Ravens-Colts: What We Learned

Baltimore 31, Indianapolis 25 (OT)

BALTIMORE — The Ravens stunned the Colts 31-25 in overtime behind Lamar Jackson's record-setting night.

 Here's what we learned:

— Jackson became the first quarterback in NFL history to complete 85% of his passes in a 400-yard game. He recorded the highest completion percentage in a 40-pass game in NFL history (86.0%). Jackson went 37 of 43 with a franchise record 442 yards with four touchdowns. He threw the game-winning score on a 5-yard pass to Marquise Brown with 5:25 left in overtime. Jackson had one of the greatest performances in franchise history. 

— Jackson had a costly fumble on the 2-yard line that killed a much-needed scoring opportunity. The Colts scored on the ensuing drive, going 81 yards on 6 plays, to take a 22-3 lead. Jackson sometimes tries to do too much to put the team on his back, but he always seems to answer for his mistakes. And there's no quit in the Ravens. They scored 16 points in the fourth quarter and tied the game when Jackson found Mark Andrews with a 4-yard touchdown with 39 seconds left. Jackson and Andrews then tied the game when they completed the 2-point conversion. 

— The Ravens (4-1) have taken over sole possession of first place in the AFC North with a victory because the Browns and Bengals lost. The Steelers won but they are still 2-3 and in last place. Baltimore has yet to play a divisional game. 

— You can make an argument that Ravens rookie first-round pick Odafe Oweh is the best player on the defense right now. He had a strip-sack on Carson Wentz that save the Ravens vital points. It seems like every time the Ravens need a big play, Oweh delivers. On the other hand, fellow linebacker Patrick Queen struggled again, missing tackles. 

— The Ravens overall defense had continuous lapses that proved to be a main difference in the game. Once again, they struggled to make tackles and could not get off the field in key situations. On a third-and-15, the Colts were just looking to get some yards back for field position on their first possession. Carson Wentz threw a screen pass to Jonathan Taylor, who ran for a 76-yard touchdown. Taylor was not even touched by a defender on the play. 

— Calais Campbell is one of the Ravens' top defenders and his blocked field-goal attempt late in the fourth quarter put the Ravens in a position to win the game. 

— Andrews had another solid game with 11 receptions for 147 yards with two touchdowns and a pair of 2-point conversions. He is living up to the big contract he signed prior to the regular season. 

— Baltimore cornerback Marlon Humphrey cost the Ravens three points by jumping offside before Colts missed a 42-yard field goal. Indianapolis gets another chance but five yards closer and Blankenship made the 37-yarder and the Ravens were down 10-3 at halftime. It was an unnecessary penalty. 

– A costly unnecessary roughness penalty on Tavon Young put the Colts into Ravens territory in the final seconds of the game. Young appeared to retaliate and pushed a Colts offensive player to the ground after the play and gave Indianapolis 15 yards. Rodrigo Blankenship missed a 42-yard field goal attempt as time expired.


Published
Todd Karpovich
TODD KARPOVICH

Twitter: @toddkarpovich Email: todd.karpovich@gmail.com Skype: todd.karpovich Todd Karpovich has been a contributor for ESPN, Forbes, the Associated Press, Lindy's, and The Baltimore Sun, among other media outlets nationwide. He is the co-author of “If These Walls Could Talk: Stories from the Baltimore Ravens Sideline, Locker Room, and Press Box,” “Skipper Supreme: Buck Showalter and the Baltimore Orioles,” and the author of “Manchester United (Europe's Best Soccer Clubs).” Karpovich, a Baltimore native, is a graduate of Calvert Hall College high school, Randolph-Macon College in Virginia, and has a Masters of Science from Towson University.