New England 41
Baltimore 7
Sunday, December 22, 2013 04:25 PM
(ET)
Recap: Patriots 41, Ravens 7
SportsDirect Inc. staff
Dec 22, 2013
Patriots 41, Ravens 7: Tom Brady passed for 172 yards and a touchdown, LeGarrette Blount rushed for two scores and the New England defense harassed Baltimore's quarterbacks from start to finish in a comfortable road victory in a rematch of the last two AFC Championship Games.
Brady (14-of-26) hooked up with Julian Edelman seven times for 77 yards and Blount had 76 yards on 16 carries for New England (11-4), which clinched its fifth straight AFC East title earlier in the day when Miami lost to Buffalo. Brady matched Dan Marino (147) for fourth place on the all-time wins list and couldn't help but smile on the sideline as Chandler Jones and Tavon Wilson scored defensive touchdowns for the Patriots in the final two minutes.
Meanwhile, the biggest home loss in team history eliminated the Ravens (8-7) from the AFC North Division race and left the defending champions needing a win at Cincinnati next week - or significant help elsewhere - to reach the playoffs. Joe Flacco was sacked four times, intercepted twice and finished 22-of-38 for 260 yards before Tyrod Taylor virtually gift-wrapped two late defensive scores for New England on Jones' fumble recovery in the end zone and Wilson's 74-yard pick-six.
The Patriots dominated the first half and led 17-0 at intermission, as the Ravens managed 71 total yards on 25 first-half plays and did not have an offensive snap in New England territory in the opening two quarters. A pass interference on Baltimore cornerback Jimmy Smith set up Blount's 1-yard TD plunge about 5 1/2 minutes into the game and, following a Flacco interception, Brady hooked up with Shane Vereen for a 4-yard score.
A 45-yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski on the first play of the second quarter made it 17-0 and his 42-yarder inflated the score to 20-0 midway through the third. Flacco's quarterback sneak with 9:21 remaining kept Baltimore from suffering its first shutout since 2002, but Blount ended the drama with a 7-yard TD run with just over two minutes left as the Ravens' four-game winning streak came to an end.
GAME NOTEBOOK: New England can clinch a first-round bye with a win over visiting Buffalo next week and can secure home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs with a win combined with a Denver loss at Oakland. ... Baltimore K Justin Tucker, who had made 33 field goals in a row - including a 61-yard game-winner in the final minute against Detroit on Monday night - missed a 37-yard attempt early in the fourth quarter. ... Ray Rice's tough season continued as the Ravens' running back managed just 40 yards on 11 carries.
Dec 22, 2013
Patriots 41, Ravens 7: Tom Brady passed for 172 yards and a touchdown, LeGarrette Blount rushed for two scores and the New England defense harassed Baltimore's quarterbacks from start to finish in a comfortable road victory in a rematch of the last two AFC Championship Games.
Brady (14-of-26) hooked up with Julian Edelman seven times for 77 yards and Blount had 76 yards on 16 carries for New England (11-4), which clinched its fifth straight AFC East title earlier in the day when Miami lost to Buffalo. Brady matched Dan Marino (147) for fourth place on the all-time wins list and couldn't help but smile on the sideline as Chandler Jones and Tavon Wilson scored defensive touchdowns for the Patriots in the final two minutes.
Meanwhile, the biggest home loss in team history eliminated the Ravens (8-7) from the AFC North Division race and left the defending champions needing a win at Cincinnati next week - or significant help elsewhere - to reach the playoffs. Joe Flacco was sacked four times, intercepted twice and finished 22-of-38 for 260 yards before Tyrod Taylor virtually gift-wrapped two late defensive scores for New England on Jones' fumble recovery in the end zone and Wilson's 74-yard pick-six.
The Patriots dominated the first half and led 17-0 at intermission, as the Ravens managed 71 total yards on 25 first-half plays and did not have an offensive snap in New England territory in the opening two quarters. A pass interference on Baltimore cornerback Jimmy Smith set up Blount's 1-yard TD plunge about 5 1/2 minutes into the game and, following a Flacco interception, Brady hooked up with Shane Vereen for a 4-yard score.
A 45-yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski on the first play of the second quarter made it 17-0 and his 42-yarder inflated the score to 20-0 midway through the third. Flacco's quarterback sneak with 9:21 remaining kept Baltimore from suffering its first shutout since 2002, but Blount ended the drama with a 7-yard TD run with just over two minutes left as the Ravens' four-game winning streak came to an end.
GAME NOTEBOOK: New England can clinch a first-round bye with a win over visiting Buffalo next week and can secure home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs with a win combined with a Denver loss at Oakland. ... Baltimore K Justin Tucker, who had made 33 field goals in a row - including a 61-yard game-winner in the final minute against Detroit on Monday night - missed a 37-yard attempt early in the fourth quarter. ... Ray Rice's tough season continued as the Ravens' running back managed just 40 yards on 11 carries.
