Ravens vs. Lions: 4 game ball candidates

The Baltimore Ravens secured their most impressive win of the 2023 season in Week 7, defeating the five-win Detroit Lions by a score of 38-6. The Ravens gained over 500 yards and scored five touchdowns, while their defense shut down a high-octane offense. It was a dominant showing on both sides of the ball, highlighted by a number of key individual performances.

Who were the standout performers from from the winning effort? Let’s review some of them below and see who’s worthy of receiving a game ball from Sunday.

Lamar Jackson

Jackson was dialed in from the get-go in this game. His 46-yard completion to Zay Flowers and seven-yard rushing touchdown on the Ravens’ opening drive set the tone for what wound up being a near-perfect performance.

The former MVP completed 21-of-27 passes for 357 yards, one of the highest yardage totals of his career, with three passing touchdowns. Add in 36 rushing yards and another score on the ground and you get an otherworldly stat line.

Jackson connected with nine different pass-catchers and had more than six completions go for 20 or more yards, highlighted by an 80-yard toss to Gus Edwards in the third quarter. He orchestrated four straight touchdown drives to begin the game and continued to keep the offense’s foot on the gas later in the game.

The offensive line kept Jackson clean for most of the afternoon and the Lions had no answers for him, neither at the line of scrimmage nor in the defensive backfield.

Gus Edwards

The aforementioned 80-yard reception by Edwards was a premier highlight in what was an overall strong outing from the “Gus Bus.” That was easily the longest catch of Edwards’ career and the biggest gain of any Ravens’ player so far this season. It set up another touchdown pass from Jackson two plays after, which pushed the Ravens’ lead to 35-0 early in the third quarter.

Edwards saw a steady volume of carries on the day with 14 total and grinded out 64 yards on the ground. His longest rush of the day went for 20 yards on the team’s fourth drive of the game. A few plays later, Edwards cashed in with a two-yard score — his second of the season.

Mark Andrews

On “national tight end day”, Andrews produced again with his fourth straight 60+ yard performance. He only caught four passes on the day but they were meaningful, as two went for touchdowns with a long of 22 yards.

Andrews’ 11-yard score early in the second quarter gave the Ravens a 21-0 lead, and his eight-yard touchdown in the third quarter broke open the advantage to 35 points. Had the Ravens been forced to throw more later in the game, Andrews likely would have accumulated more catches and yards.

His timely receptions were momentum-building and ultimately helped the Ravens’ lead become insurmountable.

Kyle Van Noy

Since joining the Ravens only a few weeks ago, Van Noy has made an instant impact. Last week, he recorded his first sack. He followed it up against the Lions with a memorable performance and even more productive showing.

The veteran edge rusher tied for fourth on the defense in tackles with five combined but made his true mark in the pass rushing department. Van Noy racked up two sacks and two quarterback hits with a number of pressures as well.

He led the team in sacks in what was an onslaught against Lions’ quarterback Jared Goff all afternoon. Van Noy also had two tackles for loss, adding to a solid all-around game.

Honorable mention —

Arthur Maulet: Maulet’s eight total tackles were tied for a team-high on the day and he added a sack, quarterback hit, and tackle-for-loss. He was active in pass coverage and had his most impactful performance as a Raven thus far.

Justin Madubuike: Madubuike was yet again a disruptive force on the front seven, adding another sack and two quarterback hits to his season totals.

Geno Stone: Another game, another interception by Stone. His four picks on the season now lead all defenders in the league. He continues to be a playmaker and steadying force in the secondary for the Ravens’ defense.