Ravens Top Titans in Defensive Struggle

Stover converts 21-yard & 43-yard FGs in victory

NFL 2008 AFC Divisional Playoff: Baltimore Ravens 13 Tennessee Titans 10

The Baltimore Ravens advanced to the AFC Championship game after a 13-10 victory over the top-seeded Tennessee Titans.

Two fierce defenses were featured in this hard-fought battle.

It wasn't until K Matt Stover connected on a 43-yard FG with 53 seconds remaining in the game that the outcome was decided. To get there, QB Joe Flacco, who became the NFL's 1st rookie signal-caller to win 2 playoff games, led a 9-play, 51-yard drive to set up the clinching kick.

The Tennessee Titans scored first, a touchdown, on their 2nd drive of the game.

The key play of the drive came when Pro Bowl RB Chris Johnson took a short pass from QB Kerry Collins in the left flat, eluded LB Bart Scott, and then ripped off a 28-yard gain. Johnson then completed the drive with an 8-yard touchdown run.

On the ensuing series, Flacco connected with WR Derrick Mason for a 48-yard touchdown pass to tie the score at 7-7.

Just before the 1st half ended, Tennessee marched to the Ravens' 22-yard line, but RB LenDale White was stripped of the ball by LB Jarret Johnson, and Safety Jim Leonhard recovered the ball with 25 seconds on the clock.

The theme of the day was the inability of the Titans offense when it mattered. The Titans tried a 51-yard FG on 4th down instead of punting in the 3rd quarter, and K Rob Bironas pushed it wide left.

The score remained knotted at 7-7 until early in the 4th quarter when Matt Stover hit a 21-yard FG at the 14:14 mark to put the Ravens up 10-7.

Later in the 4th quarter, Titans TE Alge Crumpler fumbled on the Ravens 6-yard line. The Tennessee Titans tied the gamne at 10-10 game again after stopping the Ravens and taking advantage of the field position caused by Crumpler's lost fumble for Bironas' 27-yard FG.

However, the Ravens made the most of their last possession.

The key sequence in their final possession occurred when Joe Flacco completed a 23-yard pass to TE Todd Heap for a critical 3rd-and-2 conversion to advance to midfield. RB Willis McGahee then made an 11-yard run, and Flacco found WR Mark Clayton for 8 yards to pull within Stover's range. With 53 seconds remaining in the game, Matt Stover converted the 43-yard field goal to give the Ravens the 13-10 lead. Stover's field goal capped a Raven's 9-play 51-yard drive which consumed 3.5 minutes of game time

With 53 seconds left to move down the field, Kerry Collins completed 1 pass for 5 yards to Brandon Jones. His last 3 attempts fell to the ground and ended the game in the Ravens favor.

AFC 2008 Divisional Playoffs - Baltimore Ravens 13, Tennessee Titans 10

 

 

 

Rushing
Baltimore: W. McGahee 12-32-0-11LG; L. McClain 12-12-0-8LG; J. Flacco 5-5-0-3LG; L. Neal 1-1-0-1LG
Tennessee: C. Johnson 11-72-1-32LG; L. White 15-45-0-12LG; K. Collins 1-0-0-0LG Q. Ganther 1-(-1)-0-(-1)LG

Receiving
Baltimore: D. Mason 5-78-1-48LG; M .Clayton 2-45-0-37LG; T. Heap 1-23-0-23LG; L. Neal 1-7-0-7LG; W. McGahee 1-4-0-4LG; D. Wilcox 1-4-0-4LG
Tennessee: J. Gage 10-135-0-24LG; L. White 4-35-0-19LG; B. Scaife 4-23-0-14LG; J. McCareins 2-24-0-17LG; B. Jones 2-16-0-11LG; A. Crumpler 2-9-0-7LG; C. Johnson 1-28-0-28LG; A. Hall 1-11-0-11LG

Passing
Baltimore: J. Flacco 22-11-161-0-1-48LG
Tennessee: K. Collins 42-26-281-1-0-28LG

Interceptions
Baltimore: S. Rolle 1-3

Sacks
Baltimore: T. Suggs 1-6

 

 

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