Ravens vs. Patriots: Play of the week

Well that was fun. Fueled by strong performances from Lamar Jackson, Mark Ingram and the offensive line, the Ravens pulled off a huge upset victory over the undefeated Patriots on Sunday night. Baltimore outgained their counterpart in terms of total yardage and were extremely efficient in the redzone.

They moved the ball effectively against the league’s No. 1 defense, one that was off to a historically-great start through eight weeks. Earl Thomas III and Marlon Humphrey created two turnovers for Baltimore.

Chec out all the top plays from the game and vote for your favorite down below!

Lamar Jackson 3-yard rushing touchdown: “Action Jackson” got to work quickly, capping off an 11-play opening drive with a 3-yard rushing touchdown. After the Ravens were gifted a new set of downs courtesy of an offsides penalty on New England, Jackson faked out the Patriots defense. He faked the handoff to Gus Edwards and took the ball himself just after getting LB Jamie Collins to bite on the inside read. To make matters better, Jackson high stepped into the endzone after realizing there wasn’t a single defender in sight.

Mark Ingram 53-yard rush: Looking to add to their lead after back-to-back scoring drives to begin the game, RB Mark Ingram ripped off his longest run of the season at the start of the second quarter. Ingram followed his lead blockers on the left side of the field and burst through a seam, outrunning Collins and other Patriots defenders. Had he not stumbled towards the end of his run or gotten one more block in space, Ingram likely scores on this play. Nevertheless, it set up a rushing touchdown for Gus Edwards on the next play.

Marlon Humphrey fumble recovery and touchdown: Another game, another key play from CB Marlon Humphrey. For the second consecutive week, Humphrey recovered a fumble and returned it for a touchdown. This time, the forced fumble came from LB Patrick Onuwasor, who showed off his patented “Peanut Punch” in his first game back from injury. Humphrey’s touchdown return couldn’t have come at a better time, as the Patriots was driving down the field with a chance to take the lead. “Humph” gave Baltimore a two-possession cushion.

Nick Boyle 5-yard touchdown reception: You thought Nick Boyle’s first career touchdown reception would have been snubbed from this list for a more flashier play? You thought wrong. Out of the pistol formation and after an RPO read, Jackson went through his progressions before finding Boyle in the flat. Boyle caught the pass and squeezed into the endzone for, again, the FIRST time ever. It was a long overdue moment and came on a night where Boyle led the team in catches and dominated at the line of scrimmage.

Lamar Jackson 11-yard rush: Speaking of those “flashier plays”, this was certainly one of them. Looking to extend their four-point advantage just before the fourth quarter, Jackson once again showcased his elite athleticism. After rolling out of a play action read, Jackson was immediately swarmed by multiple Patriots defenders - but it didn’t matter. He somehow managed to weave his way through traffic and pushed Matt Skura forward for an 11-yard gain and crucial first down.

Earl Thomas III interception and 24-yard return: Early in the fourth quarter, Earl Thomas came up with a huge play on third down. New England was at midfield and attempting to crawl their way back into the game, but Thomas wanted none of that. The veteran safety was in the right place at the right time, corralling a pass from Brady that hung in the air for what felt like a lifetime. Much like Ed Reed, who was present at M&T Bank Stadium, Thomas returned the interception for 24 yards while grasping the ball with only one hand.

Honorable mentions

Gus Edwards 13-yard rushing touchdown:

Lamar Jackson 1-yard rushing touchdown: