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Ravens-Falcons: What we learned

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BALTIMORE — On a 4th-and-7 from Baltimore’s 42-yard line midway through the third quarter, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan desperately needed to make a play to get his team back in the game against the Ravens.

As Ryan dropped back, he was swarmed by a gang of Ravens defenders with linebacker Elvis Dumervil delivering the decisive hit to earn the sack and end the threat.

That play perfectly underscored the day for both teams.

Baltimore’s defense was dominant most of the game, while Ryan and the rest of Atlanta’s offense struggled as the Ravens closed out a 29-7 victory Sunday.

The Ravens have won five of their past six games and travel to Cincinnati next week for supremacy in the AFC North. The Falcons are headed in the other direction, having lost four consecutive games.

“That was a hard-fought game, that’s a big win,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “And kind of a critical time of the season. That’s a good football team who came in here and our guys played really well.”

Baltimore linebacker Pernell McPhee and Dumervil each had two sacks.

“Give God glory … we just came out and played with a lot of energy,” Dumervil said. “The crowd was awesome. Give them kudos for that. We just did some good things.”

Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco completed 16 of 25 passes for 258 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He was sacked just once. Running back Justin Forsett had 95 yards on 23 carries for the Ravens (5-2), who had 36 rushing attempts.

What the Falcons said:

“We have nine games left and I know every man in that locker room and every coach in that room will work their (butts) off this week to get prepared for the Detroit Lions. I have no doubt what the makeup of these football players and coaches and the organization we have in Atlanta.” — Coach Mike Smith.

What the Ravens said:

“This is a special team. The atmosphere is different from any place I’ve ever been and the sky is the limit for us. Man, offense, defense, special teams; I think we’re clicking right now.” — Running back Justin Forsett.

What we learned about the Falcons:

1. The Falcons continue to struggle to find any rhythm on offense, which has put tremendous pressure on the defense. Atlanta struggled mightily against the Ravens’ aggressive pass rush and were shutout over the first three quarters. Baltimore’s secondary forced quarterback Matt Ryan to throw intermediate passes by keeping their safeties deep to avoid big plays. Atlanta’s running game was held to just 68 yards on 16 carries. The Falcons rotated Steven Jackson, Jacquizz Rodgers, Antone Smith and Devonta Freeman, but none were effective. Jackson led the team with 22 yards on eight carries. Ryan needs to find a way to move the chains early to keep his defense off the field. “Across the board, we just didn’t do a good enough job of making plays,” Ryan said. “We had some opportunities. I didn’t do a good enough job in terms of ball security. We didn’t make any of the plays we needed to make.”

2. Defensive end Jonathan Massaquoi has been a force for the Falcons this season and he was a bright spot on an otherwise dismal day. Massaquoi finished with six tackles (four solo, two assisted). Even though he did not record a sack, he kept Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco from getting too comfortable in the pocket.” Linebacker Joplo Bartu led the Falcons with 15 combined tackles, while fellow linebacker Paul Worrilow finished with 10, including the team’s only sack. Baltimore dominated the time of possession 33:13 to 26:47 and the Falcons defense appeared to tire near the end of the game. “I think our defense played together,” Massaquoi said. “I feel, collectively as a group, we did some great things. But a couple of tweaks here and there and we will be back on pace and winning.”

Falcons:

–C Peter Konz taken off the field on a cart midway through the first quarter with a knee injury. He did not return to the game. James Stone, an undrafted rookie, took over and struggled to adjust to the Ravens’ pass rush. Konz status was uncertain after the game. “You can talk about losing players, but everybody loses players,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said. “It’s got to be the ‘next man up’ mentality.”

–QB Matt Ryan did not get much support from his offensive line Week 7 against the Ravens. He was sacked five times and under constant duress for much of the game. Ryan was 29 of 44 for 228 yards and a touchdown. He also lost a fumble in the first quarter. The Falcons (2-5) simply need to find a way to better protect their franchise quarterback. “Right now, we are behind the eight-ball and all kinds of things can happen,” Ryan said. “We have the right people in the locker room, the right leaders and the right coaches to turn this thing around.”

–WR Roddy White continues to show why he is widely regarded as one the top pass catchers in the league. On a day when the offense otherwise struggled, White caught 9 passes for 100 yards and a touchdown. White consistently creates matchup problems and quarterback Matt Ryan has been able to exploit that. “We have to play more consistent on offense,” White said. “We’ve got to get off to faster starts. We are not playing efficient football.”

What we learned about the Ravens:

1. The Ravens defense has gotten better each week and they have been more successful putting pressure on the opposing team’s quarterback. Baltimore sacked Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan fives times with linebackers Pernell McPhee and Elvis Dumervil each earning two apiece. Terrell Suggs also had a sack for a safety. The Falcons were just 4 of 15 on third down and were held to 68 rushing yards. Baltimore held Atlanta scoreless until midway through the fourth quarter. “We’re dangerous and we’re real serious,” McPhee said. “We’re coming out and playing with an attitude.”

2. There was a lot of hype entering with Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco going against the Falcons’ Matt Ryan. Both entered the league in 2008 as first round draft picks (Ryan at No. 3 and Flacco at No. 18). Both are also expected to be the long-term solution at the position for their respective teams. So far, Flacco has proven to be the more valuable commodity. He has consistently shined in the playoffs and led the Ravens to the Super Bowl in 2012. He also got the better of Ryan in their head-to-head match in Week 7. Flacco completed 16 of 25 passes for 258 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions (91.8 passer rating). Ryan was 29 of 44 for 228 yards with a touchdown (86.2). Flacco, however, earned the most important stat of the day: a 29-7 victory. The two talked briefly after the game. “I just said, ‘ Hey, man, good job standing in there,” Flacco said. “You’re doing a hell of a job. Keep it up.”

–S Will Hill saw first action for the Ravens in Week 7. Hill recently finished serving a six-game suspension to open the season for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy — his third transgression in three years. Hill finished with one tackle against the Falcons and his playing time should increase each week as he gets more comfortable with the speed of the game and the Ravens’ defensive schemes. “From what I could tell, he played well,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “He flew around, made a tackle or two. He continued to work on communication. But for the first game, being out six weeks, it looks like he played well.”

–LS Morgan Cox suffered a season-ending torn ACL against the Falcons on Sunday. This means Ravens will likely have to sign a free agent to take over those duties. With a big game against the Bengals in Week 8, Baltimore will have to act quickly. “Morgan is going to be out for the year,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “I’m sorry to report that. We’ll be looking for a long snapper.”

–LT James Hurst had a rough day. He was called three times for holding in the first half, costing the Ravens 30 yards. Hurst struggled to adjust to the Falcons quick pass rush. Hurt is an undrafted

rookie out of North Carolina, filling in for the injured Eugene Monroe, who could return next week.

–WR Michael Campanaro, who had his career reception and touchdown in Week 6 was active again over Marlon Brown against the Falcons. Campanaro had another reception for 17 yards and is continuing to win the confidence of his coaches.

–TE Owen Daniels caught 6 passes for 58 yards and a touchdown. He now has a reception in 95 consecutive games — the longest active streak in the NFL. With Dennis Pitta out for the season with a hip injury, Owens has become a favorite target for quarterback Joe Flacco. “[When] he gets one-on-one or running across the field, he’s a nice big target,” Flacco said. “He’s a good player. He gets himself open.”

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