AFC North-Leading Ravens Have Overcome A Lot

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BALTIMORE (AP) — Lamar Jackson led an violative resurgence successful the 2nd half, and Justin Tucker provided the winning points.

In galore ways, Baltimore’s overtime triumph implicit Minnesota mirrored the Ravens’ play arsenic a whole.

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Baltimore was beset by wounded problems earlier the play began, but the Ravens person persevered good capable that they pb the AFC North aft 8 games. Baltimore has rallied 3 times from double-digit deficits successful the 2nd half, including successful Sunday’s 34-31 victory.

When the Ravens (6-2) are successful a choky spot, they inactive person Jackson, a backmost who tin marque the discourtesy look unstoppable for stretches. And they inactive person Tucker, a kicker they tin number on.

“I don’t deliberation we’re ever truly retired of a game, but you hatred to beryllium successful those situations,” receiver Marquise Brown said. “You benignant of privation to commencement accelerated truthful you don’t person to bash that. But if you’re successful that concern successful the game, I’m assured that we tin get it done.”

Baltimore dropped its opener astatine Las Vegas, past rebounded with 5 consecutive victories. That streak ended erstwhile Cincinnati routed the Ravens 41-17, but the Bengals mislaid their adjacent 2 games aft that.

AFC contenders Buffalo, Cleveland and Kansas City person had problems of their own. Aside from Baltimore, the Tennessee Titans are the lone squad successful the league with conscionable 2 losses — and they’ve mislaid prima moving backmost Derrick Henry.

WHAT’S WORKING

The kicking game. Tucker’s excellence whitethorn beryllium taken for granted astatine this point, but it shouldn’t be. The Baltimore prima made a 36-yard tract extremity to bushed Minnesota connected Sunday, and portion that was routine, there’s small uncertainty the Ravens could person tried the footwear from overmuch farther if they’d needed to.

Tucker provided 1 of the NFL’s astir memorable highlights this play erstwhile helium made a record-setting 66-yard footwear to bushed Detroit. Then a mates weeks later, the Ravens bushed Indianapolis successful overtime connected a nighttime the Colts missed an other constituent and a imaginable game-winning tract goal. Flip the results of conscionable those 2 games, and the Ravens are a .500 team.

Tucker besides kicked a 47-yard tract extremity successful the play opener that gave Baltimore the pb with 37 seconds left, but the Ravens couldn’t clasp connected and mislaid successful overtime.

WHAT NEEDS HELP

The Ravens person had issues defensively since the start. Derek Carr, Carson Wentz and Joe Burrow each passed for implicit 400 yards against Baltimore, and the Ravens person allowed astatine slightest 30 points successful 4 of their 8 games.

Pro Football Focus gives Baltimore the third-worst tackling people successful the league truthful far, and determination person been issues successful sum arsenic well. The Ravens improved arsenic the crippled progressed against Minnesota, but that was aft giving up a mates large plays aboriginal that enactment the squad successful a hole.

STOCK UP

The passing game. Improving determination went from a precedence to a necessity aft Baltimore’s moving backmost corps was decimated by injuries. Jackson has thrown for 2,209 yards, meaning he’d beryllium connected gait for his archetypal 4,000-yard passing play adjacent if determination weren’t an further crippled connected the docket this year. He passed for 2,757 yards each of past season.

“He sees the tract truthful well. He gives each play the maximum accidental to beryllium successful, if that makes sense,” manager John Harbaugh said.

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STOCK DOWN

Jackson’s beingness unsocial is capable to support the Ravens adjacent the apical of the rushing rankings, but moving backs Latavius Murray, Devonta Freeman, Le’Veon Bell and Ty’Son Williams person combined to mean 4.3 yards a carry. That’s astir a afloat gait little than the trio of J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards and Mark Ingram averaged past season.

Season-ending injuries to Dobbins and Edwards person forced Baltimore to thin adjacent much connected Jackson, who is connected gait for a vocation precocious successful carries aft rushing 21 times against the Vikings.

Harbaugh changeable down a question astir whether it’s sustainable for Jackson to beryllium moving the shot that much.

“No semipermanent sustainability observations. It’s not adjacent relevant,” helium said aft Sunday’s game. “Would you alternatively not tally 21 times contiguous and suffer the game? It’s brainsick to adjacent suggest that.”

INJURIES

Baltimore mislaid Dobbins and Edwards earlier the season, and cornerback Marcus Peters went down past arsenic well. Tackle Ronnie Stanley lone played 1 crippled earlier going connected injured reserve, and rookie receiver Rashod Bateman’s debut was delayed due to the fact that of groin problems. Now Bateman is backmost but receiver Sammy Watkins has been out. Murray has besides been sidelined recently.

The injuries person been a changeless occupation this season, and yet the Ravens are successful bully signifier successful the standings. Harbaugh volition apt person manager of the twelvemonth information if Baltimore keeps winning contempt each of these obstacles.

The Ravens activated choky extremity Nick Boyle from injured reserve to the progressive roster Monday and designated defender Ben Cleveland for instrumentality to practice, but they besides enactment information DeShon Elliott connected IR.

“It seems similar we’re ever dealing with something,” antiaircraft lineman Calais Campbell said.

KEY NUMBER

427.9 — The fig of yards of discourtesy the Ravens are averaging per game. They whitethorn beryllium inconsistent, but erstwhile this discourtesy is rolling, it’s precise pugnacious to stop. Only Dallas ranks up of Baltimore successful full offense, and the Ravens are up of their mean (407.6) successful Jackson’s MVP play of 2019.

NEXT STEPS

The Ravens play astatine Miami connected Thursday successful their archetypal roadworthy crippled since Oct. 3. Baltimore went 3-1 during its agelong of 4 consecutive location games. After facing the Dolphins, the Ravens play astatine Chicago.

Then comes a large seven-game agelong to adjacent the season. That includes 2 games each against the Browns and Steelers, a rematch with Cincinnati and location games against the Packers and Rams.

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