Andrews scoring twice.
“We definitely heard [the noise],” Edwards stated of the Lions. “They are a good defense, but we came to play today. During practice all week we did keep that chip on our shoulder, of the type of game it was going to be. … They played a good game, but we played better.”
Defensively, the Ravens held quarterback Jared Goff to 2 passing yards within the first quarter and 99 within the first half. They additionally sacked him 5 occasions and intercepted him as soon as.
The Lions’ vaunted run protection, which entered giving up an NFL-low 64.7 yards per recreation, was gashed for 146 Sunday. They additionally didn’t file a sack on Jackson, barely pressured him all day and allowed Ravens receivers to run free.
“We knew we were gonna play a tough team, and they are a tough team,” Ravens left sort out Ronnie Stanley stated. “Credit to them for the games that they’ve won [but] I think everyone in here knows we’re not worried about the talk about the teams we play. We’re just trying to play to our potential and be the best team we can be.”
Last week’s journey to London, through which the Ravens beat the Tennessee Titans, 24-16, however wanted six area objectives to take action, maybe helped.
“To be there for a week, our hotel was kind of out of the way, there’s not a lot of technology. We kind of built some camaraderie and more chemistry,” Stanley stated. “Come back and you have everything at your disposal you feel a little bit rejuvenated.”
And motivated.
Edwards stated gamers have been “flying around practice” this week. He additionally famous accountability, from receivers doing further work after there have been seven dropped passes two weeks in the past in a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, to ending off drives this week in opposition to the Lions after failing to take action in opposition to the Titans.
“This is an important part of our season and we reacted well coming off a long trip to London,” Edwards stated. “I feel like we bounced back great, but we haven’t reached our full potential yet.”
Up subsequent: A visit to the desert to face the Arizona Cardinals (1-6).
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com