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Marlon Brown Nearing Ravens Rookie Record


Wide Receiver Marlon Brown had never really seen snow, let alone played in it.

The Georgia product and Memphis, Tenn., native rolls with the punches unlike most rookies, however.

Brown hauled in two huge passes in Sunday's roller-coaster affair, including the game-winning 9-yard score with four seconds left.

He finished with a team-high seven receptions for 92 yards and now has 36 catches for 412 yards and a team-high six touchdowns this season.

Brown's six touchdowns tie Jamal Lewis (2000) for the second-most scores by a rookie in Ravens history. Torrey Smith had seven in 2011.

Asked if he feels like a rookie anymore, Brown said "not really."

"When I'm on the field on Sundays, I'm not a rookie to the other team," he said. "I'm just a guy they have to guard this week."

Brown began his day with a 17-yard reception on the Ravens' first drive in incredibly snowy conditions. He made a few more catches with moderate gains before the team's final drive.

So what was he thinking before the final push?

"I was out there just trying to make sure I just run my routes right," Brown said. "I didn't want to mess up."


Brown found an opening in the middle of the Vikings' soft pass defense with 45 seconds remaining. He went high to haul in the pass amidst a couple defenders. That got the Ravens beyond midfield.

"Marlon made some big plays," quarterback Joe Flacco said. "The first play of that drive to get us going, they dropped into coverage. I let it go early and Marlon got the ball in his hands, [it was a] nice catch."

On Brown's game-winning touchdown catch, he got overtop of linebacker Audie Cole. Flacco lofted a pass just over Cole's fingers and Brown raised his arms high over his head to haul in the pass. His left foot landed and the tippy toes of his right foot dragged in the snow.

The officials took a while reviewing the play to determine whether it was truly a completed pass. Brown was asked if he had any doubt.

"I mean, a little bit," he said. "After I caught it and I got up and I looked and I [saw] my feet drag and I was like, 'Alright, I'm in.'"

Brown had slowed down a bit after a torrid start to his season. The undrafted rookie notched two touchdowns in Cleveland in Week 9, but in the four games after that, he had three catches for 23 yards. He missed one due to a knee injury.

The emergence of receiver Jacoby Jones and return of tight end Dennis Pitta could mean less action for Brown. But the rookie proved that he's still critical to the offense's success.

"He's not done yet," tight end Ed Dickson said. "He plays like he's been in the league for a while. He doesn't play like a rookie. We'll need him to step up, along with everybody."

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