BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Ravens achieved perfection at home for the first time, and now they’re looking to add to that ledger in the playoffs.
Joe Flacco threw two touchdown passes, and the Ravens beat the bumbling Cleveland Browns 20-14 on Saturday to move one step closer to winning the AFC North.
Ray Rice ran for 87 yards and caught a TD pass for the Ravens (11-4), who led 17-0 at halftime and held on.
“I have never been perfect at home in 16 years of football. That’s amazing,” Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis said. “As good of teams we’ve had here, we’ve always found [a way] to lose one or two here or there. I think this year we really made a focus on taking care at home. This is the result, us being able to go 8-0 and being able to be sitting where you want to sit at the end of the day.”
The Ravens would win the AFC North by defeating Cincinnati on the road next week. That would also give Baltimore a first-round bye and a home playoff game – two if New England loses next Sunday at home against Buffalo.
“It’s big, man,” linebacker Terrell Suggs said. “We are at our best when we are at (home) and our fans are rocking. So we definitely need a home playoff game, by any means necessary.”
Flacco went 11 for 24 with touchdown passes to Rice and tight end Ed Dickson. He also had a 33-yard run.
Josh Cribbs had a career-high 84-yard punt return for a TD for Cleveland (4-11). But the Browns generated very little offense and were guilty of questionable play calling, bad clock management and untimely penalties in their fifth straight loss.
Cleveland saved the worst for last. Having already burned their three timeouts, the Browns lined up on defense after the two-minute warning with the Ravens facing a fourth-and-2 at the Cleveland 37.
It appeared obvious that Flacco and the Ravens were merely hoping to draw the Browns offside.
As the play clock moved close to zero, Cleveland tackle Phil Taylor jumped across the line of scrimmage to give Baltimore a first down.
“It was the first hard count and we stayed onside,” Taylor said. “The second time, I just jumped. Of course you feel bad, but you just got to move on.”
Said Flacco: “I don’t know if I’ve ever been in position for that to happen. It’s never worked.”
The Ravens then ran out the clock on their eighth straight win over the Browns, including two this month.
“We knew this would be quite a challenge for us,” Cleveland quarterback Seneca Wallace said. “We’re playing the Ravens at home, and they’re playing for everything. I should have played better, and I should have made better decisions.”
Wallace went 19 for 33 for 147 yards in place of Colt McCoy, who was out with a concussion. Peyton Hillis ran for 112 yards, but Cleveland’s offense mounted only one decent drive.
The Browns took the opening kickoff and moved from their own 26 to the Baltimore 30 behind the power of Hillis, who gained 30 yards on six carries. But on a third-and-1, Cleveland inexplicably went to the air, and Lardarius Webb intercepted Wallace’s pass for Mohamed Massaquoi.
Flacco immediately threw deep for Torrey Smith, who drew a 60-yard penalty for pass interference on Mike Adams to set up a 5-yard touchdown pass to Dickson.
Later, a 29-yard throw from Flacco to Smith led to a 48-yard field goal by newcomer Shayne Graham, signed in the middle of the week to take over for the injured Billy Cundiff.
After another Cleveland punt, Flacco directed an 82-yard drive that gave Baltimore a 17-0 lead. Rice slipped behind linebacker D’Qwell Jackson on the right sideline, caught a soft pass in stride and sprinted into the end zone to complete a 42-yard scoring play.
That made Flacco 5 for 5 for 94 yards and two touchdowns on third down.
Cleveland moved deep into Baltimore territory late in the first half, thanks in part to a 30-yard pass interference call against Chris Carr. But with the clock inside 10 seconds and the Browns without a timeout left, Wallace handed off to Hillis instead of spiking the ball, and Hillis went nowhere.
Wallace took the blame, and so did Browns coach Pat Shurmur.
“I need to communicate it better, OK?” Shurmur said.
Time expired before Cleveland could get off another play, and the Browns headed to the locker room after being held scoreless in the first half for the second time this season. The other time it happened was also against Baltimore.
Graham kicked a 43-yard field goal in the third quarter to make it 20-0.
The Browns finally scored when Cribbs took a punt on the right sideline, escaped an arm tackle and broke toward the center of the field before outrunning three defenders into the left corner of the end zone late in the third quarter.
“I was wondering where all the defenders were,” Cribbs said. “I saw all the great blocking around me. From there, it was easy. It was just a walk in.”
Cribbs also contributed to Cleveland’s next touchdown, catching a 23-yard pass from Wallace as part of an 80-yard drive that ended with a 9-yard TD throw to Evan Moore midway through the fourth quarter.
The Browns forced a punt, but on a fourth-and-4 from the Cleveland 45 with 4:03 left, a pass to Hillis did not produce the necessary yardage.
Taylor’s jump across the line of scrimmage soon followed.
Notes
Ravens KR David Reed hurt his left knee and declared himself out for the season. Also, Baltimore OT Marshal Yanda (chest) and CB Cary Williams (concussion) did not play in the second half.
Shurmur said the Browns sustained no serious injuries. Cleveland closes the season next Sunday against Pittsburgh.
BALTIMORE—After the Baltimore Ravens completed their first unbeaten season at home, all that’s left to accomplish during the regular season is securing at least one playoff game on their own turf.
Joe Flacco threw two touchdown passes, and the Ravens beat the bumbling Cleveland Browns 20-14 on Saturday to move one step closer to winning the AFC North.
Ray Rice ran for 87 yards and caught a TD pass for the Ravens (11-4), who led 17-0 at halftime and held on to wrap up an 8-0 season at home.
Baltimore would win AFC North by defeating Cincinnati on the road next week. That would also give the Ravens a first-round bye and a home playoff game—two if New England loses next Sunday at home against Buffalo.
Flacco went 11 for 24 with touchdown passes to Rice and tight end Ed Dickson. He also had a 33-yard run.
Josh Cribbs had a career-high 84-yard punt return for a TD for Cleveland (4-11). But the Browns generated very little offense and were guilty of questionable play calling, bad clock management and untimely penalties in their fifth straight loss.
Cleveland saved the worst for last. With no timeouts left, the Browns lined up on defense after the two-minute warning with the Ravens facing a fourth-and-2 at the Cleveland 37.
It appeared obvious that Flacco and the Ravens were merely hoping to draw the Browns offside. As the play clock moved close to zero, Cleveland tackle Phil Taylor jumped across the line of scrimmage to give Baltimore a first down.
The Ravens then ran out the clock on their eighth straight win over the Browns, including two this month.
Seneca Wallace went 19 for 33 for 147 yards in place of Colt McCoy, who was out with a concussion. Peyton Hillis ran for 112 yards, but Cleveland’s offense mounted only one decent drive.
The Browns took the opening kickoff and moved from their own 26 to the Baltimore 30 behind the power of Hillis, who gained 30 yards on six carries. But on a third-and-1, Cleveland inexplicably went to the air, and Lardarius Webb intercepted Wallace’s pass for Mohamed Massaquoi.
Flacco immediately threw deep for Torrey Smith, who drew a 60-yard penalty for pass interference on Mike Adams to set up a 5-yard touchdown pass to Dickson.
Cleveland then punted, and a 29-yard throw from Flacco to Smith led to a 48-yard field goal by newcomer Shayne Graham, signed in the middle of the week to take over for the injured Billy Cundiff.
After another Cleveland punt, Flacco directed an 82-yard drive that gave Baltimore a 17-0 lead. Rice slipped behind linebacker D’Qwell Jackson on the right sideline, caught a soft pass in stride and sprinted into the end zone to complete a 42-yard scoring play.
That made Flacco 5 for 5 for 94 yards and two touchdowns on third down.
Cleveland moved deep into Baltimore territory late in the first half, thanks in part to a 30-yard pass interference call against Chris Carr. But with the clock inside 10 seconds and the Browns without a timeout left, Hillis ran the ball and was stopped at the 3.
Time expired before Cleveland could get off another play, and the Browns headed to the locker room after being held scoreless in the first half for the second time this season. The other time it happened was earlier this month—against Baltimore.
Graham kicked a 43-yard field goal in the third quarter to make it 20-0.
The Browns finally scored when Cribbs took a punt on the right sideline, escaped an arm tackle and broke toward the center of the field before outrunning three defenders into the left corner of the end zone late in the third quarter.
Cribbs also contributed to Cleveland’s next touchdown, catching a 23-yard pass from Wallace as part of an 80-yard drive that ended with a 9-yard TD throw to Evan Moore with 8:22 remaining.
The Browns forced a punt, but Wallace used their last timeout on a fourth-and-4 from the Cleveland 45 with 4:03 left. A pass to Hillis came up short, and Baltimore took over.
Taylor’s jump across the line of scrimmage soon followed.
BALTIMORE – Eight games, eight wins. The Baltimore Ravens achieved perfection at home for the first time, and now they’re looking to add to that ledger in the playoffs.
Joe Flacco threw two touchdown passes, and the Ravens beat the bumbling Cleveland Browns 20-14 on Saturday to move one step closer to winning the AFC North.
Ray Rice ran for 87 yards and caught a TD pass for the Ravens (11-4), who led 17-0 at halftime and held on.
“I have never been perfect at home in 16 years of football. That’s amazing,” Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis said. “As good of teams we’ve had here, we’ve always found (a way) to lose one or two here or there. I think this year we really made a focus on taking care at home. This is the result, us being able to go 8-0 and being able to be sitting where you want to sit at the end of the day.”
The Ravens would win the AFC North by defeating Cincinnati on the road next week. That would also give Baltimore a first-round bye and a home playoff game — two if New England loses next Sunday at home against Buffalo.
“It’s big, man,” linebacker Terrell Suggs said. “We are at our best when we are at (home) and our fans are rocking. So we definitely need a home playoff game, by any means necessary.”
Flacco went 11 for 24 with touchdown passes to Rice and tight end Ed Dickson. He also had a 33-yard run.
Josh Cribbs had a career-high 84-yard punt return for a TD for Cleveland (4-11). But the Browns generated very little offence and were guilty of questionable play calling, bad clock management and untimely penalties in their fifth straight loss.
Cleveland saved the worst for last. Having already burned their three timeouts, the Browns lined up on defence after the two-minute warning with the Ravens facing a fourth-and-two at the Cleveland 37.
It appeared obvious that Flacco and the Ravens were merely hoping to draw the Browns offside.
As the play clock moved close to zero, Cleveland tackle Phil Taylor jumped across the line of scrimmage to give Baltimore a first down.
“It was the first hard count and we stayed onside,” Taylor said. “The second time, I just jumped. Of course you feel bad, but you just got to move on.”
Said Flacco: “I don’t know if I’ve ever been in position for that to happen. It’s never worked.”
The Ravens then ran out the clock on their eighth straight win over the Browns, including two this month.
“We knew this would be quite a challenge for us,” Cleveland quarterback Seneca Wallace said. “We’re playing the Ravens at home, and they’re playing for everything. I should have played better, and I should have made better decisions.”
Wallace went 19 for 33 for 147 yards in place of Colt McCoy, who was out with a concussion. Peyton Hillis ran for 112 yards, but Cleveland’s offence mounted only one decent drive.
The Browns took the opening kickoff and moved from their own 26 to the Baltimore 30 behind the power of Hillis, who gained 30 yards on six carries. But on a third-and-one, Cleveland inexplicably went to the air, and Lardarius Webb intercepted Wallace’s pass for Mohamed Massaquoi.
Flacco immediately threw deep for Torrey Smith, who drew a 60-yard penalty for pass interference on Mike Adams to set up a five-yard touchdown pass to Dickson.
Later, a 29-yard throw from Flacco to Smith led to a 48-yard field goal by newcomer Shayne Graham, signed in the middle of the week to take over for the injured Billy Cundiff.
After another Cleveland punt, Flacco directed an 82-yard drive that gave Baltimore a 17-0 lead. Rice slipped behind linebacker D’Qwell Jackson on the right sideline, caught a soft pass in stride and sprinted into the end zone to complete a 42-yard scoring play.
That made Flacco 5 for 5 for 94 yards and two touchdowns on third down.
Cleveland moved deep into Baltimore territory late in the first half, thanks in part to a 30-yard pass interference call against Chris Carr. But with the clock inside 10 seconds and the Browns without a timeout left, Wallace handed off to Hillis instead of spiking the ball, and Hillis went nowhere.
Wallace took the blame, and so did Browns coach Pat Shurmur.
“I need to communicate it better, OK?” Shurmur said.
Time expired before Cleveland could get off another play, and the Browns headed to the locker room after being held scoreless in the first half for the second time this season. The other time it happened was also against Baltimore.
Graham kicked a 43-yard field goal in the third quarter to make it 20-0.
The Browns finally scored when Cribbs took a punt on the right sideline, escaped an arm tackle and broke toward the centre of the field before outrunning three defenders into the left corner of the end zone late in the third quarter.
“I was wondering where all the defenders were,” Cribbs said. “I saw all the great blocking around me. From there, it was easy. It was just a walk in.”
Cribbs also contributed to Cleveland’s next touchdown, catching a 23-yard pass from Wallace as part of an 80-yard drive that ended with a nine-yard TD throw to Evan Moore midway through the fourth quarter.
The Browns forced a punt, but on a fourth-and-four from the Cleveland 45 with 4:03 left, a pass to Hillis did not produce the necessary yardage.
Taylor’s jump across the line of scrimmage soon followed.
NOTES: Ravens KR David Reed hurt his left knee and declared himself out for the season. Also, Baltimore OT Marshal Yanda (chest) and CB Cary Williams (concussion) did not play in the second half. … Shurmur said the Browns sustained no serious injuries. Cleveland closes the season next Sunday against Pittsburgh.
That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.
Kickoff: Browns at Ravens, Saturday 1 p.m. in M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore.
Record: 10-4.
Most recent game: Lost to Chargers, 34-14, Dec. 18, in San Diego.
Coach: John Harbaugh, 46-23, fourth year.
Series record: Ravens lead, 18-7.
Most recent meeting: Ravens won, 24-10, Dec. 4 in Cleveland.
League rankings: Offense is 15th overall (16th rushing, 16th passing), defense is third (second rushing, fifth passing) and turnover differential is plus-1.
Offensive overview
Despite having all the pieces, they still aren’t able to push the pedal to floor and score like the elite offenses. They’ve gone four games in a row without scoring more than 24 points — hitting that figure in wins over the Browns and Colts, but scoring only 30 combined against the 49ers and Chargers. This inconsistency might only be a concern to them in the postseason when they get hooked up in a scoring duel with the likes of New England and Houston, or New Orleans or Green Bay in the Big Game. Otherwise, they can win by handing off and throwing to Ray Rice and dumping to tight ends Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta and receiver Anquan Boldin. The long game to rookie Torrey Smith and, some day, Lee Evans, is what may put them over the top.
Defensive overview
If they don’t get pass pressure, they are as vulnerable as any defense. In their four losses, they have registered only five sacks. The Chargers took command early by hitting them with quick passes and screens. The pressure was lacking even though they finally got linebacker Ray Lewis back after missing several games with turf toe. Their cast of characters is well-known and widely feared — tackle Haloti Ngata, rush linebackers Terrell Suggs and Jarret Johnson, safety Ed Reed. Bernard Pollard has been an enforcer at strong safety. The cornerback position suffered when Lardarius Webb was reduced to nickel duty. Rookie Jimmy Smith was picked on in his first NFL start.
Special teams overview
Kicker Billy Cundiff is 27-of-36 in field goals with a long of 51 yards. He has missed three of his past five attempts, and his nine misses match the league’s most. Despite Cundiff’s 42 touchbacks, the Ravens are only 29th in average drive start after kickoffs — which means they give up some healthy returns when Cundiff doesn’t boot it out of the end zone. Punter Sam Koch is 10th in gross average (46.6 yards) and 12th in net (39.7). David Reed is back on kick returns after losing the job earlier because of fumbles. Webb hit the Browns with a 68-yard punt return but is hobbled.
Players to watch
Running back Ray Rice: His record 204 yards rushing in the first meeting vaulted him up the NFL leaderboard. He’s now fifth with 1,086 yards and 10 TDs on the ground, and added two among his team- high 71 receptions.
Linebacker Terrell Suggs: He was kept fairly at bay in the first meeting, netting only one sack. His 13 lead the AFC and tie for fifth in the NFL.
Safety Ed Reed: Three of his eight career interception returns for touchdowns have come against the Browns. He, too, was relatively quiet in the first meeting.
Injury report
PK Cundiff (calf) has played but not practiced the past two weeks. CB Webb (toe) was limited all week but played in nickel.
Small world
Among the many players, coaches and executives who formerly worked or played for the Browns are: General Manager Ozzie Newsome, senior personnel assistant George Kokinis, defensive line coach Clarence Brooks, defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano, director of pro personnel Vince Newsome, vice president of football administration Pat Moriarty, assistant special teams coach Marwan Maalouf and special teams coordinator Jerry Rosburg. . . . Receiver Lee Evans attended Bedford High School. . . . Safety Haruki Nakamura is a Cleveland native who attended St. Edward High School. . . . Scout Jack Glowik is a Cleveland native who attended Benedictine High School. . . . Linebackers coach Dean Pees is a former head coach at Kent State.
Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, who has missed the past four games with a toe injury, was listed as questionable on Baltimore’s injury report after being a limited participant in practice for the third straight day Friday.
Coach John Harbaugh told the Baltimore Sun that Lewis will be a game-time decision Sunday night against the San Diego Chargers.
Sidelined since a Nov. 13 loss at Seattle, Lewis received an ovation from his teammates when he returned to practice on Wednesday.
The Ravens have been targeting a return for Lewis in Week 15 after doctors had urged the linebacker to continue to rest his injury, team sources told NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora last week.
Cornerback Lardarius Webb (toe) and kicker Bill Cundiff (calf) were listed as questionable after not practicing this week but will also be game-time decisions, Harbaugh told the newspaper.
Meanwhile, Chargers inside linebackers Takeo Spikes (back) and Donald Butler (foot) were listed as questionable after practicing on a limited basis for the first time this week Friday.
For a complete look at all injuries around the league, visit NFL.com’s injuries page.
“The object is just to win the next game, more than anything probably,” Harbaugh said. “If that happens, we pretty much know where the chips are going to fall.”
The immediate goal is to get into the playoffs, but the Ravens want more. Locked in a four-way tie for the best record in the conference, Baltimore has a chance to receive a first-round bye, followed by two home playoff games.
If the Ravens win out, they are expected to become the top seed in the AFC – regardless of how Pittsburgh, New England and Houston fare. Although it’s too early to determine, if all four teams finish 13-3, it appears Baltimore will win the tiebreaker.
The Ravens don’t care about that right now.
“We have to play the San Diego Chargers. That’s the task at hand,” running back Ray Rice said.
Baltimore’s only defeats this season have been on the road against teams that entered with losing records.
(Tennessee, Jacksonville and Seattle). San Diego is 6-7. But the Ravens have won four straight by a combined 55 points and are riding a crest of confidence.
“You’re always trying to gain momentum, you’re always trying to be as good as you can be and improve,” Harbaugh said.
The Ravens are clicking on defense, offense and special teams. Baltimore has allowed only 36 points over its last three games – and that’s without injured middle linebacker Ray Lewis. Baltimore got two touchdown passes from Flacco against the Colts, Rice has run for 307 yards over the past two weeks and Lardarius Webb has rejuvenated the punt return unit.
And yet, the Ravens aren’t satisfied.
“Championship teams, they don’t settle for what’s happening right now. Every week, they try to get better,” said linebacker Terrell Suggs, who had three sacks against the Colts. “We’re doing a lot of things good, but we have to correct things and get better at the things we’re not doing so well. We’re still not satisfied. This team is hungry.”
After the Chargers, Baltimore hosts the Cleveland Browns and concludes the regular season at Cincinnati. Even if they don’t get the top seed in the AFC, the Ravens can get a home game by winning the AFC North. And playing at home is no small advantage, given that Baltimore is 7-0 at M&T Bank Stadium and 3-3 on the road.
No matter how it turns out, the Ravens intend to be at their best once the postseason gets under way.
“Keep working hard. Keep getting better,” center Matt Birk said. “We can get where we want to go, but all the stuff, all the external stuff, about playoff scenarios and what ifs, it doesn’t matter. All we have to do is focus on our opponents this week.”
Harbaugh said Monday he’s “very hopeful” of having Lewis back as soon as Sunday night. The 12-time Pro Bowl linebacker has missed four straight games with an injured right toe, and although Baltimore is 4-0 without him, he remains the team’s leading tackler.
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh isn’t interested in the complicated tiebreaking procedure that will ultimately determine the top seed in the AFC playoffs.
His focus, and that of the team, is solely on Sunday night’s game against the San Diego Chargers. With a victory, Baltimore (10-3) will be assured a fourth straight trip to the postseason.
“The object is just to win the next game, more than anything probably,” Harbaugh said Monday. “If that happens, we pretty much know where the chips are going to fall.”
The immediate goal is to get into the playoffs, but the Ravens want more. Locked in a four-way tie for the best record in the conference, Baltimore has a chance to receive a first-round bye, followed by two home playoff games.
If the Ravens win out, they are expected to become the top seed in the AFC — regardless of how Pittsburgh, New England and Houston fare. Although it’s too early to determine, if all four teams finish 13-3, it appears Baltimore will win the tiebreaker based on strength of victories.
The Ravens don’t care about that right now.
“We have to play the San Diego Chargers. That’s the next task at hand,” running back Ray Rice said.
Minutes after Baltimore completed a 24-10 victory over the winless Indianapolis Colts 24-10 on Sunday, Houston rallied past Cincinnati and New England held off Washington. The results did not go unnoticed in the Ravens locker room.
“It’s out there, so you always see it,” Flacco said. “It looked like there were a couple close games, couple of shots, looked like Houston might go down and they didn’t. Looked like New England might go down, and they didn’t. But I’m not really banking on that anyway. I’m looking at the rest of the season saying we’ve got to win the rest of our games.”
Baltimore’s only defeats this season have been on the road against teams that entered with losing records (Tennessee, Jacksonville and Seattle). San Diego is 6-7. But the Ravens have won four straight by a combined 55 points and are riding a crest of confidence.
“You’re always trying to gain momentum, you’re always trying to be as good as you can be and improve,” Harbaugh said.
The Ravens are clicking on defense, offense and special teams. Baltimore has allowed only 36 points over its last three games — and that’s without injured middle linebacker Ray Lewis. Baltimore got two touchdown passes from Flacco against the Colts, Rice has run for 307 yards over the past two weeks and Lardarius Webb has rejuvenated the punt return unit.
And yet, the Ravens aren’t satisfied.
“Championship teams, they don’t settle for what’s happening right now. Every week, they try to get better,” said linebacker Terrell Suggs, who had three sacks against the Colts. “We’re doing a lot of things good, but we have to correct things and get better at the things we’re not doing so well. We’re still not satisfied. This team is hungry.”
After the Chargers, Baltimore hosts the Cleveland Browns and concludes the regular season at Cincinnati. Even if they don’t get the top seed in the AFC, the Ravens can get a home game by winning the AFC North. And playing at home is no small advantage, given that Baltimore is 7-0 at M&T Bank Stadium and 3-3 on the road.
No matter how it turns out, the Ravens intend to be at their best once the postseason gets under way.
“Keep working hard. Keep getting better,” center Matt Birk said. “We can get where we want to go, but all the stuff, all the external stuff, about playoff scenarios and what ifs, it doesn’t matter. All we have to do is focus on our opponents this week.”
Harbaugh said Monday he’s “very hopeful” of having Lewis back as soon as Sunday night. The 12-time Pro Bowl linebacker has missed four straight games with an injured right toe, and although Baltimore is 4-0 without him, he remains the team’s leading tackler.
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP)—Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh isn’t
interested in the complicated tiebreaking procedure that will ultimately
determine the top seed in the AFC playoffs.
His focus, and that of the team, is solely on Sunday night’s game against
the San Diego Chargers. With a victory, Baltimore (10-3) will be assured a
fourth straight trip to the postseason.
“The object is just to win the next game, more than anything probably,”
Harbaugh said Monday. “If that happens, we pretty much know where the chips are
going to fall.”
The immediate goal is to get into the playoffs, but the Ravens want more.
Locked in a four-way tie for the best record in the conference, Baltimore has a
chance to receive a first-round bye, followed by two home playoff games.
If the Ravens win out, they are expected to become the top seed in the AFC—
regardless of how Pittsburgh, New England and Houston fare. Although it’s too
early to determine, if all four teams finish 13-3, it appears Baltimore will win
the tiebreaker based on strength of victories.
The Ravens don’t care about that right now.
“We have to play the San Diego Chargers. That’s the next task at hand,”
running back Ray Rice said.
Minutes after Baltimore completed a 24-10 victory over the winless
Indianapolis Colts 24-10 on Sunday, Houston rallied past Cincinnati and New
England held off Washington. The results did not go unnoticed in the Ravens
locker room.
“It’s out there, so you always see it,” Flacco said. “It looked like
there were a couple close games, couple of shots, looked like Houston might go
down and they didn’t. Looked like New England might go down, and they didn’t.
But I’m not really banking on that anyway. I’m looking at the rest of the season
saying we’ve got to win the rest of our games.”
Baltimore’s only defeats this season have been on the road against teams
that entered with losing records (Tennessee, Jacksonville and Seattle). San
Diego is 6-7. But the Ravens have won four straight by a combined 55 points and
are riding a crest of confidence.
“You’re always trying to gain momentum, you’re always trying to be as good
as you can be and improve,” Harbaugh said.
The Ravens are clicking on defense, offense and special teams. Baltimore has
allowed only 36 points over its last three games—and that’s without injured
middle linebacker Ray Lewis. Baltimore got two touchdown passes from Flacco
against the Colts, Rice has run for 307 yards over the past two weeks and Lardarius Webb has rejuvenated the punt return unit.
And yet, the Ravens aren’t satisfied.
“Championship teams, they don’t settle for what’s happening right now.
Every week, they try to get better,” said linebacker Terrell Suggs, who had
three sacks against the Colts. “We’re doing a lot of things good, but we have
to correct things and get better at the things we’re not doing so well. We’re
still not satisfied. This team is hungry.”
After the Chargers, Baltimore hosts the Cleveland Browns and concludes the
regular season at Cincinnati. Even if they don’t get the top seed in the AFC,
the Ravens can get a home game by winning the AFC North. And playing at home is
no small advantage, given that Baltimore is 7-0 at M&T Bank Stadium and 3-3 on
the road.
No matter how it turns out, the Ravens intend to be at their best once the
postseason gets under way.
“Keep working hard. Keep getting better,” center Matt Birk said. “We can
get where we want to go, but all the stuff, all the external stuff, about
playoff scenarios and what ifs, it doesn’t matter. All we have to do is focus on
our opponents this week.”
Harbaugh said Monday he’s “very hopeful” of having Lewis back as soon as
Sunday night. The 12-time Pro Bowl linebacker has missed four straight games
with an injured right toe, and although Baltimore is 4-0 without him, he remains
the team’s leading tackler.
.
.
Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news.
“The object is just to win the next game, more than anything probably,” Harbaugh said Monday. “If that happens, we pretty much know where the chips are going to fall.”
The immediate goal is to get into the playoffs, but the Ravens want more. Locked in a four-way tie for the best record in the conference, Baltimore has a chance to receive a first-round bye, followed by two home playoff games.
If the Ravens win out, they are expected to become the top seed in the AFC — regardless of how Pittsburgh, New England and Houston fare. Although it’s too early to determine, if all four teams finish 13-3, it appears Baltimore will win the tiebreaker based on strength of victories.
The Ravens don’t care about that right now.
“We have to play the San Diego Chargers. That’s the next task at hand,” running back Ray Rice said.
Minutes after Baltimore completed a 24-10 victory over the winless Indianapolis Colts 24-10 on Sunday, Houston rallied past Cincinnati and New England held off Washington. The results did not go unnoticed in the Ravens locker room.
“It’s out there, so you always see it,” Flacco said. “It looked like there were a couple close games, couple of shots, looked like Houston might go down and they didn’t. Looked like New England might go down, and they didn’t. But I’m not really banking on that anyway. I’m looking at the rest of the season saying we’ve got to win the rest of our games.”
Baltimore’s only defeats this season have been on the road against teams that entered with losing records (Tennessee, Jacksonville and Seattle). San Diego is 6-7. But the Ravens have won four straight by a combined 55 points and are riding a crest of confidence.
“You’re always trying to gain momentum, you’re always trying to be as good as you can be and improve,” Harbaugh said.
The Ravens are clicking on defense, offense and special teams. Baltimore has allowed only 36 points over its last three games — and that’s without injured middle linebacker Ray Lewis. Baltimore got two touchdown passes from Flacco against the Colts, Rice has run for 307 yards over the past two weeks and Lardarius Webb has rejuvenated the punt return unit.
And yet, the Ravens aren’t satisfied.
“Championship teams, they don’t settle for what’s happening right now. Every week, they try to get better,” said linebacker Terrell Suggs, who had three sacks against the Colts. “We’re doing a lot of things good, but we have to correct things and get better at the things we’re not doing so well. We’re still not satisfied. This team is hungry.”
After the Chargers, Baltimore hosts the Cleveland Browns and concludes the regular season at Cincinnati. Even if they don’t get the top seed in the AFC, the Ravens can get a home game by winning the AFC North. And playing at home is no small advantage, given that Baltimore is 7-0 at M&T Bank Stadium and 3-3 on the road.
No matter how it turns out, the Ravens intend to be at their best once the postseason gets under way.
“Keep working hard. Keep getting better,” center Matt Birk said. “We can get where we want to go, but all the stuff, all the external stuff, about playoff scenarios and what ifs, it doesn’t matter. All we have to do is focus on our opponents this week.”
Harbaugh said Monday he’s “very hopeful” of having Lewis back as soon as Sunday night. The 12-time Pro Bowl linebacker has missed four straight games with an injured right toe, and although Baltimore is 4-0 without him, he remains the team’s leading tackler.
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Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
BALTIMORE (AP) — As long as
Terrell Suggs
continues to go harass opposing quarterbacks, and if defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano repeatedly finds the perfect blitzes
to call, the
Baltimore Ravens
will keep on winning without
Ray Lewis
.
Suggs had three sacks and forced three fumbles as part of an overwhelming defensive performance by the Ravens, who kept the
Indianapolis Colts
winless with a 24-10 victory Sunday.
Lewis, Baltimore’s standout middle linebacker and longtime defensive leader, missed a fourth straight game with a right toe
injury. The Ravens (10-3) have won every one of those games.
“Right now I think we’re all just doing our part holding the levee until the general gets back,” Suggs said. “That’s why I
honestly think we’re playing the way we are.”
Baltimore limited the hapless Colts to 167 yards – just 53 through three quarters. Were it not for a touchdown on the game’s
final play, Indianapolis would have been held without a TD for only the second time since the 2003 season opener.
Baltimore didn’t recover any of the three fumbles that Suggs forced, but he harassed Colts quarterback Dan Orlovsky
throughout the afternoon.
“We shut them down early, and then they had to start passing the ball,” Ravens defensive tackle
Haloti Ngata
said. “That’s when
Terrell Suggs
went crazy.”
Suggs, a movie buff, described the action this way: “It’s chaos out there. A lot is going on more than you see. It’s like
`The Matrix’ out there with a little bit of `Inception’. It’s a little bit crazy.”
Joe Flacco
threw two touchdown passes and Ray Rice
ran for 103 yards and a score to help the Ravens win their fourth straight and improve to 7-0 at home. Baltimore is tied with
Pittsburgh for the lead in the AFC North, but the Ravens hold the tiebreaker because of their two wins over the Steelers.
“We have control of our own destiny,” Rice said. “We’re in the driver’s seat. As long as we keep winning, we’ll be fine.”
The Ravens had lost eight straight to Indianapolis, but that was when Peyton Manning
was healthy and at the top of his game. He has yet to play this year because of a neck injury.
Orlovsky, the third Colts quarterback to start this season, went 17 for 37 for 136 yards and an interception. He was sacked
four times and hounded throughout the game by Suggs.
“He’s as good a pass rusher as I’ve played against,” Orlovsky said of Suggs. “I can’t say anything bad about him as a football
player.”
Suggs attributed Baltimore’s success to the schemes set in place by Pagano, in his first season as Baltimore’s defensive coordinator.
To emphasize the point, Suggs sarcastically made Pagano out to be clueless.
“If anybody trying to hire a head coach, if they ask me I’m going to tell them he (stinks),” Suggs said. “He’s a terrible
coach and his players don’t love him. He don’t know what he’s doing when he’s calling a game.”
The game was far more lopsided than the final score would indicate. Baltimore led 17-3 at halftime and 24-3 in the third quarter,
and the Colts drove 76 yards in the final two minutes in a drive that ended with Orlovsky throwing a 13-yard touchdown pass
to Jacob Tamme
as time expired.
Indianapolis has three games left in the season. If the Colts don’t win, they will join the 2008 Detroit Lions
as the only NFL team to go 0-16 in a season.
“Losing (stinks), no matter what it is,” Orlovsky said. “Whether it’s football, if it’s rock-paper, none of us like to lose.
There’s nothing fun about losing.”
Colts coach Jim Caldwell said, “We need to find a way to get our team better so we can get a victory. And not just one. We’re
running out of time.”
The Ravens needed less than five minutes to take the lead for good. After the Colts went three and out following the opening
kickoff, Lardarius Webb
returned a punt 27 yards to the Indianapolis 40 and Flacco capped a six-play drive with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Torrey Smith
.
Baltimore’s next march covered 66 yards over 13 plays and ended with a 36-yard field goal by Billy Cundiff
for a 10-0 lead.
The first quarter ended with the Ravens holding a 111-10 advantage in yardage and an 8-1 lead in first downs.
Nothing changed in the second quarter. Baltimore forced a punt and Flacco went 5 for 7 for 54 yards in a 10-play drive that
ended with a 6-yard touchdown run by Rice.
Indianapolis finally got into Baltimore territory when Joe Lefeged
returned the ensuing kickoff 51 yards. Orlovsky then completed a fourth-down pass to Dallas Clark
, and Adam Vinatieri
kicked a field goal to make it 17-3 late in the half.
Baltimore went ahead 24-3 with 3:41 left in the third quarter. Flacco rolled to his right and was near the sideline when he
threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Dennis Pitta
in the middle of the end zone.
Flacco went 23 for 31 for 227 yards and an interception.
NOTES: Suggs has a career-high 13 sacks. … The Colts have only six INTs this season. … Flacco went over 3,000 yards passing
and Rice eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing. … Smith’s TD gave him six, tying Jamal Lewis for most by a Ravens rookie. … Indy’s
Dwight Freeney
had two sacks to go over 100 for his career.
FAST FACTS Last meeting: Colts 20, Ravens 3, on Jan. 16, 2010, AFC Divisional playoff game, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis. Head-to-head series: Colts lead, 9-2.
RAVENS’ TRENDS Offense: While they try to be balanced with a stronger passing attack, QB Joe Flacco is inconsistent, which means the Ravens often grind it out running to open up passing lanes. They have 339 rushing attempts and 12 rushing TDs. Flacco has completed 55.3 percent of his 434 passes for 13 TDs with eight INTs. He’s been sacked 22 times. Seven Ravens have at least 10 catches. A 24.7-point scoring average ranks sixth in the NFL. Nineteen turnovers include 11 lost fumbles. Defense: Stingy as usual, the Ravens are sixth in scoring defense at 16 points allowed per game, third in total yards yielded at 287.3, second in stopping the run at 88.8 yards allowed and fifth in defending the pass with a 198.6-yard average. The Ravens have a league-high 41 sacks with 14 guys contributing. Foes increase protection because the Ravens can blitz in their 3-4 scheme from seemingly everywhere. The Ravens have 13 INTs, led by Lardarius Webb with four.
RAVENS’ LAST GAME Ravens 24, Browns 10: Visiting Baltimore pounded Cleveland for 290 yards rushing with Rice running for a career-high 204 as the AFC North leaders maintained their division lead. Rice and Ricky Williams had TD runs and Lardarius Webb scored on a 68-yard punt return. The Ravens prevailed despite QB Joe Flacco completing 10-of-23 passes for 158 yards. Browns QB Colt McCoy was sacked three times; Ravens DE Pernell McPhee got him twice and OLB Terrell Suggs had the other.
That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.
BALTIMORE, MD (AP) – An uncharacteristic performance by the Baltimore Ravens defense was offset by an uncommonly effective outing by Joe Flacco and the team’s oft-criticized offense. Flacco threw for 270 yards and two touchdowns, rookie Torrey Smith had six catches for 165 yards, and Baltimore moved into first place in the AFC North with a nerve-racking 31-24 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. Playing without middle linebacker Ray Lewis for the first time in 58 games, the Ravens (7-3) nearly blew a 17-point lead in the final 14 minutes, yielded 483 yards and let rookie quarterback Andy Dalton throw for 373. But Baltimore got 104 yards rushing and two touchdowns from Ray Rice, and the defense made big plays when it counted most. After Rice was stuffed on a third-and-1 with just over two minutes left, he remained confident. “I just looked at the clock and I said, `Our defense will get it done,”‘ he recalled. “That’s the faith I have in our guys.” Even without Lewis, who watched from the sideline after being placed on the inactive list with a toe injury. The Ravens’ spiritual leader and leading tackler saw his unit pick off three passes and turn in a game-saving goal-line stand in the final minute. Down 31-24, Cincinnati reached the Baltimore 7 before Terrell Suggs collared Dalton, who was called for intentional grounding. On fourth-and-goal, Dalton was sacked by Pernell McPhee. The Bengals (6-4) needed seven points because on the previous series, an apparent 9-yard touchdown pass from Dalton to Jermaine Gresham was overturned by a replay that determined the receiver didn’t hold onto the ball at the end of a juggling catch. The Bengals settled for a field goal with 5:32 remaining. “When the receiver went to the ground, he had the ball in his right hand,” referee Ron Winter said. “The ball touched the ground and his hand came off the ball.” Baltimore is locked in a first-place tie with Pittsburgh in the AFC North, but the Ravens own the tiebreaker by virtue of their two wins over the Steelers. “No. 1 in the division, that’s huge,” Suggs said. “Now we’re the master of our destiny.” The Ravens won in part because of Smith, whose 165 yards were third-most by a receiver in Ravens history. He might have had more if Adam Jones didn’t grab hold of Smith’s long dreadlocks at the end of a 28-yard completion in the second quarter. Jones was initially flagged for a horse-collar tackle, but officials corrected themselves and did not mark off any yardage because it’s legal to tackle a runner by pulling his hair. Even though it wasn’t a banner day for the Baltimore defense, its three interceptions set up two touchdowns. “Whenever we can get turnovers, it definitely makes everybody’s job easier,” cornerback Cary Williams said. “It’s just being able to capitalize on opportunities, and we did that today.” Dalton went 24 for 45 with a touchdown. Cincinnati was without standout rookie wide receiver A.J. Green, who hurt his right knee a week earlier in a loss to Pittsburgh. But the Bengals gave Baltimore all it could handle. “We’ve won six games to this point and we’ll win some more,” coach Marvin Lewis said. “We’ve just got to circle the wagons, lick our wounds and go.” One week earlier, the Bengals came up short in rallying from a 14-0 deficit against Pittsburgh. It was more of the same against the Ravens. “It comes down to the fourth quarter. That’s how every game’s been for us,” Dalton said. “We’ve got to start faster. We can’t wait around until the end of the game to pick it up, come out and get back in it. It’s definitely going to be a focus for us.” Baltimore took a 24-14 lead on a 2-yard run by Rice late in the third quarter. The score came after Ravens rookie cornerback Jimmy Smith picked off a pass and returned it 16 yards before fumbling. The loose ball was recovered at the Cincinnati 2 by teammate Brendon Ayanbadejo in a pile that included Winter. The Bengals’ following possession ended with an interception by Lardarius Webb. On the next play, Torrey Smith split the Bengals’ two-deep zone and caught a 38-yard touchdown pass in the back of the end zone to make it 31-14. The Bengals responded with a five-play, 80-yard drive capped by a 49-yard touchdown pass from Dalton to Andre Caldwell, who slipped behind Jimmy Smith down the right sideline. But the Ravens held on, rebounding after a 22-17 loss at Seattle last week. Baltimore has won 12 straight following a defeat. “It’s good to bounce back,” Suggs said, “but let’s not take any more steps back.” The Bengals punted six times in the first half, two short of their season high for an entire game. Cincinnati’s offense managed only 143 yards before halftime, 47 of those on one play. On the Bengals’ second possession, wide receiver Jerome Simpson made a juggling catch for a 47-yard gain to set up a 7-yard touchdown run by Cedric Benson. The Ravens didn’t get past midfield until early in the second quarter, following a 15-yard punt by Kevin Huber. Starting at its 45, Baltimore picked up a first down before Flacco tossed a short pass to Anquan Boldin, who ran the final 20 yards for a 35-yard touchdown. NOTES: Former Ravens kicker Matt Stover was inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor during a halftime ceremony. … Ravens LB Jarret Johnson made his 74th consecutive start, breaking the franchise record previously held by Michael McCrary and Jamie Sharper. … Baltimore has won seven straight at home and 15 of 16.
Playing without middle linebacker Ray Lewis for the first time in 58 games, the Ravens (7-3) nearly blew a 17-point lead in the final 14 minutes, yielded 483 yards and let rookie quarterback Andy Dalton throw for 373.
But Baltimore got 104 yards rushing and two touchdowns from Ray Rice, and the defense made big plays when it counted most. After Rice was stuffed on a third-and-1 with just over two minutes left, he remained confident.
“I just looked at the clock and I said, ‘Our defense will get it done,’” he recalled. “That’s the faith I have in our guys.”
Even without Lewis, who watched from the sideline after being placed on the inactive list with a toe injury. The Ravens’ spiritual leader and leading tackler saw his unit pick off three passes and turn in a game-saving goal-line stand in the final minute.
Down 31-24, Cincinnati reached the Baltimore 7 before Terrell Suggs collared Dalton, who was called for intentional grounding. On fourth-and-goal, Dalton was sacked by Pernell McPhee.
The Bengals (6-4) needed seven points because on the previous series, an apparent 9-yard touchdown pass from Dalton to Jermaine Gresham was overturned by a replay that determined the receiver didn’t hold onto the ball at the end of a juggling catch. The Bengals settled for a field goal with 5:32 remaining.
“When the receiver went to the ground, he had the ball in his right hand,” referee Ron Winter said. “The ball touched the ground and his hand came off the ball.”
Baltimore is locked in a first-place tie with Pittsburgh in the AFC North, but the Ravens own the tiebreaker by virtue of their two wins over the Steelers.
“No. 1 in the division, that’s huge,” Suggs said. “Now we’re the master of our destiny.”
Even though it wasn’t a banner day for the defense, the three interceptions set up two touchdowns.
“Whenever we can get turnovers, it definitely makes everybody’s job easier,” cornerback Cary Williams said. “It’s just being able to capitalize on opportunities, and we did that today.”
Dalton went 24 for 45 with a touchdown. Cincinnati was without standout rookie wide receiver A.J. Green, who hurt his right knee a week earlier in a loss to Pittsburgh.
But the Bengals gave Baltimore all it could handle.
“We’ve won six games to this point and we’ll win some more,” coach Marvin Lewis said. “We’ve just got to circle the wagons, lick our wounds and go.”
One week earlier, the Bengals came up short in rallying from a 14-0 deficit against Pittsburgh. It was more of the same against the Ravens.
“It comes down to the fourth quarter. That’s how every game’s been for us,” Dalton said. “We’ve got to start faster. We can’t wait around until the end of the game to pick it up, come out and get back in it. It’s definitely going to be a focus for us.”
Baltimore took a 24-14 lead on a 2-yard run by Rice late in the third quarter. The score came after Ravens rookie cornerback Jimmy Smith picked off a pass and returned it 16 yards before fumbling. The loose ball was recovered at the Cincinnati 2 by teammate Brendon Ayanbadejo in a pile that included Winter.
The Bengals’ following possession ended with an interception by Lardarius Webb. On the next play, Torrey Smith split the Bengals’ two-deep zone and caught a 38-yard touchdown pass in the back of the end zone to make it 31-14.
The Bengals responded with a five-play, 80-yard drive capped by a 49-yard touchdown pass from Dalton to Andre Caldwell, who slipped behind Jimmy Smith down the right sideline.
But the Ravens held on, rebounding after a 22-17 loss at Seattle last week. Baltimore has won 12 straight following a defeat.
“It’s good to bounce back,” Suggs said, “but let’s not take any more steps back.”
The Bengals punted six times in the first half, two short of their season high for an entire game. Cincinnati’s offense managed only 143 yards before halftime, 47 of those on one play.
On the Bengals’ second possession, wide receiver Jerome Simpson made a juggling catch for a 47-yard gain to set up a 7-yard touchdown run by Cedric Benson.
The Ravens didn’t get past midfield until early in the second quarter, following a 15-yard punt by Kevin Huber. Starting at its 45, Baltimore picked up a first down before Flacco tossed a short pass to Anquan Boldin, who ran the final 20 yards for a 35-yard touchdown.
NOTES: Former Ravens kicker Matt Stover was inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor during a halftime ceremony. … Ravens LB Jarret Johnson made his 74th consecutive start, breaking the franchise record previously held by Michael McCrary and Jamie Sharper. … Baltimore has won seven straight at home and 15 of 16.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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“Obviously I think that at the end we would have liked to have made it a little less exciting, if we could have,” Ravens Coach John Harbaugh said.
A 17-point, fourth-quarter lead all but disappeared for the Ravens as Dalton got the Bengals to the Baltimore 7-yard line in the game’s final minute, seeking a tying touchdown. But an intentional grounding call on Dalton pushed the Bengals backward and he was sacked on a fourth-down play from the 17-yard line.
“We just need to play better early so we don’t have to come back from behind at the end,” Dalton said.
Dalton threw for a touchdown and amassed 373 passing yards in his first game against the Ravens. But he also threw three interceptions and had a would-be touchdown pass in the fourth quarter overturned on an instant-replay review.
“We’ve got to play smarter,” Bengals Coach Marvin Lewis said. “We didn’t play smart enough today to win the football game. We had too many critical errors at critical times.”
The Ravens rebounded from a loss a week earlier at Seattle and improved their record to 7-3. They’re tied with Pittsburgh for first place but hold the tiebreaker advantage thanks to their two victories over the Steelers this season. They’re 3-0 against the Bengals, who dropped into third place with a record of 6-4, and Steelers. The Ravens and Bengals play in Cincinnati in the regular season finale.
“We have to go play and win,” Lewis said. “If we win, it [the playoff race] takes care of itself.”
The Ravens have stumbled this season against some of the less-imposing opponents on their schedule. But they have played their best in their biggest games, and that trend continued. Flacco threw touchdown passes to Smith and fellow wide receiver Anquan Boldin. Smith had six catches for 165 yards, and Rice ran for 104 yards and two touchdowns.
“We stumbled a little early but we kind of hit our stride by making big plays,” Flacco said. “Torrey came up huge and we were able to capitalize on a couple of those turnovers and make a couple of those big plays.”
Ray Lewis was on the Ravens’ inactive list because of a toe injury. He missed his first game since 2007, ending a string of 57 straight starts. That didn’t prevent Lewis, dressed in black sweat clothes and a black cap, from delivering his customary pregame motivational speech to his teammates on the field.
“We like him out there [on the field] better,” Harbaugh said.
The Bengals were without injured rookie wide receiver A.J. Green. Even so, they had the early lead after the first of running back Cedric Benson’s two rushing touchdowns. The Ravens managed only one first down and 27 yards of total offense in the first quarter, and some boos could be heard from the home crowd.
But the Ravens got second-quarter touchdowns on Flacco’s 35-yard pass to Boldin and a one-yard run by Rice. They might have had another touchdown late in the first half when Smith made a catch and sprinted toward the end zone but was tackled — legally, under NFL rules — by his long hair, which hangs out of the back of his helmet. Flacco threw an interception soon thereafter. The Bengals were thwarted on their final drive of the first half when Dalton lofted a pass into the end zone that was intercepted by Ravens safety Ed Reed.
The Ravens added to their lead with kicker Billy Cundiff’s third-quarter field goal. The Bengals had an immediate response with Benson’s three-yard touchdown run, but the Ravens restored their lead to 10 points in the final moments of the third quarter. Dalton threw a pass directly to Ravens rookie cornerback Jimmy Smith, who made the interception but had the ball knocked from his hand on his return as he neared the goal line. Referee Ron Winter was knocked down in the pileup of players trying to recover the fumble. Winter took a few seconds to get back to his feet after the play but continued to officiate. The Ravens’ Brendon Ayanbadejo recovered the fumble and Rice cashed in with a two-yard touchdown run.
Dalton’s third interception came on a pass on which Ravens cornerback Lardarius Webb made a diving catch. The Ravens scored on the next play on Flacco’s 38-yard pass to Torrey Smith. Dalton answered with a 49-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Andre Caldwell. But the Bengals got only a field goal with just more than 51/ 2 minutes to play after an apparent touchdown pass from Dalton to tight end Jermaine Gresham was nullified on a replay review. The officials ruled that Gresham lost possession of the ball as he tumbled to the ground.
