Baltimore vs. Jacksonville
Ravens Run Win Streak to 3 in Rout Over Jacksonville to Increase Playoff Chances
For the second time in three years, the Baltimore Ravens are peaking at the right time and looking to finish the season with a long winning streak to reach the playoffs once again. After a thrilling comeback at Cleveland, there was no letdown against the hapless Jacksonville Jaguars at home on Sunday in a 40-14 Ravens victory.
The Ravens (9-5) remain tied with Miami for the final playoff spot in the AFC after the win that saw Lamar Jackson account for four touchdowns—three in the air and one running—in one of his best performances of the season just six days after his late-game heroics following a bout with cramps led to a 47-42 win over the Browns.
Overall, Jackson was 17-22 passing for 243 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception. He also ran for 35 yards and another score in one of the team's best offensive performances of the season.
"We've just been focused going into practices, knowing what our opponents are doing, and stuff like that—just a lot of film work," Jackson said to reporters after the game. "Each and every drive, we just stack, and we've been scoring points, so yes, [the offense is clicking]."
Celebrate the Return of Fans to Football By Purchasing Ravens Tickets Online!
It clicked in all phases of the game today against the lowly Jaguars (1-13), who lost their 13th-straight game after a season-opening win over Indianapolis and are actually now in line for the top pick in next spring's NFL Draft after the formerly winless Jets defeated the Rams today in Los Angeles, so Jacksonville is leading the pack for the services of Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who is widely expected to be the top pick in the 2021 draft class.
Baltimore also improved to 6-0 against teams with a losing record. True, you have to beat the good teams if you want to win in the playoffs, but winning all of the games you're supposed to win isn't easy for a team to do all season.
"You always just hammer home what's at stake and looking straight ahead, having your eyes neither wander to the left or to the right, but keeping focused on what's in front of you," head coach John Harbaugh said after the game. "It just goes back to guys who are character guys and understand perspective and understand what's at stake. …This game was one of the best jobs that we've had the whole time we've been here."
Rookie running back J.K. Dobbins continued his solid campaign by leading all rushers with 64 yards and a touchdown, and receiver Dez Bryant caught his first touchdown pass as a Raven and his first in more than three years. Marquise Brown led the team in receptions (six) and receiving yards (98), and Mark Andrews and Miles Boykin also caught touchdown passes in the win.
The defense only allowed 62 yards rushing on the day and sacked Jags quarterback Gardner Minshew II five times and forced a fumble. The offensive line even got into the act when lineman Tyre Phillips ran for 22 yards after scooping up a Jackson fumble.
"It was our longest run of the day," Harbaugh said with a smile. "But it was kind of a closer-type moment because it was such a big play. We go from a potential fumble inside our 10-yard line to a first down—that's quite a turn of events."
Now the Ravens find themselves in decent shape with two games remaining. Even though they do not own the tiebreaker with Miami and are currently on the outside looking in, the Ravens take on the Giants and Bengals in the final two weeks—two teams with losing records. The Dolphins, meanwhile, visit Las Vegas this weekend and wrap up at 11-3 Buffalo.
GAME RECAP
The Ravens' only real miscue of the day occurred on the first drive, as Jackson misfired deep down the middle of the field and was intercepted, but the Jaguars took over possession at their one 1-yard line. After a James Robinson two-yard run, Matt Judon sacked Minshew in the end zone for a safety and a 2-0 Ravens lead after Baltimore ended their last game with a safety as time expired.
Baltimore returned the free kick and engineered a quick seven-play drive that was highlighted by a Jackson connection with Brown for 28 yards and resulted in a four-yard TD reception by Boykin on the very next play to put the Ravens up 9-0.
Jacksonville decided to go for it on 4th and 5 near midfield on the next possession, but Patrick Queen sacked Minshew to cause the turnover on downs. Dobbins ended that drive with a two-yard TD run to increase the lead to 16-0 just one minute into the second quarter.
After a 47-yard field goal by Justin Tucker put the Ravens on top 19-0, the Ravens would score on their fourth-straight drive when Jackson found Bryant for an 11-yard score. Tucker couldn't extend the scoring streak to five drives, as he missed a 57-yarder in the closing seconds of the first half, but the Ravens entered the locker room with a commanding 26-0 lead.
After Minshew connected with Robinson for a score to get the Jags on the board to open the third quarter, Baltimore responded yet again, covering 75 yards in just 4:30 of game time and ending with a five-yard run to the left by Jackson, growing the lead back to 26 at 33-7. It became 40-7 on Jackson's short touchdown pass to Andrews at the 9:46 mark of the fourth quarter to cap the drive that included Phillips' fumble recovery and 22-yard scamper to extend the drive.
UP NEXT
The Ravens finish out their home schedule next Sunday with the New York Giants coming to down. Despite the G-Men still being in contention for the NFC East title, they stand at 5-9 on the season and have scored just 13 points in their last two games—both losses—coming off a four-game winning streak.
Get Your Baltimore Ravens Tickets for the Upcoming Season Here!