Baltimore vs. Green Bay
Defense dominates as Ravens record third shutout of season in 23-0 win at Lambeau
Feast or famine. That’s been the modus operandi for Baltimore throughout the first half of 2017. When the defense devours, they see success. On Sunday, the Ravens feasted.
Terrell Suggs, Matt Judon, and company wreaked havoc on a quarterback making just his fifth career start as the Ravens forced five turnovers in a 23-0 victory in Green Bay.
Brett Hundley, who replaced an injured Aaron Rodgers still on injured reserve after breaking his collarbone in Week 6, threw interceptions on his opening two series to Jimmy Smith and Eric Weddle. The sailing didn’t get much smoother, as Hundley had a hand in four of Green Bay’s five turnovers in addition to being sacked six times. A pair of those belonged to the six-time Pro Bowler Suggs, who wasn’t quite ready for a ticker tape parade following the defense’s third shutout of the season.
“It doesn’t mean (expletive) if we don’t make the playoffs,” according to the outspoken outside linebacker. “It’s good, but if we don’t get in, y’all aren’t even going to remember them.”
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Head coach John Harbaugh was a bit more lenient with the praise for a unit that became the first in 14 years to record three shutouts in one year.
“I feel like we covered them really well,” head coach John Harbaugh told reporters. “We mixed up our coverages. Dean (Pees) called a great game. We probably didn’t blitz as much as we usually do. We usually are close to 50 percent. But he mixed his coverages. I don’t think Brett (Hundley) could ever exactly know what we were going to do.”
First round draft pick Marlon Humphrey added his first career NFL interception while Judon and defensive lineman Willie Henry each recorded a pair of sacks.
While the defense flourished, the offense struggled to capitalize on the multitude of Packers’ mistakes. They mustered only three points off three first half takeaways, and went into the half ahead 6-0 off a pair of Justin Tucker successful field goal tries.
Baltimore opened the third quarter with its best offensive drive of the day. Quarterback Joe Flacco connected with tight end Ben Watson, who raced 33 yards down to the Green Bay 26, on the first play from scrimmage of the second half. Two plays later, Mike Wallace made a jaw-dropping one-handed snag with Damarious Randall in his face for a 21-yard scoring strike. A play worthy of a “Lambeau leap” as Wallace found himself in the first row of the storied Wisconsin venue.
Flacco was solid, but not spectacular, completing 22 of 28 attempts for 183 yards, the touchdown to Wallace, and one interception.
The victory following Baltimore’s BYE week helps keep the postseason within reach. The Ravens entered the weekend three games behind Pittsburgh (7-2) for first place in the AFC North Division.
“This keeps us in the thick of things at 5-5, so we still have everything in front of us with an opportunity to still get into the dance,” said cornerback Jimmy Smith.
The winningest head coach in franchise history added one more individual accolade to his resume. Including regular season and postseason wins, Harbaugh notched his 100th career victory with Baltimore.
GAME RECAP
It took just three plays on the game’s opening drive for Green Bay to advance inside the Ravens’ 10-yard line, but Jimmy Smith peeled off his defensive route and intercepted a throw intended for Randall Cobb in the endzone to keep the Packers off the board.
A promising drive featuring a 4th down conversion by Alex Collins went for naught following a fumble and a sack by Clay Matthews, pushing Baltimore out of field goal range.
Green Bay’s second drive ended in similar fashion to the first, with a Brett Hundley pass picked off. Eric Weddle recorded his second interception in as many games, putting the offense back on the field. The Ravens turned the takeaway into three points, as a 3rd down conversion from Joe Flacco to Mike Wallace paved the way for a 32-yard field goal to open the second quarter.
A third turnover in as many drives brought Green Bay’s next offensive outing to an end. Devante Mays was the culprit this time as Matt Judon jarred the football loose and Patrick Onwuasor fell on it at the Packers’ 43-yard line.
After a pair of punts, it was Green Bay’s turn to extinguish a promising drive. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix stepped between a pass meant for Danny Woodhead near the shadow of the goal line. A couple of Judon sacks prevented Green Bay from capitalizing on the mistake, and Michael Campanaro’s 28-yard punt return set the Ravens up at their opponent’s 30-yard line with 97 seconds left in the half. Tucker split the uprights again, this time from 39 yards out, to make it a 6-0 Ravens lead at intermission.
Flacco and company found their rhythm as the third quarter opened. A 33-yard catch and run by tight end Ben Watson lead to a 21-yard touchdown toss from Flacco to Mike Wallace. Wallace’s fifth career touchdown against Green Bay would make it 13-0.
Baltimore’s front seven continued to make life miserable for Hundley as a Willie Henry sack forced a turnover on downs. In the fourth quarter, it was Terrell Suggs getting to the quarterback, forcing a fumble in the process that would be recovered by C.J. Mosley and returned to the Packers’ 29. Tucker’s third field goal two minutes later would increase the advantage to 16-0.
Suggs’ second sack resulted in another turnover on downs and one series later first round draft pick out of Alabama, Marlon Humphrey registered his first career interception to set Baltimore up at the 3-yard line. Collins notched his first career rushing touchdown on the next play, running off tackle left to provide the 20-0 final score.
UP NEXT
Baltimore (5-5) returns to M&T Bank Stadium to host Houston (4-6) for Monday Night Football. The Texans have struggled since BYE week, losing starting quarterback DeShaun Watson and three straight games before snapping that skid with a 31-21 win against Arizona.
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