/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/41696028/20141012_ads_mb2_063.JPG.0.jpg)
Not one, not two, not three, not four.
But five.
That's how many touchdowns quarterback Joe Flacco threw in the Ravens' 48-17 blowout victory over the Buccaneers. It was like surgery early, with Flacco cutting up the Buccaneers' secondary with precision. His first two touchdown strikes went to receiver Torrey Smith, who ended his slump with a big day.
The next two touchdowns went to Kamar Aiken and Michael Campanaro, with Campanaro leaping high to come up with his score. It was also the rookie receiver's first career catch and touchdown in the NFL.
Oh, I forgot to mention. All four of those touchdowns came in the first quarter.
And Flacco went right back to work in the second quarter. He hit Steve Smith on a deep 56-yard bomb to put the Ravens up 35-0. That would be the last of his touchdowns as the Ravens would coast from there. Flacco's five touchdowns tied a single-game franchise record previously held only by Tony Banks, who did the same during a 39-36 win against Jacksonville in 2000.
Flacco set the tone early and the offense rolled to put up big numbers.
But while the offense was electric, the defense played angry. The Ravens totaled sacked Buccaneers quarterback Mike Glennon five times and hit him routinely. Dean Pees sent a lot of blitzes that seemed to discombobulate the Buccaneers' offensive line. And when it came to man-on-man football, the Ravens' front seven outworked the Buccaneers all game.
After a tough game a week ago against the Colts, the Ravens rebounded and made a statement for the rest of the NFL to see.