Ravens vs. Panthers: Baltimore Makes Big Statement in Win Over Carolina

There wasn’t much doubt going into this game over who would come out on top.  It was just a matter of how big the Baltimore Ravens (7-3) margin of victory would be over the Carolina Panthers (1-9).  Despite several miscues in the turnover department, the Ravens solid play on offense and defense earned the team a 37-13 win over Carolina—Baltimore’s first win ever against the Panthers franchise.

The more important undertone in this matchup was the Ravens ability to start the game fast and finish with authority against a team they were supposed to beat by double-digits.

At the start of the game, on the second play from scrimmage, Ravens QB Joe Flacco found a wide-open T.J. Houshmandzadeh for a 56-yard touchdown.  This play would set the tone for the rest of the contest, as once again, Flacco managed to play mistake-free football, throwing for 301 yards and a touchdown in the process.

Flacco and the rest of the offense continued to move the ball through the air with ease in the first half, as Carolina’s fifth-ranked pass defense had no answer for the Ravens game plan from the start.

For many Ravens fans, Baltimore’s inability to find any rhythm in the running game came as a surprise, seeing that Carolina’s run defense was the weak point of the team.  Ravens RB Ray Rice managed 131 all-purpose yards but struggled on the ground, totaling 65 yards on 19 carries.  Rice did find the end zone in the second quarter, propelling the Ravens to a 17-3 lead at halftime.

Carolina managed to make the game interesting at the start of the fourth quarter, when third-string QB (and former Raven) Brian St. Pierre found rookie WR David Gettis for an 88-yard touchdown pass and catch.  Ravens CB Josh Wilson was victimized on the play when he was caught napping on the rookie receiver.

Wilson appeared to come down with an interception towards the end of the first half, as the ball ended up between his legs.  The booth decided not to review the play, and the missed call did not have any impact on the game with only seconds left in the first half.

The real fireworks came on defense mid-way through the fourth quarter, when the Ravens defense forced back-to-back interceptions over the course of 11 seconds.  Both Carolina turnovers resulted in touchdowns for the opportunistic Ravens defense.

Safety Ed Reed was the first player to get in on the action, waiting on an errant pass from St. Pierre.  Reed would return the interception to the 20-yard line, where he pitched the ball to DB Dawan Landry, who ran the rest of the way for the touchdown.  On the Panthers ensuing drive, St. Pierre forced the ball into the arms of LB Ray Lewis, who ran untouched into the end zone.

Both plays were reminiscent of Baltimore’s once dominant defense, a unit that often outscored their teammates on offense to win big football games.

Even though this was a game Baltimore was supposed to win, we still managed to learn more about the Ravens as a team.

Elite teams are supposed to beat bad opponents by big margins, and that’s exactly what Baltimore did.  Up until today, the Ravens have failed to deliver blowout wins against inferior teams.  Their 24-point win over the Panthers should answer some questions as to whether the 2010 Ravens were able to accomplish such a feat.

Every team has a different style of play.  The Ravens play their opponents close, as the physical style of football they take to the field often results in low-scoring games.

Baltimore will continue to thrive winning close games, but today, we saw what this team is capable of when they are called on to win big.

Naysayers will always argue that Baltimore has had the fortune of playing weak teams, or good teams missing key players, which has led to wins for the Ravens in 2010.  As the saying goes, “It’s any team on any given Sunday.”  That’s why we play the game of football.

With the Ravens victory today, they will stay atop the AFC North, owning the tiebreaker over the 7-3 Pittsburgh Steelers.

Baltimore will travel home to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-3) next Sunday, a game that will test Tampa’s mettle.  By then, we should have a better understanding of where the Ravens stand in the NFL amongst the best teams of the 2010 season.

Baltimore Ravens Notables

The Ravens have only allowed nine points to opposing teams in the third quarter of games since 2009.

Baltimore is only the third team in NFL history to have three receivers with 600-plus receptions.

Baltimore’s roster includes 15 Pro Bowl players, most in the NFL.

Joe Flacco continues to post the highest quarterback rating in the NFL since Week 3 (greater than 115.0)

Todd McGregor is a Baltimore Ravens Featured Columnist here on BleacherReport.com

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