With the Ravens improving to 6-2 and maintaining their grip on first place in the AFC North after a 34-31 overtime win over Minnesota on Sunday, I’ve offered a dozen thoughts, each in 50 words or less:
1. Elevated blood pressure aside, I’ll take the Ravens against anyone in the conference halfway through the season. Every AFC contender is a dented can with weaknesses exposed in any given week, but Baltimore has mostly avoided being tripped up by the end of 60 minutes — or 69 minutes, 44 seconds.
2. It was a forgettable first half for Lamar Jackson, but he’s orchestrated three comeback wins this season when facing double-digit deficits in the second half. He’d like to take better care of the ball, but he continues playing at an elite level, which isn’t easy to sustain. Ask Patrick Mahomes.
3. Jackson’s 21 carries were his most since his first NFL start as his game-high 120 rushing yards helped the Ravens dominate time of possession and wear down Minnesota in the second half. Over half of those runs were scrambles, but you do what’s necessary to win a tight game.
4. Despite the clamoring during the bye week to upgrade a graybeard backfield, Devonta Freeman and Le’Veon Bell combined for 127 rushing yards at 5.3 yards per carry. Pro Football Focus credited Freeman with 40 yards after contact while Sunday’s win was easily the best Bell has looked as a Raven.
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5. The defense was a disaster early and gave up the tying touchdown at the end of regulation, but Wink Martindale’s unit was very good otherwise, especially in sudden-change situations. Holding Minnesota to a field goal after Jackson’s first interception and a three-and-out after Anthony Barr’s overtime pick was enormous.
6. Credit Jackson and Greg Roman for unlocking plenty of success with passes to the flat. With only one catch since Week 1, Patrick Ricard was the unlikely star receiver on the third-quarter touchdown drive after the Ravens were on the ropes from the return touchdown to begin the second half.
7. Football Outsiders ranked the Ravens 26th in defensive variance entering Week 9, reflecting their frustrating up-and-down nature that continued. Of Dalvin Cook’s 110 rushing yards, 105 came on three carries. Fifty of Justin Jefferson’s 69 receiving yards came on his touchdown. Adam Thielen had six receiving yards. All or nothing.
8. Marquise Brown registered his third 100-yard receiving game of the season and has recorded 80 or more receiving yards in five of eight games. He’s 87 yards shy of his 2020 total with Thanksgiving still a couple weeks away. This is very rare territory for a Ravens wide receiver.
9. Josh Bynes, Tyus Bowser, and Patrick Queen combined for 20 tackles — seven credited as defensive stops by PFF — and two pass breakups. The Ravens linebackers played quite well after the defense-wide poor start.
10. Brown and Mark Andrews are Jackson’s go-to receivers, but Rashod Bateman’s chain-moving ability and Freeman, Ricard, and Devin Duvernay catching touchdowns reflect how this passing game is growing. Duvernay made one hell of a catch to tie the game in the fourth quarter.
811. It was a rough day for Ben Powers, who surrendered two sacks and a couple other pressures. This offensive line clearly struggles in pass protection, but what can you really expect when you’re down to your backup left tackle and your third-string right tackle? Jackson still makes it work.
12. While contemplating a potential tie, I couldn’t help but think how caring the NFL was trimming overtime from 15 to 10 minutes in the name of player safety. Never mind the Ravens were under 100 hours away from their next game as Justin Tucker’s winning kick sailed through the uprights.
