Ravens vs. Buccaneers: Full Game Grades for Baltimore
The Baltimore Ravens and Tampa Bay Buccaneers squared off in a Week 6 showdown with both teams looking to avoid two-game losing streaks.
Baltimore lost 20-13 in Week 5 to the Indianapolis Colts. The Bucs were coming off an overtime loss to the New Orleans Saints.
On Sunday, Baltimore played like a team desperate for a win, while Tampa played like it just wanted to collect a paycheck. The Ravens won easily, 48-17, in a game that was over before the first quarter ended.
Joe Flacco had a career day passing, and he got started with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Torrey Smith.
Meanwhile, the Ravens defense suffocated the Bucs in the first half. On Tampa's first offensive possession, cornerback Jimmy Smith intercepted Bucs quarterback Mike Glennon.
Flacco would make Tampa pay for the turnover by hitting Torrey again for the score. This one was a nine-yard strike that put Baltimore up 14-0. Flacco would continue to pick apart the Bucs, throwing touchdowns to Steve Smith, Michael Campanaro and Kamar Aiken.
Nine seconds into the second quarter, Baltimore held a 35-0 lead and the game was effectively over.
Kicker Justin Tucker would add two field goals and running back Bernard Pierce would score in the second half. Tampa got a few garbage-time scores, and the Ravens won 48-17.
Here are my game grades for each Ravens unit.
Quarterback
1 of 10
Looking to rebound from a poor performance versus the Colts, Joe Flacco looked to have a favorable matchup against the Buccaneers. Coming into this game, Tampa ranked 30th in pass defense.
To say he rebounded well against the Bucs would be a massive understatement. Flacco had the greatest game of his seven-year NFL career against a Bucs team that seemed content on letting Flacco torch it.
By the end of the first quarter, Flacco had already thrown four touchdowns. Nine seconds into the second quarter, he threw his fifth. He finished the game having completed 21 of 29 passes for 306 yards and five scores.
Flacco was masterful in this game, and the Bucs simply had no answer for him.
Grade: A+
Running Back
2 of 10
For the majority of this season, Baltimore running backs have represented the most consistent unit on this team. Coming into this game, the Ravens ranked 12th in rushing offense with 125.6 yards per game.
Baltimore has relied heavily on the three-headed monster of Justin Forsett, Lorenzo Taliaferro and Bernard Pierce in games it has won. Baltimore entered this game 3-0 when it rushed for 100 or more yards but 0-2 in games when it did not reach that mark.
Though the Ravens' passing game was what won this game, the ground game was also effective and even hit the 100-yard mark.
Justin Forsett got 111 yards on just 14 carries, and Bernard Pierce chipped in 32 yards and one score on 15 carries.
Rookie Lorenzo Taliaferro gained 29 yards on just two carries and continues to look superior to Pierce.
In all, Baltimore backs gained 172 yards on 32 carries. The passing game and Joe Flacco will get the praise for this win, but the ground game was great as well.
Grade: A
Wide Receiver and Tight End
3 of 10
Against the NFL's 30th-ranked pass defense, Baltimore's pass-catchers were expected to have big days versus Tampa. They did just that.
Torrey Smith was the big performer with two touchdowns and 51 yards on four catches. He had just one TD coming into this game. Steve Smith had a game-high 110 yards on five catches. Tight end Owen Daniels chipped in 34 yards on two catches.
Kamar Aiken and rookie Michael Campanaro caught their first NFL touchdowns while combining for 48 yards and two scores on four catches.
Those two are the fifth and sixth receivers on the depth chart. When you're getting that kind of production from guys that deep on the depth chart, you're doing really well.
Grade: A-
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Offensive Line
4 of 10
Everyone knew this was going to be a tough game for the Ravens' offensive line. That's because NFL.com listed starting left tackle Eugene Monroe and starting guard Kelechi Osemele as inactives for this contest.
That left rookie undrafted free agent James Hurst to start in place of Monroe, while John Urschel started in place of Osemele.
Despite all of this, Baltimore's line mauled the Bucs, paving the way for a 300-yard passing day from Joe Flacco, who wasn't sacked in this game. Tampa didn't even register a QB hit.
The line also paved the way for Baltimore running backs to gain 172 yards on 32 carries. Life was easy for Baltimore, and the play of the offensive line was a big reason why.
Grade: A-
Defensive Line
5 of 10
For the second straight week, Baltimore was without starting defensive lineman Chris Canty. Backup Timmy Jernigan was held out as well.
This didn't prevent Baltimore from controlling the line of scrimmage and ultimately making Tampa a one-dimensional offense.
Starting nose tackle Brandon Williams was a force in the middle and helped limit the Bucs to just 87 rushing yards. Williams also recorded half a sack.
The defensive line controlled this game when it was remotely close, though it did let up a little in the second half while Baltimore led by 35 points.
Overall, this was a good game by the line.
Grade: B+
Linebacker
6 of 10
The linebacking unit has been the healthiest unit for the Ravens this season. Terrell Suggs, Elvis Dumervil, C.J. Mosley and Daryl Smith have started every game this season for a defense that ranked eighth in run defense entering Week 6.
It was once again the most dominant unit on defense while suffocating Tampa's offense. Dumervil notched 1.5 sacks and two QB hits.
Suggs chipped in a sack and four QB hits. Rookie C.J. Mosley led the team in tackles with eight stops to go with his three QB hits.
The linebackers were all over the field and finished this game with a combined four sacks and four tackles for loss. They were the biggest reason why Tampa's offense never got going until it was too late.
Grade: A+
Secondary
7 of 10
The Ravens lost starting cornerback Asa Jackson the previous week when they placed him on the injured reserve list with the designation to return.
That meant Chykie Brown, Lardarius Webb, Jimmy Smith and the newly signed Dominique Franks were the only true cornerbacks on the roster coming into this game.
Regardless, life was easy for them on this day thanks to the relentless pressure that the defensive line and linebackers produced.
Even when Bucs receivers managed to get open, QB Mike Glennon found it hard to get off a decent pass. He finished the game completing just 24 of 44 passes while throwing a pick.
He did throw two touchdowns in the second half once Baltimore was up 35-0 and playing a more relaxed style of defense.
Smith recorded Baltimore's lone turnover, a first-quarter interception that the Ravens offense converted into a touchdown to put the team up 14-0 early.
Overall, this was one of the better games the secondary has played this season.
Grade: B+
Special Teams
8 of 10
The Ravens' special teams didn't need to do much in this game, but they were solid when called upon.
Sam Koch punted the ball two times for 119 yards (59.5 average) and downed one inside the 20-yard line.
Justin Tucker hit two of his three field-goal attempts, the longest being a 49-yarder. His one miss was a 64-yard attempt at the end of the first half.
On the coverage teams, Baltimore limited Tampa to just seven yards on one punt return and 72 yards on three kick returns.
Grade: A-
Coaching
9 of 10
Gary Kubiak called a masterful game on offense. Though Joe Flacco and his five passing touchdowns will get the most praise, the offense netted 306 passing yards and 169 rushing yards.
That kind of balanced offense kept Tampa Bay off balance for the duration of the game. Kubiak's offense was nearly flawless in the first half, scoring five touchdowns on its first five possessions.
Defensive coordinator Dean Pees called a great game as well. His defense recorded five sacks and 15 QB hits as his schemes suffocated Tampa's offense.
Pees' play-calling and the players' execution also helped Baltimore take a 35-0 lead into halftime. The Ravens did commit six penalties for 70 yards, and that needs to be cleaned up.
The first half was the best half of play the Ravens have offered this season. The coaching played a big part in that.
Grade: A
Cumulative Grade
10 of 10
Positional Unit | Overall Grade |
QB | A+ |
RB | A |
WR/TE | A- |
OL | A- |
DL | B+ |
LB | A+ |
Secondary | B+ |
ST | A- |
Coaching | A |
Cumulative Grade | A- |
The Ravens dominated this game from beginning to end and are starting to look like not only a playoff threat but a team capable of contending for a Super Bowl.
Baltimore improved to 4-2 and sits second in the AFC North. Cincinnati tied the Panthers to fall to 3-1-1 on Sunday.
The strides Baltimore is making as a team are becoming more evident as the season goes on. This is a team people are going to start taking notice of after this performance.
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