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After a heartbreaking loss in Jacksonville, Madden now has the Ravens at 2-1. The Ravens will head back to Baltimore to take on the upstart Oakland Raiders in what should be a highly contested game.
The kickoff from Ravens' Justin Tucker sailed out of the back of the end zone to send out the young Raiders phenom quarterback Derek Carr and the Raiders' offense to the 20-yard line.
The Raiders immediately get things going with a 29-yard completion to wide receiver Amari Cooper and a few rushes by running back Latavius Murray. Baltimore plays it's bend but don't break defense, leaving Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski with a 51-yard field goal attempt. Kick is up, and he misses! Out come the Ravens offense.
With nice field position, a 15-yard penalty on the Raiders really seemed to get the Ravens going. Raiders follow suit defensively, haulting Baltimore quickly forcing Tucker to a 51-yard attempt of his own. Justin misses the kick, and it's still a tie ball game.
Now the Raiders look to get things going once again and they do that with long completions to both wide receiver Seth Roberts and Cooper. On 3rd & 3, from the Ravens three yard line, Murray punches it in to give the Raiders first blood.
7-0 Oakland leads Baltimore
The Ravens are looking to tie things up, and they do that with a very well balanced drive. Ravens running back Forsett carried several times, and wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. hauls in some long catches to get the Ravens in the red zone. On 3rd and 6, Flacco hits Benjamin Watson for an 18-yard touchdown to equalize.
BAL- 7, Oak- 7
The Raiders match with a very well balanced drive of their own; some long completions to Michael Crabtree were complemented by a lot of short runs by the Raiders stable of running backs. Eventually, Taiwan Jones trots it in from the three yard line, giving them another lead a few minutes into the second quarter.
BAL- 7, OAK- 14
The Ravens respond with what looks like a nice drive. Unfortunately, they stall out after around midfield after a few incompletions. The Ravens punt for a touchback, allowing the Raiders to take over with a chance to build on their lead.
Another very promising drive for them, which includes a 28-yard screen to Taiwan Jones. The drive is cut short though, as Eric Weddle intercepts Carr in the red zone. Eric also adds 28 yards on the return, setting up the Ravens at their own 30.
Flacco targets Watson several times for some long completions, before hitting Mike Wallace with a 21-yard touchdown to tie the game up with 0:49 left to go in the half.
BAL- 14, OAK- 14
The Ravens receive the ball starting the second half, but the offense is nowhere to be found: three-and-out. A mild punt sets up the Raiders with nice field position.
A few nice runs by Murray leads up to what will eventually be a long 34-yard touchdown reception from Carr that gives the Raiders the lead once again.
BAL- 14, OAK- 21
Halfway through the third quarter, the Ravens are looking to tie things up, but Raiders linebacker Malcolm Smith picks off Flacco for a 16-yard return.
The Raiders are set up well to capitalize on their lead; but Baltimore quickly takes back possession after defensive lineman Brandon Williams recovers a Murray fumble in their own territory. During the Ravens possession, several long catches by wide receiver Kamar Aiken and some nice runs by Forsett set the Ravens up at the Raiders nine-yard line, where Flacco hits Smith Sr. for a touchdown.
BAL- 21, OAK- 21
With 2:38 left in the third quarter, the Raiders are look for a decisive clock-killing drive from its offense. The Raiders don't get it though; Murray rushing doesn't hit a first down marker, and a 3rd & 9 incompletion to Crabtree brings out the special teams.
The Ravens answer with a three-and-out of their own, giving possession back to the Raiders. This time Oakland is ready to pounce. The Raiders use its running game and several intermediate passes to get all the way down to the Ravens 2-yard line, where running back Roy Helu Jr. finishes it off. Goal line defense by Baltimore is nowhere to be found now, with three Oakland raiders goal line touchdowns triumphing.
BAL- 21, OAK- 28
The Ravens now ready to answer on the next drive, starting with a mixture of long completions to Watson and Smith Sr. Flacco sets them up just past midfield where they don't convert 3rd & 3. Baltimore actually goes for it on fourth down. Forsett takes it to the ground, and comes up with three yards, just barely converting for the Ravens. Smith Sr. immediately follows the conversion with a 23-yard touchdown catch by Flacco to tie the game up.
BAL-28, OAK- 28
With six minutes to go in this game, the Ravens find itself in another close one and now the Raiders are threatening to go ahead late.
The Raiders utilize a mix of the running game and the short passing game to get midfield, when the Dean Pees late game defense rears its ugly head yet again. Roberts catches a 47-yard touchdown pass by Carr to give the Raiders a lead. Problem though, they leave with 4:09 left to go in the game.
BAL- 28, OAK- 35
The Ravens need to answer now, and the offense does just that by hitting Aiken and Steve Smith Sr. for some long gains to get the unit into field goal range. Unable to convert, Justin Tucker comes out to convert a 48-yard field goal, cutting the Raiders lead with 3:18 to go in the game.
BAL- 31, OAK- 35
Baltimore brings out the defense ferocity, and Oakland produces a three-and-out. Pair this with a short punt by Marquette King, and the Ravens are gift-wrapped a chance to go ahead late.
Flacco goes to Watson, then Aiken. Forsett gets a reception down the field. Baltimore quickly churns down the field, arriving at the Raiders goal line. Balls handed off to Justin Forsett, who punches it across. The Baltimore Ravens with their first lead of the game, with 1:51 left.
BAL- 38, OAK- 35
With two minutes left in the game, apparently the Ravens forgot that wasn't the end. Derek rifles two passes, one to Crabtree, the other for Amari Cooper. These long receptions set the Raiders up in Baltimore territory. Instead of sitting on the ball, the Raiders go for the win. They go AC/DC, as Amari Cooper snares a 26-yard touchdown pass from Derek Carr, leaving 1:13 on the gameclock.
BAL- 38, OAK- 42
The Ravens need a miracle if they wants a win here. A long completion to Watson from their own 20 gets the unit going. A short run by Flacco past midfield keeps the clock moving, but Flacco's 13 and 15 yard passes to Smith Sr. and Aiken pushes the ball a little bit further towards the end zone. Baltimore burns two timeouts in the process.
Another short run by Flacco keeps the clock rolling with around 30 seconds left, but Flacco's 24-yard completion to Aiken puts it down on the two-yard line, where they use their last timeout with eight seconds left on the clock.
On first and goal from the two-yard line, Flacco tries to hit Aiken in the end zone, but the pass is dropped. Now, with three seconds left in the game, all the marbles are on the line. Flacco drops back, looks to the end zone and throws again to Aiken... who makes the catch, with 0:00 on the clock!
BAL- 45, OAK- 42
Tucker kicks the extra point to put an end to an extremely wild contest, and your Baltimore Ravens are 3-1.
Notable Ravens Stats:
Joe Flacco had a massive game, with 5 touchdowns and 1 pick on 465 yards through the air with a 58 completion percentage.
Forsett led the way rushing with 64 yards on 20 carries and one touchdown. Flacco had 29 yards rushing.
Smith Sr. had another big day with eight catches for 151 yards and two touchdowns. Kamar Aiken wasn't too far behind him, with seven catches for 142 yards and one touchdown. Watson had 108 yards on seven catches and one touchdown, while Mike Wallace also caught a touchdown on two catches for 24 yards.
C.J. Mosley led the Ravens defense with 16 total tackles, while outside linebacker Terrell Suggs had a sack, and safety Eric Weddle nabbed an interception. Brandon Williams forced and recovered a fumble.