Baltimore vs. Jacksonville
Special Teams Makes the Difference for Ravens in 19-17 Win in Jacksonville
In a fourth quarter filled with drama, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh found a couple of heroes in the third phase of the game.
A timely block of a Jason Myers field goal attempt coupled with a successful 50-plus yarder by his own special teams star, kicker Justin Tucker, proved to be the difference-maker in the 19-17 victory.
“All I can say is, that’s amazing,” beamed head coach John Harbaugh following the win. “It’s awesome. It’s incredible. For us, it’s a fabulous victory. I am very excited we won the football game. I feel like it was the hand of God, that’s how I feel.”
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Actually, it was the hand of Brent Urban. The defensive lineman got a push on the snap and a clean rejection of Myers’ 52-yard try. Zach Orr recovered the rejection and was able to return it to Baltimore’s 43-yard line with just under three minutes in the ballgame.
“Every time we line up for a field goal, we expect to block it,” defensive end Brent Urban said as he broke down the block. “It’s the same mindset. We executed. Other guys like Brandon Williams and Lawrence Guy did a great job getting push as well. I was able to get through there. It was a great all-around play.”
Quarterback Joe Flacco completed four short passes on the ensuing drive, setting up Tucker for his fourth field goal of the afternoon. He previously split the uprights on tries from 43, 42, and 37 yards, but this final attempt would be from 53 yards out with the game on the line.
“There’s definitely butterflies,” admitted kicker Justin Tucker. “But Morgan (Cox) said to me right before we went out onto the field, ‘Heroes will be remembered. Legends never die.’ It’s a football game, but that’s how we feel. We get into these situations, but I’ve had a good amount of them in my time here. Do they get easier? I’m not sure, but the more opportunities that we have and successfully convert, the more confidence I have going into the next one.”
As for Flacco, he would shatter his own franchise record for consecutive completions in a single game with 21-in-a-row. He finished 29-of-40 passing for 214 yards and one rushing touchdown.
Flacco did throw two fourth quarter interceptions, neither of which resulted in any points-off-turnovers.
The Ravens intercepted Blake Bortles three times, the final of which coming off a tipped ball into the hands of Zach Orr to secure the victory. C.J. Mosley and Tavon Young each recorded picks as well. Mosley made an acrobatic one-handed grab off a wobbly throw from Bortles in the first quarter while Young brought in a deflected ball at the line by Timmy Jernigan.
Baltimore improved to 3-0 for the first time since the 2009 season and the third time in franchise history.
GAME RECAP
Not much to speak of in the way of offense on the game’s first five possessions. A streak of five punts, four three-and-outs, and a solitary first down was snapped by the Ravens, courtesy of an 8-play, 75-yard march. Joe Flacco ad-libbed a 7-yard quarterback keeper for the contest’s first points, 7-0 Baltimore with 3:52 left in the first quarter.
C.J. Mosley ended Jacksonville’s next possession with an athletic, one-handed interception of a wobbly Blake Bortles pass. Justin Tucker would make good off the takeaway with a successful 43-yard field goal try to extend the lead to 10-0.
The Jaguars offense finally got the injection it needed on a 42-yard punt return by Rashad Greene to Baltimore’s 37-yard line. Allen Robinson was the wide receiver of choice for Bortles on the ensuing drive as the former second round draft pick from Penn State hauled in a pair of 3rd down, drive-extending receptions followed by a 3-yard touchdown.
Six consecutive Flacco completions and a costly penalty helped the Ravens add three points before halftime. Tucker’s 57-yard field goal miss was negated by an unsportsmanlike call on Dante Fowler, and Tucker converted the 42-yard try to make it 13-7 at intermission.
Flacco’s string of 21 consecutive completed passes came to an end in the third quarter on a throw to the endzone toward Mike Wallace and the Ravens settled for another three from the foot of Tucker.
The Bortles-Robinson tandem paid dividends again on an 11-yard touchdown pass, which was originally ruled incomplete. Replay review overturned the call, making the score 16-14.
Both sides exchanged a pair of punts, the last of which fumbled by the normally surehanded special teams standout Devin Hester and recovered by Denard Robinson at the Ravens’ 39. The Jags would go three-and-out, but Jason Myers split the uprights on a 49-yard try to put Jacksonville ahead for the first time, 17-16, with 7:29 to play in regulation.
Both quarterbacks would get turnover-happy as a Flacco offering to Dennis Pitta was tipped and intercepted by Tashaun Gipson. Three plays later, a Bortles throw would be tipped at the line by Timmy Jernigan and picked by Tavon Young. However, Baltimore would give the ball back less than a minute later when Flacco was hit during his throwing motion and intercepted by linebacker Paul Pusloszny.
For the second straight week, special teams swung momentum as Brent Urban got a hand on Myers’ 52-yard field goal try. Zach Orr returned the block nine yards to put Baltimore in business at their own 43 with three minutes to play.
Tucker had better luck on his attempt, connecting from 53-yards out on his fourth goal of the afternoon to make it 19-17 with 1:07 left in regulation.
Zach Orr ended any hopes of a Jacksonville comeback, bringing in a tipped pass for a game-sealing interception and a 19-17 final score.
UP NEXT
Baltimore (3-0) heads back to M&T Bank Stadium to welcome Oakland (2-1). In their Week 3 matchup, the Raiders forced a trio of turnovers from Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota to hang on for a 17-10 win.
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