The Sports Xchange
Nov 22, 2015
BALTIMORE -- A sack and forced fumble by Baltimore linebacker Courtney Upshaw set up a 47-yard, game-winning field goal by Justin Tucker as time expired to give the Ravens a 16-13 victory over the St. Louis Rams on Sunday.
Upshaw hit Rams quarterback Case Keenum from the blind side, and the ball was recovered by defensive end Lawrence Guy at the Saint Louis 41. Baltimore kept the ball on the ground until the attempt by Tucker, who had just missed a 51-yard attempt on the previous drive
The win came at a cost for Baltimore, however, as Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco will miss the rest of the season with a significant knee injury
Flacco overcame a pair of costly interceptions, orchestrating three fourth-quarter scoring drives. Flacco was 27 of 44 for 299 yards and a touchdown. However, he may have sustained a significant knee injury.
Ravens tight end Crockett Gillmore had five catches for a career-high 101 yards.
The Ravens suffered another debilitating injury when starting running back Justin Forsett suffered a broken right arm when he got slammed to the turf by Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald late in the first quarter.
A fumble by Rams running back Todd Gurley was recovered by Ravens linebacker Albert McClellan on Rams 42. On the ensuing drive, however, Flacco threw an interception to St. Louis cornerback Trumaine Johnson.
Two plays later, Keenum lobbed a 30-yard touchdown pass to tight end Lance Kendricks to extend the Rams' lead to 13-3 with 6:14 left in the third quarter.
Another fumble by Gurley early in the fourth quarter led to a 3-yard touchdown pass from Flacco to wide receiver Kamar Aiken that that cut St. Louis' led to 13-10 with 11:11 left in the game. A 20-yard field goal by Ravens kicker Justin Tucker tied the game at 13 almost six minutes later.
St. Louis kicker Greg Zuerlein missed a 52-yard field goal attempt with 1:41 left in the game that would have provided the lead. Tucker eventually made them pay as he hit the game-winning kick as time expired.
Keenum, who got his first start after Nick Foles was benched last week, was 12 of 26 for 136 yards with a touchdown. The Ravens managed the victory despite committing 10 penalties for 137 yards.
A 49-yard pass interference penalty by Baltimore cornerback Jimmy Smith gave the Rams the ball on the 10-yard line. Gurley made the Ravens pay as he carried the ball three straight times and got in the end zone from the 1 to provide a 7-0 lead with 2:05 left in the first quarter.
The Ravens finally got a break when Tavon Austin fumbled a punt that was recovered by C.J. Mosley at the Rams' 31. However, Baltimore could only manage a 25-yard field goal by Tucker and trailed 7-3 at the break.
St. Louis had 74 yards of total offense in the opening half.
NOTES: Former Ravens safety Ed Reed was inducted into the team's "Ring of Honor" at halftime. Reed is the franchise's all-time leader with 61 interceptions. ... Rams wide receiver/punt returner Tavon Austin played football for nearby Dunbar High School. He won three consecutive state championships at M&T Bank Stadium. ... The Rams last victory in Baltimore came in 1969 when they beat the old Colts at Memorial Stadium.