Jaguars vs. Ravens: Postgame Grades, Notes and Quotes for Baltimore
The Baltimore Ravens played host to the Jacksonville Jaguars in a Week 10 clash of struggling teams looking to turn their seasons around.
Though both clubs entered the day 2-6, neither was completely out of playoff contention in the wild and erratic AFC. However, any talk of the postseason would end for the loser of this game, while the winner could still keep that glimmer of hope going.
That made for a competitive game that saw both teams take leads in the first half. It was also a game that featured both offenses making big plays through the air as poor passing defenses plagued both clubs.
Blake Bortles and Joe Flacco combined for three first-half passing scores, but it was Flacco's Ravens who took a 14-10 lead into halftime. That was thanks to touchdown catches by tight ends Crockett Gillmore and Maxx Williams.
Unfortunately, the Ravens would melt down in the second half. On their first five possessions, Flacco threw two interceptions, fumbled the ball away, went three-and-out and muffed a punt that gave Jacksonville the ball in the red zone.
That turned what was a 14-10 Ravens lead into a 19-14 deficit. The Ravens would respond with a long drive that ended with Flacco hitting Chris Givens for a 14-yard score.
That helped give Baltimore a 20-19 lead with seven minutes left in the fourth quarter after the two-point conversion attempt failed. After both offenses traded punts, Jacksonville got the ball back with just over a minute left.
The Ravens would then have two chances to close out the game and get the win. The first came as safety Kendrick Lewis dropped what would have been the game-clinching interception.
Then with no time left and the ball at midfield and Bortles dropping back to pass, linebacker Elvis Dumervil sacked him, but grabbed the facemask in the process and was flagged for a 15-yard penalty.
That gave the Jaguars the ball at the Baltimore 35-yard line and an untimed down to attempt a 53-yard field goal. Jags kicker Jason Myers came on and drilled it right down the middle to give Jacksonville a miraculous 22-19 win and Baltimore another gut-wrenching loss.
Postgame Grades for Ravens
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| Position | Grade |
| QB | C |
| RB | C+ |
| WR | B- |
| TE | A- |
| OL | B+ |
| DL | B |
| LB | B |
| DB | B+ |
| Special Teams | C+ |
| Coaching | C- |
Given a limited supporting cast, Flacco wasn't expected to put up big numbers against the Jaguars, but the last thing Baltimore needed him to do was turn the ball over.
He did just that on three straight possessions in the third quarter. That swung the game in favor of Jacksonville as Baltimore held a 14-10 lead before the first turnover, but only led 14-13 after the third one.
Flacco would finish with 316 passing yards and three touchdowns, but those three turnovers were very costly in a two-point loss.
The defense did a great job stepping up in this game and helping the Ravens overcome Flacco's mistakes. The front seven was dominant in this one and kept Jacksonville from gaining anything on the ground while also pressuring Blake Bortles throughout the contest.
The secondary also played very well in limiting Jacksonville to just 168 passing yards while forcing Bortles into an interception. The Ravens secondary played great for the second game in a row and should be commended for such.
At tight end, Crockett Gillmore continued to step up for the Ravens after he wasn't expected to do much coming into the year. His second-quarter touchdown catch tied the game at 7-all when it looked like the Ravens could do nothing offensively.
Then backup tight end Maxx Williams caught a touchdown toward the end for the first half to give Baltimore a 14-10 lead. It was Williams' first NFL score, and it gave the Ravens their first lead of this game.
Wide receiver Chris Givens had his breakout game with the Ravens after being traded from the St. Louis Rams two weeks ago. He finished with four grabs for 37 yards and one score. Kamar Aiken chipped in seven grabs for 73 yards.
The offensive line did a good job of protecting Flacco while also opening lanes for the running backs. It gave up just one sack and no QB Hits.
The running backs did well in the limited touches they did get in this one. Justin Forsett and Javorius Allen combined to rush for 72 yards on 20 carries.
Overall, this was a good game played on both sides of the ball, but too many critical mistakes and costly turnovers led to Baltimore losing another close one.
Ravens Pass-Catchers Step Up
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This was the first game of the post-Steve Smith era in Baltimore after the star receiver tore his Achilles in Week 9.
The Ravens must now go the rest of the 2015 season with no proven No. 1 pass-catcher, and we saw that play out in this one. Aiken was the most likely guy to step into that role, but he struggled in this game.
On Baltimore's first possession, Aiken dropped an easy pass that would have gone for big yardage, but it simply bounced through his hands and off his chest. He didn't do much in this game and neither did any other wide receiver.
Aiken would finish with seven grabs for 73 yards, but he should have had a bigger game. Fellow receiver Chris Givens was the only other receiver to do anything of note. He hauled in four grabs for 37 yards and a touchdown, but not much outside of that.
However, the tight ends came up big in this one. Both Maxx Williams and Crockett Gillmore caught touchdowns in the first half. They finished the game with a combined eight grabs for 82 yards.
Fullback/H-back Kyle Juszczyk also chipped in five catches for 47 yards. All of this helped the passing game account for 308 yards—a solid day given how devoid the Ravens are of proven pass-catchers.
Secondary Plays Great
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The Ravens' much-maligned secondary had one of its best games of the season against the Jaguars.
Coming into this matchup, Jacksonville ranked 11th in passing yards per game (258), whereas Baltimore ranked 29th in passing yards allowed per game (284). The secondary routinely allowing big plays and blowing coverages allowed opposing offenses to gash it through the air, but not on this day.
The Ravens also ended a long turnover drought with Lardarius Webb's second-quarter interception of Blake Bortles. That streak without the defense forcing a turnover spanned 21 quarters, but it finally got one in a critical spot in this game.
The offense would turn that turnover into points and tie the game at 7-all. That's how big turnovers can be, and it helps explain why the Ravens have lost so many close games this year, and it should have been why Baltimore won this game.
This will be overlooked by many because the defense gave away another late lead, but the secondary for one wasn't the reason why. How well it's played the last two games is a very encouraging sign going forward for this unit.
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Elvis Dumervil Owns Up to Costly Penalty
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It looked as though victory was certain for Baltimore in the closing seconds of this game.
The Jaguars had the ball at midfield down one and with Blake Bortles dropping back to pass as time had run out. This was the final play of the game, and all Baltimore needed to do was not commit a penalty and keep Bortles from completing a hail mary an open receiver in the end zone.
Then linebacker Elvis Dumervil broke through and began to take Bortles down, but as he was wrapping him up, he accidentally grabbed the facemask. That drew a 15-yard facemask penalty that gave the Jaguars the ball at the 35-yard line with one untimed down.
From there, kicker Jason Myers hit the game-winning 53-yard field goal to hand Baltimore another close loss. Dumervil knows that penalty was costly, and he isn't hiding from his mistake.
After the game, Dumervil told Bo Smolka of Comcast Sports Net that he, "Can't create penalties, especially at a crucial time of the game. Can't happen. I take full responsibility."
Dumervil is a veteran who's done a lot of good things for Baltimore. This mistake, as costly as it was, should not define his career with the Ravens.
John Harbaugh on Another Tough Loss
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The Ravens have somehow managed to lose seven games this season all by one score.
All of those games came right down to the wire with Baltimore having multiple chances to make game-tying or winning plays, but failed to do so.
That was again the case against the Jaguars as the Ravens missed multiple opportunities to clinch the win late in the fourth quarter. On the final drive alone, Baltimore missed two easy plays that would have ended the game; instead the dropped interception and dumb penalty extended the game.
Head coach John Harbaugh has suffered some tough losses in his seven years as an NFL head coach, but this was easily one of the worst. As Harbaugh told ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley, "That's as a tough a loss that you're going to have."
In a season full of gut-wrenching losses, it's probably safe to call this the most painful of them all for Baltimore. This is now a lost season for the Ravens, who now can only hope to build and improve on what they are in hopes it will translate to more success in future seasons.
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