Joe Flacco threw five touchdown passes in the game's first 17 minutes and the Baltimore Ravens scored on their first seven possession en route to a dominant 48-17 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
The game was Tampa Bay's first at home after a three-game road swing, and it came on the heels of promising efforts in Pittsburgh and New Orleans, the first a last-second victory and the second an overtime shootout loss. However, the Bucs' hopes of building on that momentum and building some kind of home-field advantage quickly evaporated as Tampa Bay's offense failed to keep up with Flacco and company.
Second-year QB Mike Glennon, c
oming off two strong performances, started for the third straight week in place of the injured Josh McCown. He was sacked five times and pressured constantly by the Ravens' aggressive front; an impressive second half, however, allowed Glennon to finish with 314 yards, two touchdowns and one interception on24 -of-44 passing. Glennon also found himself facing an unending string of third-and-long situations in the first half as the Buccaneers' rushing attack found no traction. Doug Martin and Bobby Rainey combined for just 87 yards and the ever-widening gap on the scoreboard reduced their impact as the game went on.
Tampa Bay's offense did show some signs of life in the second half, scoring on each of its first three possessions. After a Patrick Murray 47-yard field goal, Glennon directed a sharp 92-yard drive that ended in WR Mike Evans' 17-yard touchdown catch in traffic. The fourth quarter began with a very quick six-yard drive in which started with four straight plays of 10 or more yards. Glennon finished the 76-yard march with a three-yard rollout strike to WR Louis Murphy. Sandwiched in between those two touchdowns, however, was the Ravens' sixth TD, this one a four-yard run by RB Bernard Pierce.
The Buccaneers dropped to 1-5 with the loss, including an 0-3 record at home. After a bye week, they will return to action at Raymond James Stadium against the Minnesota Vikings on October 26.
Photos from the first half of Buccaneers vs. Ravens.
Photos from the second half of Buccaneers vs. Ravens.
