A national television audience watched the Ravens pick up a tough 34-27 rough road over the New Orleans Saints this week on Monday Night Football.
But there are still some things you may have missed in watching the game live, so let's look back at the tape.
All of these plays were viewed using NFL Game Rewind, which is available for fans to purchase. (To view images and videos, mobile users tap the "View in browser" button at the top of the page.)
S. Smith Loves To Block
With all the numbers that wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. puts up in the passing game, it's sometimes easy to overlook the contributions he makes in other areas of the game. The veteran receiver isn't afraid to throw his nose into a pile and make a block, and he delivered a key hit on safety Kenny Vaccaro to spring running back Justin Forsett on a 35-yard gain in the fourth quarter. "I love just being physical," Smith said after the game. "I love going after guys. I love blocking safeties."
Cheap Shot On T. Smith
Wide receiver Torrey Smith was noticeably chippy at points during Monday's game, as he got into a couple of minor shoving matches after the whistle. Smith isn't typically a player to get caught up in those kinds of skirmishes, but the video below explains why he might have been a little peeved. Saints cornerback Keenan Lewis took a forearm to Smith's head at the end of this play and shoved his helmet to the turf. No flag was thrown.
Ravens Creative With Jernigan, Blitzes
Rookie defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan has shown throughout the season that he's a versatile player on the Ravens' defensive front, and that allowed Defensive Coordinator Dean Pees to get creative with him. Pees brings the blitz on this play, and instead of Jernigan chasing after the quarterback, he drops into coverage over the middle of the field. There aren't too many 300-pound defensive linemen around the league who can do that. Jernigan's ability to slide into coverage allowed Pees to bring three pass rushers from outside the left tackle to force a quick throw.
T. Suggs Not Just a Pass Rusher
Veteran outside linebacker Terrell Suggs is known for his ability to get after quarterbacks – he topped 100 career sacks Monday night – but the Ravens regularly talk about how disruptive he is in the run game. This play shows exactly what the Ravens mean. Suggs is matched up against right tackle Zach Strief, and he leaves the defender in the dust on his way to meet running back Mark Ingram in the backfield. Defensive tackle Brandon Williams also beats a double team to help finish off Ingram.
Ravens Dominated Line Of Scrimmage
The numbers told much of the story here, as the Ravens put up a season-high 215 rushing yards, and running back Justin Forsett had a career-high 182 yards on 22 carries. Forsett praised his offensive line for the lanes they opened, and the tape shows that the group absolutely dominated the line of scrimmage. Forsett didn't get touched until the second level on several occasions, and the offensive line gave him plenty of room to work.
