Baltimore at Denver
Defense Batters Previously Unbeaten Broncos in 23-7 Win
The Ravens’ defense registered five quarterback sacks while limiting the Broncos to just 254 total yards in Sunday’s 23-7 victory, Baltimore’s third straight.
Tyus Bowser got to both starter Teddy Bridgewater and backup Drew Lock, Calais Campbell recorded three quarterback hits, and after only punting nine times in their first three games, the Broncos were forced to punt on 10 of their 12 total possessions.
“I thought we won the game in the fourth quarter,” head coach John Harbaugh told reporters. “That’s when you win games. And to be able to do it there, in altitude, that’s a statement for our players, for the conditioning, for how hard they work.”
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Baltimore tied an NFL record in the process, going over 100 yards on the ground as a team for the 43rd consecutive game, matching the benchmark set by the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1974-77. It took until the very last play on an unusual call to eclipse that century mark. Following an Anthony Averett interception in the end zone with three seconds remaining in regulation, head coach John Harbaugh had his quarterback Lamar Jackson run over tackle left for the necessary five yards.
The decision did not sit well with opposing head coach Vic Fangio, who claimed that “in 37 years of pro ball, I’ve never seen anything like that, but it’s to be expected (from Baltimore).” Shots at his “mode of operation” didn’t seem to stress Harbaugh.
“I mean, I thought we were on good terms,” Harbaugh said on his relationship with Fangio. “We had a nice chat before the game. (We’ve) known each other for a long time. But I promise you I’m not going to give that insult one second thought. What’s meaningful to us might not be meaningful to them. Their concerns are definitely not our concerns.”
While it took until the last second to get the job done on the ground, Jackson had been getting it done with his arm for most of the afternoon. He threw for more than 300 yards for the first time this season and one touchdown. The 49-yard connection to Marquise Brown featured the wide receiver making a spectacular layout grab, a stark contrast from his troubles the previous week against Detroit where Brown dropped a surefire score.
“I put myself in his shoes: here he goes, he’s had the couple drops the game before and he gets out there, and he gets open, he’s 15 yards behind the secondary and Lamar (Jackson) puts it out there, now he has to go get it,” Harbaugh said. “I’m sure he’s like, ‘I’ve got to get this thing! I’ve got to make this play!’ And to see him go make it, then to see him come back (with) the smile on his face and just be able to share that, as a coach, that’s really what coaching is.”
Noah Fant started the scoring with a 3-yard TD reception from Bridgewater before the Ravens scored 23 unanswered points.
GAME RECAP
Denver received the opening kickoff and drove into Ravens’ territory before Odafe Oweh blindsided quarterback Teddy Bridgewater off the right side to force a 4th down and the first of 10 Denver punts.
Baltimore promptly punted it back after Sammy Watkins dropped a throw from Lamar Jackson on 3rd down.
Each side would punt twice more before Denver finally embarked on the contest’s first scoring drive. Rookie running back Javonte Williams ripped off a 31-yard run and Bridgewater connected with tight end Noah Fant for a 3-yard touchdown to make it 7-0 with 14:16 to go in the second quarter.
After three unsuccessful series on offense, Baltimore quickly matched with a touchdown of its own. Jackson found Mark Andrews on a high, lofting pass for a 24-yard gain, and Latavius Murray ran a stretch left toward the sideline for an 11-yard rushing score to even the count at 7-7 with 10:24 remaining in the half.
Tyus Bowser’s first of two sacks resulted in another Denver three-and-out and Jackson quickly got the Ravens back in the end zone. Marquise Brown made a diving catch on a 49-yard throw for his third touchdown reception of the season. The highlight reel-worthy grab gave Baltimore its first lead, 14-7, in a drive that only consumed 90 seconds of game clock.
Following another Broncos punt, Brown made another big reception of 32 yards. However, Murray couldn’t convert and 3rd-and-1 from midfield and the Ravens would punt it away as well.
Three consecutive incompletions brought the following Denver drive to a close, the last of which saw Bridgewater sustain a concussion after a hit from Oweh. Devin Duvernay would return the Sam Martin punt 42 yards, setting the Ravens up at the Broncos’ 26 yard line with 31 seconds left in the half. Justin Tucker would extend the lead to 17-7 with a 40-yard field goal at the horn.
The score remained the same through the third quarter as both sides exchanged a pair of punts. Tucker opened the fourth quarter with his second successful field goal of the afternoon, a 46-yarder to make it 20-7.
Following three straight three-and-outs, the Ravens would add on to their advantage one final time. Baltimore chewed up more than six-and-a-half minutes of time with a 15-play, 78-yard series that was capped by another Tucker field goal, this time from 20 away.
With only 1:54 remaining in the game, Denver attempted to cut into that deficit, driving the length of the field before Anthony Averett intercepted Drew Lock’s intended throw to Courtland Sutton in the endzone with three seconds remaining.
Instead of simply taking a knee, Jackson ran off-tackle left out of the shotgun for five yards to ensure a record-tying performance of 43 straight games with at least 100 rushing yards as a team. Time expired after Jackson’s rush, securing the 23-7 win.
UP NEXT
Baltimore (3-1) returns to M&T Bank Stadium to welcome a familiar franchise in the Colts (1-3). Indianapolis scored its first victory of the new season on Sunday by knocking off the Dolphins 27-17 behind a couple of touchdown tosses from Carson Wentz and a 100-yard game from budding star running back Jonathan Taylor.