Ravens Top 20 #13: Joe Flacco explodes in Tampa Bay

We all remember the 2014 offense that was the Ravens' best ever. It happened just last year and we certainly all remember the greatest passing day in team history. The Ravens were coming off of a loss to the Colts in which the offense was unbalanced and they let a perfectly good performance by the defense go to waste.

This week was different. The very second play of the game was a 52 yard run by Justin Forsett. Moments later Joe Flacco hit Torrey Smith for a touchdown.  Jimmy Smith would pick off a Mike Glennon pass and return it to the Buccaneers 22. Joe Flacco would hit Torrey Smith for another touchdown.

The next three Buccaneers drives would end in punts, which led to three more Joe Flacco touchdown passes, to Kamar Aiken, Michael Campanaro, and Steve Smith. Justin Tucker would kick a field goal with 8:47 left in the second quarter, the first Ravens drive that didn't end in a score.

The Ravens first punt came with 3:17 left in the first quarter. The Buccaneers were held scoreless throughout the entire first half and would not score until 10:55 in the third quarter, at which point the Ravens were already in their prevent defense. The Ravens would score another touchdown and kick two more field goals and the Buccaneers would pad their stats with two touchdowns.

The Ravens offense was excellent. Joe Flacco was an assassin, completing 21 of 28 passes for 306 yards and five touchdowns to four different receivers, and generally he was very efficient in spreading the ball around to his receivers. The offensive line allowed Joe to play the game virtually untouched. Justin Forsett had 111 yards rushing and seized the starting job at running back for the rest of the season. The only turnover on offense was a botched Gino Gradkowski to Tyrod Taylor snap in garbage time.

Personally I wonder what would've happened if the Ravens didn't take their foot off the gas. The Ravens surely could've mustered up one more touchdown and surpassed their single game scoring record of 55 points and at the pace Joe Flacco was going he could've broken the seven touchdowns in a game record.

Regardless, Joe Flacco's effort against the Buccaneers was legendary and it won't be forgotten by Ravens fans.