Baltimore Ravens vs New Orleans Saints: Game Recap and GIFs
Nov 24, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Justin Forsett (29) against the New Orleans Saints during the second quarter of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
If big players come up big in big situations, few players are bigger than Will Hill or Justin Forsett. Hill’s pick-six gave the Ravens a lead they would never surrender, while Forsett was by far the Ravens’ most consistent source of offensive production in a career night for him. Thanks to those performances, as well as some impressive play from the Ravens’ receivers, Baltimore managed to win 34-27.
Steve Smith opened the scoring with the second-most impressive catch you’ll see all season, showing the meaning of concentration on a well-covered 15-yard Joe Flacco pass.
Jimmy Graham and the Saints struck back almost immediately with a 10-yard touchdown.
Justin Forsett, who was on fire for most of the first half, took the lead back for the Ravens with a rumbling 13-yard touchdown run.
The Saints would score the last ten points of the first half: a Shayne Graham field goal followed by a 26-yard touchdown catch by Marques Colston. Terrence Brooks had an opportunity to make the play on Colston’s touchdown, but failed to attack the football.
It was all Ravens in the third quarter. Baltimore’s first drive lasted six minutes, 30 seconds, ending with a 31-yard Justin Tucker field goal. Soon after, Will Hill extended the Ravens’ lead with a 44-yard pick-six of Drew Brees.
Another long, six-minute, 26-second drive resulted in a Justin Tucker 55-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter. The Saints would strike again with a 34-yard Shayne Graham field goal, but it wasn’t enough. Justin Forsett would ice the game with a 20-yard touchdown with under three minutes remaining.
The Saints would score again on a two-yard Jimmy Graham touchdown catch, but it was too little too late for the Saints.
Top performers for the Ravens statistically were Joe Flacco (18-of-24 for 243 yards, 1 touchdown, 0 interceptions), Forsett (22 carries, 182 yards, two touchdowns) and Torrey Smith (five catches, 98 yards). Steve Smith also had a big game, laying down numerous big blocks and catching four balls for 89 yards and a touchdown.
There is no question who the game ball goes to: Justin Forsett. On national television, Forsett had the best game of his career, going off for 182 yards and two touchdowns on 8.3 yards per carry. He broke numerous tackles en route to his huge game, slipping through arm tackles like a greased pig.
The Baltimore Ravens improve to 7-4 and second place in the AFC North, while the New Orleans Saints fall to 4-7, remaining tied for first in the NFC South.