The Baltimore Ravens won their fifth straight game Monday night, cruising past the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 41-31.
The Buccaneers raced out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter before the Ravens scored the next 34 points. Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson threw for five touchdowns.
Baker Mayfield started hot for Tampa Bay, completing eight of his first nine passes for 101 yards and a score. But he threw two interceptions in the first half that led to 10 Baltimore points, and the Bucs’ offense could never recapture its form.
The Ravens’ offense, on the other hand, was dominant.
In addition to Jackson’s 281 yards passing, the team added 244 yards rushing on 30 carries — an 8.1 yards-per-carry average. Derrick Henry was unstoppable, running for 169 yards on only 15 carries — including an 81-yard rumble in the third quarter that set up Jackson’s fourth touchdown.
Baltimore averaged 9.4 yards per play even after it trotted out its backups for its final possession.
Meanwhile, the Buccaneers not only lost the game; they also lost multiple key contributors.
After having been limited in practice during the week with a hamstring injury, receiver Mike Evans appeared to aggravate it in the first half. He limped off the field, went to the locker room and never returned after he dropped a pass in the end zone in the second quarter.
And in the fourth quarter — with the game essentially out of hand — receiver Chris Godwin was carted off with an air cast on his left leg with only 43 seconds left. Godwin sustained the injury as Tampa Bay tried to mount a comeback trailing by 10 points with less than a minute to go and no timeouts.
The Ravens improved to 5-2, keeping pace with the Pittsburgh Steelers to remain tied for first place in the AFC North.
After a 3-1 start, the Buccaneers have lost two of their last three to fall to 4-3.
Ravens defeat Bucs 41-31 on roadLamar Jackson and the Ravens might have just solidified their spot as the NFL’s best team. Jackson threw for 281 yards and five touchdowns as Baltimore cruised to a 41-31 win against Tampa Bay that wasn’t as close as the score showed.
The Ravens’ vaunted rushing attack was actually outdone by their passing. Jackson connected in the end zone with tight end Mark Andrews (twice), Derrick Henry and Justice Hill.
To make matters worse, the Buccaneers saw both of their top two receivers — Mike Evans and Chris Godwin — leave with potentially serious injuries.
Baltimore improved to 5-2 (with five straight wins) while Tampa Bay dropped to 4-3.
Chris Godwin is hurtThe Bucs are trailing by 10 points with no timeouts and with under two minutes to go, but they still have their starters on the field.
And it just backfired in a major way.
Receiver Chris Godwin is on the field in serious pain, with an injury the ESPN broadcast decided not to show the replay of.
Tampa Bay’s night just went from bad to disastrous.
Touchdown, BuccaneersSeven plays after recovering an onside kick, the Bucs have scored another touchdown.
Rachaad White capped the 52-yard drive with a 23-yard reception for a score.
Baltimore leads 41-31.
Bucs recover onside kick!Cool play, but we need at least one more touchdown and one more recovery before we start taking this comeback seriously.
Bucs score againThe Bucs went 70 yards in nine plays, scoring a touchdown on a Bucky Irving one-yard run.
Tampa Bay is now losing 41-24. Rarely have the post-touchdown cannons sounded so sad.
Touchdown, Ravens!After eight points from the Bucs, the Ravens marched 70 plays in eight yards to buttress their lead.
Derrick Henry had a 39-yard run on the drive before catching a 13-yard pass from Lamar Jackson for the score. It’s Jackson’s fifth touchdown throw of the night.
Baltimore leads 41-18.
Touchdown, Buccaneers!The Bucs take advantage of the Lamar Jackson fumble and score a touchdown five plays later. Rachaad White got the score via an 11-yard screen pass.
Tampa Bay converted a two-point attempt, and it’s now a 34-18 Ravens lead.
Do the Bucs have enough time to come back? Baltimore will take over with 11 minutes and 24 seconds to go.
Buccaneers recover fumble!A backwards pass by Lamar Jackson was recovered by Zyon McCollum and he dragged several defenders into the end zone for a touchdown…but replay showed he was actually down by contact when he recovered the ball.
Still, the Buccaneers have the football with a chance to cut into a 24-point deficit.
End of third: Ravens 34, Buccaneers 10Baltimore is up by 24 as we head to the fourth.
The Bucs offense has fallen apart after starting the game hot. The Ravens are dominating despite seemingly committing a penalty every other play.
The only intrigue left in this one is if Lamar Jackson adds to his passing touchdown total. He’s currently at four.
Ravens add another touchdownAfter an 81-yard run by Derrick Henry got them inside the 10, the Ravens went for it on 4th-and-3 and Lamar Jackson threw his fourth touchdown pass of the game.
This is now a blowout. Baltimore leads 34-10.
Bucs punt after sackIt’s going from bad to worse for the Buccaneers.
After one first down, Tampa Bay lost four yards on its next three plays and punted.
The Ravens will take over on their own eight after the punt.
Touchdown, Ravens!Their umpteenth holding penalty didn’t hold back the Ravens.
Less than a minute after a missed Bucs field goal, Lamar Jackson found Rashod Bateman for a 49-yard touchdown bomb, their second deep connection of the game.
Baltimore now leads 27-10.
Marlon Humphrey is OUTRavens cornerback Marlon Humphrey has two interceptions tonight, but he’ll miss the rest of the game after hurting his knee while making the second one.
Bucs DOINK field goalThe Buccaneers still trail 20-10 after they doink’d a 55-yard field goal attempt.
After scoring on their first two drives, the Tampa Bay offense has struggled. That’s now a missed field goal to go along with two turnovers.
Ravens kick again after eventful driveThe Ravens settled for three after a four-play drive that saw each side commit penalties. A mistimed snap also sent Baltimore backward, but the Ravens were able to get back into range for a Justin Tucker field goal.
Baltimore leads 20-10.
Ravens settle for field goal after second Baker pick; it’s halftimeBaltimore got all the way to Tampa Bay’s eight-yard line before three straight 10-yard penalties moved them in the wrong direction.
The Ravens made it all the way back to the 10 from the 38, but elected to kick a field goal on fourth down.
The Ravens will now take a 17-10 lead into halftime, and they’ll receive the kickoff to open the third quarter.
Baker Mayfield picked off again!No idea what Baker was thinking on this one.
On 3rd-and-13, Baker Mayfield chucked one up into triple coverage and was rewarded with Marlon Humphrey’s second interception of the game — an impressive juggling catch.
It’s Mayfield second pick in three passes.
Mike Evans ruled OUTBucs wide receiver Mike Evans is out with a hamstring injury. Per the ESPN broadcast, he was in so much pain he needed help getting his shoes on.
And now the Ravens lead!Four plays after the Baker Mayfield interception, the Ravens are in front.
A 59-yard pass to Rashod Bateman was the highlight of the drive.
Baltimore even had a TD called back because of a holding, but Lamar Jackson found Justice Hill on a screen pass for an 18-yard score on the next play.
The Ravens lead 14-10.
Baker Mayfield picked off in end zone!Oh no, Baker.
Mayfield had alllllllll day to throw on 2nd-and-goal, but somehow never saw Marlon Humphrey lurking in the end zone. He was picked off, and now the Bucs have no points to show for what was their third straight impressive drive.
The Ravens take over trailing 10-7.
Mike Evans grabs hamstring after dropping touchdownBucs receiver Mike Evans went down and looked to be in quite a bit of pain after dropping what would have been a touchdown pass.
It was a perfect throw from Baker that was dropped by the normally sure-handed Evans. The receiver entered the game with a hamstring issue that caused him to be limited in practice during the week.
Hopefully it’s not as serious as it looked.
Evans limped off the field and went back to the locker room.
Touchdown, Ravens!Baltimore marches down the field with ease, needing only six plays to go 70 yards before a nine-yard touchdown catch by Mark Andrews.
It’s now only a 10-7 lead for the Bucs.
Bucs settle for field goal in red zoneTampa Bay’s offense continues to move the ball incredibly well, but a holding penalty on 3rd-and-goal wiped out a touchdown pass to Chris Godwin, and the Bucs were forced to settle for a field goal on their latest drive.
Tough way to lose four points, but Tampa Bay now leads 10-0.
Baker Mayfield is already 8 of 9 for 101 yards.
Ravens punt after a couple of first downsBaltimore got into Bucs territory before three straight negative plays — losing a yard on a rush before back-to-back sacks on Lamar Jackson — pushed the Ravens back into their own side of the field.
Tampa Bay will take over after a touchback on the punt.
Mike Evans continues to make historyTouchdown, Bucs!What an opening drive from the Bucs, which included a fourth-down conversion one play before Baker Mayfield found Mike Evans for a 25-yard touchdown strike.
It’s Mayfield’s 16th TD pass of the season, and Evans’s 100th career touchdown reception.
Tampa Bay leads 7-0.
We’re off!Baker Mayfield, his league-leading 17 touchdowns, and the Buccaneers will take the field first. Their first play from scrimmage is a Baker scramble for five yards.
Zay Flowers showing potential in 2024The Ravens get a ton of (warranted) credit for their rushing attack, but passing isn’t too shabby either. They currently rank No. 6 in the NFL with 248.3 passing yards per game and Zay Flowers is the leader in the air.
Through six games, the shifty Flowers tops all Ravens wideouts with 401 yards. He’s only gotten in the end zone once, however, which will need to improve if Baltimore is to contend for a Super Bowl.
Ravens announce inactivesBucs announce inactives for Monday nightRavens coming off win in ‘Battle of the Beltway’The Ravens beat the Commanders 30-23 in Week 6 to win their fourth straight game since starting season 0-2. Over that slate of games, Baltimore if averaging 33.5 points per contest.
Against Washington, Derrick Henry was the star. The running back had 132 yards on the ground and two scores.
Expect a ton of points tonightPrepare for points. Baltimore’s 35.5 points per game over its last three games is third-best in the NFL behind only Detroit and, yes, Tampa Bay (38.0). Behind quarterback Baker Mayfield, the Buccaneers also lead the league in points per play, and gained a franchise record 594 net yards last week in a win at New Orleans.
What to watch in Ravens-BucsHow long will Derrick Henry’s running-back renaissance continue? Henry has rushed for 574 yards in his last four games alone, a total so high it would rank third among all NFL rushers through six weeks. Going on the road hasn’t been much of a deterrent, either. Henry is averaging 5.4 yards per carry on the road, where quarterback Lamar Jackson is averaging 6.2 yards, too. It sets up a strength vs. strength matchup, given the Buccaneers’ defense ranks among the league leaders in stopping the run by allowing 113 rushing yards per game.
Rohan Nadkarni
Rohan Nadkarni is a sports reporter for NBC News.
Source : NBC News