SportsDirect Inc. staff
Sep 25, 2011
The St. Louis Rams got a firsthand look why Baltimore drafted Torrey Smith out of Maryland with their second pick this year.
The speedy rookie wide receiver’s first three catches went for touchdowns and the Ravens ran away from the winless Rams 37-7 on Sunday at St. Louis.
Smith, who got the start because of an injury to Lee Evans, finished with five catches for 155 yards and became the first player since 1991 to score touchdowns on his first three receptions.
He scored on Baltimore’s first play of the game, hooking up with Joe Flacco for a 71-yard touchdown – his first in the NFL.
Smith was far from done. Later in the first quarter, Smith beat the Rams into the end zone for a 41-yard score to give Baltimore a 14-0 lead.
Flacco and Smith hooked up once more in the quarter, from 18 yards out, to make it 21-0. Flacco finished 27 for 48 for 389 yards and three touchdowns.
Ray Rice led the running game with 79 yards on eight carries.
Baltimore (2-1) got a pair of field goals from Billy Cundiff in the second quarter to head into the locker room with a 27-0 lead.
St. Louis (0-3) got on the board in the third quarter. Trailing 30-0, Sam Bradford fired a 34-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Gibson.
Steven Jackson started in the backfield for the Rams but was limited with a quad injury and carried four times for 23 yards.
Baltimore added a defensive score when Haloti Ngata returned a Bradford fumble 28 yards for a touchdown.