And To All A Good Night: Ravens Crush 49ers 33-19 For Statement Win On Christmas
If Monday's Christmas showdown between the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers was truly a Super Bowl preview as many have said, then fans of the purple, black and gold team are on cloud nine right now.
After entering the game as heavy underdogs, the Ravens showed why they deserve to be called the best in the league with a 33-19 dismantling of the NFC's top seed. Oh, and the final score doesn't tell the full story.
Lamar Jackson, George Kittle
The key to Baltimore's success was making life difficult for San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy. Purdy, who was the MVP favorite coming into this game, had only thrown seven interceptions all season but threw a career-high four on Monday night alone.
The Ravens took full advantage of their takeaways, scoring 17 points off turnovers to turn this game into a laugher.
Safety Kyle Hamilton was the star of the show with two interceptions, although the second-year safety left the game late after grabbing his knee while down on the field. Corner Marlon Humphrey and linebacker Patrick Queen each notched a pick of their own, while corner Marcus Williams picked off backup quarterback Sam Darnold in the final minutes to ice the game.
On offense, Lamar Jackson and Co. did more than enough to earn a comfortable victory. Jackson, also an MVP candidate, played a clean and efficient game, completing 23 of 35 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns, plus a team-high 46 yards on the ground.
Ravens wideout Zay Flowers performed well, catching nine passes for 72 yards and a touchdown. Tight end Isaiah Likely also continued his recent breakout in the absence of the injured Mark Andrews with three catches for 56 yards.
Meanwhile, Purdy had a rough outing as he completed 18 of 32 yards for 255 yards with four interceptions. After he exited the game late with an apparent injury, Darnold completed eight of 14 passes for 81 yards and a touchdown.
Niners running back Christian McCaffrey had 102 rushing yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. San Francisco tight end George Kittle led the 49ers with 126 yards on seven receptions, while wideout Brandon Aiyuk added 113 yards on six catches.
With a statement win in hand, the Ravens now head home for a New Year's Eve date with the Miami Dolphins, a matchup that will likely decide the AFC's top seed.
