HOUSTON (AP) ― Terrell Suggs was back, but the Baltimore Ravens were no match for the Houston Texans without Ray Lewis and Lardarius Webb.
Matt Schaub threw for two touchdowns, Arian Foster ran for two more and the defense had a score and added a safety to lead the Houston Texans to a 43-13 win over the Ravens on Sunday.
Suggs, an outside linebacker who was selected last season’s defensive player of the year, played for the first time since surgery in May to repair a torn right Achilles tendon. But the defense wasn’t the same without star middle linebacker Lewis and top cornerback Webb, who were both placed on the injured reserve during th3 week.
The Ravens gave up their most points since a 44-20 loss to Indianapolis in 2007, and Houston’s 43 points were the most in franchise history.
“We can’t come here and make mistakes like we made and expect to be in the game,” safety Ed Reed said.
Washington Redskins fullback Darrel Young is brought down by the New York Giants defense on Sunday. (AP-Yonhap News)
But the problems weren’t limited to the defense as the Ravens (5-2) lost to Houston (6-1) for the first time in seven meetings. Joe Flacco was 21 of 43 for 147 yards with two interceptions, and Ray Rice was held to a season-low 42 yards rushing.
“I’m not sure what to say about that other than they got after us and they beat us,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “They played excellent, we did not.”
The Ravens led 3-0 in the first quarter after a 51-yard field goal by rookie Justin Tucker. It was his third of more than 50 yards this season, which is the most in a season in team history. He made it four with a 54-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.
Manning, Cruz rally Giants
EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (AP) ― While Robert Griffin III is quickly becoming the NFL’s most exciting quarterback, there’s none better than Eli Manning with the game on the line.
Manning one-upped the Washington Redskins’ rookie sensation with a pinpoint 77-yard scoring pass to Victor Cruz with 1:13 to play and the New York Giants overcame a late touchdown toss by Griffin to defeat the Washington Redskins 27-23 on Sunday.
“With our offense and Eli at the helm, we’re never too worried,” Cruz said. “No matter what situation we’re in, no matter how many points we need or a field goal we need, we have the confidence we can do it. We have a lot of confidence in each other, and in Eli.”
The winning drive was the 22nd of Manning’s career in either the fourth quarter or overtime, his second this season and eighth over the past two seasons. This pass might have been one of the most improbable.
It came two plays and 19 seconds after Griffin capped what was a potential winning, 77-yard drive with a 30-yard touchdown toss to Santana Moss. The rookie had kept the drive alive with a 19-yard pass off a desperate scramble on a fourth-and-10 play deep in his own territory, and a 24-yard run on the next play.
“He has done it so many times,” veteran Giants defensive tackle Chris Canty said of the two-time Super Bowl MVP. “He has really bridged his performance in the 2011 season to the 2012 season. It’s just more of the same. He continues to get better. He is probably the most deadly quarterback in the fourth quarter.”
Tennessee 35, Buffalo 34
New Orleans 35, Tampa Bay 28
Dallas 19, Carolina 14
Indianapolis 17, Cleveland 13
Green Bay 30, St. Louis 20
Minnesota 21, Arizona 14
New England 29, NY Jets 26
Oakland 26, Jacksonville 23
Pittsburgh 24, Cincinnati 17
koreaherald@heraldcorp.com
