8-6 record claims 6th seed in AFC.
M&T BANK STADIUM, BALTIMORE – On a dreary day–with mostly-undistinguished matchups strewn across the NFL schedule–this game may have been the least noticeable.
All the Ravens had to do was to take care of business at home against a subpar Tampa Bay Buccaneers team not good enough for the playoffs, but not quite bad enough to contend for next year’s top overall pick. Meanwhile, Baltimore had plenty to play for, most notably a chance to retain the sixth and final AFC playoff seed with two games remaining.
And the Ravens managed to do just that Sunday, notching a 20-12 win in front of 70,031 rain-soaked fans.
About the Game
Baltimore would have been well-served to use the same game plan against the Buccaneers that worked so well against Kansas City. But even in heavy rain, they tried to establish Lamar Jackson more as a passer, especially in the first half.
Baltimore attempted 18 first-half passes (including two sacks allowed) and 17 runs. That approach changed after the intermission. The Ravens ran the ball 32 times and passed it on just seven occasions, reverting to the ground-based identity that has helped them win four of their last five games.
All told, the Ravens held the ball for over 37 minutes and rushed for 242 yards, their fifth straight game over 190 yards–a stretch no team has put together since the 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers.
RECORD-BREAKER: Over the last five games, Jackson has had the most rushing yards for a QB in NFL history (photo, OregonLive.com)
But Jackson, whose 95 rushing yards gave him 70 or more for his first five starts tried to flash his passing arm early. That style bogged down the Baltimore offense to the tune of 13 yards on the team’s first six plays. To make things worse, Bucs’ linebacker Riley Bullough nearly picked off a pass near midfield.
Jackson, who admitted after the game that he was bothered by the wet conditions and slippery football, did turn the ball over with his ninth fumble of the year (he has one in six straight games) that was recovered by Lavonte David late in the first quarter.
The Buccaneers drove 51 yards in eight plays and got the game’s first points on a three-yard run by Peyton Barber (85 yards, 19 carries, touchdown). But following a botched extra point (bad snap), the Ravens answered with a 73-yard, 16-play drive. Jackson (14-for-23, 131 yards, touchdown, two sacks, 91 rating) picked up a fourth down with a scrambling run. A shovel pass to Chris Moore for a 5-yard touchdown put Baltimore ahead by a point.
Back came the Bucs, though, as top receiver Mike Evans (121 yards, four catches) beat Jimmy Smith for a 64-yard gain. That play led to Cairo Santos’ 21-yard field goal, and the visitors were back on top, 9-7.
With the Ravens having trouble punching the ball in against Tampa’s bottom-ranked red-zone defense, Justin Tucker’s 24-yard field goal gave the Ravens a one-point halftime lead. Tucker, who has missed just twice all season, would convert later to extend his current string to 18 straight field goals.
Gus Edwards had a solid game for the Ravens (photo, Baltimore Sun)
What sealed the game for the Ravens was eschewing run-pass balance for the ground game. Baltimore put together a 78-yard, ten-play drive with 71 yards of those yards coming via the rush. Gus Edwards (104 yards, 19 carries, touchdown) capped off the drive with a ten-yard, up-the-middle touchdown, run.
Cyrus Jones then gifted Tampa Bay a score in the form of a 28-yard FG by registering his first muff of the year. That gaffe kept the game close until Baltimore countered with Tucker’s final field goal, which capped a 15-play drive.
Even though Bucs’ quarterback Jameis Winston (13-for-25, 157 yards, interception, one sack, 54.9 rating) managed to avoid trouble in Jackson-type fashion, the Ravens’ downfield coverage was suffocating. Marlon Humphrey stood out. In what may have been Humphrey’s best game as a professional, he intercepted one pass and broke up four others.
It wasn’t the Ravens’ best game as a team but, given the circumstances and the weather, it was good enough to brighten up a dreary day.
About the Playoffs
Now Baltimore must prepare for a challenging season-ending stretch that features the most defining game of the season when they travel to Los Angeles this weekend to face the Chargers (Saturday, December 22, 8:20 p.m.; NFL Network; WIYY-FM).
A Baltimore-based NFL team hasn’t played in Los Angeles since 1975 and hasn’t won there since 1969. That’s a challenge given what’s at stake for the Ravens. The Chargers are secure with the #5 playoff seed, one ahead of Baltimore, thanks to their come-from-behind Thursday-night win in Kansas City. However, a win for the Ravens has serious wild-card tiebreaker implications because it would move up the team one spot if it comes to a head-to-head tiebreaker.
The Ravens still have to fight off several teams to get the sixth and last spot, which would mean a Divisional round game against the No. 1 seed.
Tennessee and Indianapolis kept pace with the Ravens thanks to shutout wins over the Giants and Cowboys, respectively, but Miami fell back by losing at Minnesota. Losses practically eliminated the Bengals and Broncos. The Browns still have a slim mathematical hope.
