Ravens Use Balanced Effort to Run Past Colts
After another sluggish start, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackon got back to his playmaking roots and the defense did the rest in a spirited 24-10 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
The Ravens have scored at least 20 points in 31 straight games, which is the longest streak in NFL history. They also snapped a 20-game losing streak when trailing at halftime.
Baltimore kept the Colts scoreless in the second half.
The Ravens entered the game without several key players on both sides of the ball because of injuries.
Baltimore also lost defensive end Calais Campbell (calf) and cornerback Khalil Dorsey (shoulder) in the first quarter. Dorsey returned but was injured again with just over five minutes left in the game. Campbell did not return.
How It Happened
Jackson has been a lightning rod for criticism and he had some struggles in the early part of the game against the Colts' quick defenders.
However, Jackson led the Ravens to three scoring drives in the second half. The Ravens stayed committed to the run and begin to wear the Colts down midway through the third quarter.
Running back Gus Edwards recovered from a costly fumble with a 1-yard touchdown that gave the Ravens their first lead, 14-10 with 5:43 left in the third quarter.
On the next possession, Jackson faked a handoff to Edwards on 3rd and 1 and ran 9 yards for Baltimore's third score.
Jackson completed 19 of 23 pass attempts for 170 yards. He completed all 10 of his pass attempts in the second half.
In addition, Jackson carried the ball 13 times for a game-high 58 yards with the touchdown.
The Ravens managed just 18 yards rushing in the first half, but finished with 110 yards on the ground.
Baltimore was missing two starting offensive linemen in left tackle Ronnie Stanley (ankle) and rookie right guard Tyre Phillips and starting running back Mark Ingram (ankle).
The Ravens were also missing Pro-Bowl cornerback Marlon Humphrey (COVID-19) and starting middle linebacker L.J. Fort (finger).
Still, the defense performed at a high level. Colts quarterback Philip Rivers was 26 of 44 for 227 yards with an interception.
The loss of Campbell and Dorsey added to the challenges.
The Colts took a 7-0 lead on a 1-yard leap by Jonathan Taylor. The scoring drive was helped by a pass interference penalty by Baltimore safety Chuck Clark.
Baltimore tied the game 7-7 on a 65-yard fumble recovery by safety Chuck Clark with 1:11 left in the opening quarter. The Ravens have forced a turnover in 21 consecutive games.
The Ravens had the Colts pinned inside their own 10 late in the first and were a stop away from getting the ball back on a short field. Instead, linebacker Matt Judon jumped offsides and fellow linebacker Pernell McPhee was called for a personal foul after hitting Rivers in the facemask with a forearm.
The Colts then extended the drive and took a 10-7 lead at the break on a 43-yard field goal by Rodrigo Blankenship.
Play of the Game
The Ravens were on the verge of taking their first lead of the game on their first drive of the second half. However, Edwards fumbled on the Colts' 3-yard line and ended the threat. But the Ravens caught. break on the ensuing drive when cornerback Marcus Peters appeared to bobble an interception but it was ruled a catch after a review. That led to the Edwards'touchdown and the Ravens' first lead of the game.
Ravens Game Balls
— QB Lamar Jackson battled through some inconsistencies to spark the comeback. He led the team with 58 yards on 13 carries with the touchdown. Jackson was also solid protecting the football.
— CB Marcus Peters forced the fumble that led to the Ravens first touchdown. He also picked up the slack with Humphrey out of the lineup.
— S Chuck Clark scored a 65-yard touchdown after Peters forced the fumble.
— RG Patrick Mekari came to the defense of Jackson, who took a late hit in the helmet by Colts safety Julian Blackmon, who penalized 15 yards. Mekari was also solid blocking the Colts' aggressive front seven.
— TE Nick Boyle had four receptions for 46 yards, made some key and helped set a physical tone for the offense.
What It Means
Colts: A disappointing performance drops Indianapolis to 5-3 and their first loss at home this season. The Colts also fell into second place in the AFC South, one game behind Tennessee.
Ravens: It was a big victory for Baltimore, which is playing the toughest stretch of the season. The Ravens are 6-2 and are in a solid position to make the playoffs for a third consecutive year.
