November 6, 2024

Ravens collapse again as QB Lamar Jackson has two turnovers late in 24-20 loss to Giants

Giants #Giants

The New York Giants capitalized on a pair of crucial fourth-quarter turnovers by quarterback Lamar Jackson, dealing the Ravens another devastating 24-20 loss Sunday.

Facing his first deficit of the game, Jackson lost a fumble on what proved to be the Ravens’ final possession. After a Giants first down, New York salted the game away to seal the comeback win at MetLife Stadium. In his first game against former Ravens coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale, now leading the Giants’ defense, Jackson finished 17-for-32 for 210 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

The upstart Giants (5-1) took their first lead of the game with just 1:43 remaining. After cornerback Marcus Peters had a red-zone, third-down interception nullified by a pass-interference penalty, running back Saquon Barkley leapt in from a yard out for a touchdown and 24-20 lead.

The Giants needed to go only 13 yards after center Tyler Linderbaum overshot Jackson on a third-down shotgun snap, forcing Jackson to track down the bouncing ball, arc back toward the first-down sticks and throw a hopeful pass to fullback Patrick Ricard, who was short of the sticks. Safety Julian Love stepped in front of the pass for an easy pick, Jackson’s fifth interception in the past four games. It was the Giants’ first interception of the season.

Tight end Mark Andrews finished with a game-high seven catches for 106 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown that put the Ravens ahead 20-10 early in the fourth quarter. But the Giants promptly responded, drawing close on a 12-play, 75-yard touchdown drive capped by Daniel Jones’ 8-yard pass to rookie tight end Daniel Bellinger. Jones finished 19-for-27 for 173 yards and two touchdowns.

For much of the game, the Ravens’ offense seemed to clam up the closer it got to the end zone. After an efficient opening drive in the second half, Jackson missed three straight passes from first-and-goal at the Giants’ 5. Andrews bobbled one of them, a would-be touchdown pass that was tipped before it reached Andrews and then nearly intercepted.

The Ravens (3-3) dominated the line of scrimmage. On offense, they rolled to 211 rushing yards, including 119 by unlikely star Kenyan Drake on just 10 carries. On defense, they held Barkley in check all game. Barkley, who entered Sunday with the second-most rushing yards in the NFL (533), finished with 22 carries for 83 yards, his longest just 8 yards.

The Ravens’ early struggles were largely self-inflicted. On their opening drive, Jackson took a 6-yard loss on an ill-advised keeper, effectively knocking the Ravens out of field-goal range. On their next drive, after the Ravens’ third false-start penalty of the quarter, Jackson missed Drake in the flat on a third-down check-down that soon proved consequential.

With kicker Justin Tucker clanging his 56-yarder off the left upright, his first missed field-goal attempt of the season, the Ravens entered the second quarter scoreless for the first time all season.

Drake’s untouched 30-yard touchdown run capped an eight-play, 89-yard drive to open the game’s scoring — the Giants having only 10 players on the field certainly helped — but the Ravens’ momentum quickly faded. On a short-field touchdown drive by the Giants, the Ravens allowed completions on third-and-14, third-and-12 and third-and-5, the last of which rookie wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson took into the end zone.

The Ravens entered halftime having almost tripled the Giants in yardage (256-90) but leading just 10-7.

This story will be updated.

Week 7

BROWNS@RAVENS

Sunday, 1 p.m.

TV: Chs. 13, 9

Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM

Line: Ravens by 6

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