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There were many things that were bad in Sunday's win. There were many things that were good in Sunday's win. There were also many things that were ugly in Sunday's win. Here is the ugly.
The Ugly:
First off, the Ravens' win over the Texans wasn't all fun and games. Throughout the majority of the first half, the offense couldn't produce. The running game struggled, the passing game struggled, and mainly the entire offense looked like it was in a funk. There were people all over social media sites calling it one of the worst halves of Ravens football they had ever seen. The offense played that badly. Although they did not turn the ball over once in the first half, or the game for that matter, the offensive chemistry was not there. Receivers could not catch balls, Flacco couldn't make the best throws, Pierce could not go anywhere in the run game, etc. Even after all of this ugliness, the Ravens found a way to lead 17-9 at halftime.
At the end of the half, LB Daryl Smith returned an interception 37 yards for a touchdown and soon after, WR/KS Tandon Doss ran a punt back 82 yards for a score. These two things were very pretty plays by the Ravens, and it sparked a great second half for them.
In the second half, Joe Flacco and the offense turned it up a little more. They were able to score the only offensive touchdown of the day on a one-yard run by Bernard Pierce. Torrey Smith was also able to get open, especially down the field. Flacco's passing became more efficient, accurate, and more bearable to watch. The defense stayed dominant, as they didn't allow the Texans to score a single point, nor did they allow a touchdown all game (For the second straight week.)
The Ravens didn't play the most beautiful game in the world, but a win is a win. If the Ravens want to continue to get wins, the offense needs to get a little better at everything, especially in the receiving game.
Worst-Stat-of-the-Day Candidates:
- Ten penalties for a total of 87 yards.
- Tackled four times for a loss (total loss of five yards.)
- Sacked two times for a total of ten yards lost.