Read the reports of the games played on Sunday in the NFL.
The Baltimore Ravens let the trade deadline pass without adding a running back. Then they sent Keaton Mitchell onto the field against an unsuspecting Seattle Seahawks.
“It went well, didn’t it?” said Ravens coach John Harbaugh.
Even Harbaugh would have been hard-pressed to predict this kind of breakthrough for Mitchell, a 5-foot-8 rookie who had never rushed in the NFL before this game.
He scored his first NFL touchdown among his 138 rushing yards on Sunday, helping the Ravens win 37-3. Odell Beckham Jr. scored his first touchdown since the Super Bowl which crowned the 2021 season.
Gus Edwards provided two rushing touchdowns for the Ravens (7-2), who held the opponent to as many as nine points for the fourth time this season.
Lamar Jackson had 187 passing yards and 60 rushing yards through three quarters, then giving way to Tyler Huntley.
Baltimore impressed against the Seahawks who remain tied at the top of their section, with a 5-3 record.
Seattle only went for six first downs, being outscored 515-151 in yards.
“We didn’t make the tackles in the second half,” lamented Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll. We just couldn’t tackle. These are just basic games and we haven’t stopped them. This is what concerns me the most. »
Huntley orchestrated a drive that resulted in a touchdown in the final quarter.
There were two turnovers on each side in the first half, which ended 17-3 in favor of the Ravens.
Edwards first had a four-yard rush for a touchdown in the second quarter.
Geno Stone had a sixth interception, but Jackson fumbled. There was no damage and Edwards added a three-yard touchdown run, punctuating a team effort of 84 yards in 10 plays.
After a Seattle field goal, the visitors saw chances snuffed out by two straight sacks from Kyle Van Noy.
The second led to a precision kick from Justin Tucker which made the score 17-3.
“When the defense gives you those opportunities and you have a chance to gain momentum, you have to capitalize,” said quarterback Geno Smith. We did not do it. »
The Ravens entered the game leading the NFL with 31 sacks this year. They had four more at the end of the first half.
Mitchell previously appeared in two Ravens games without rushing.
Against the Seahawks, he had a 40-yard jaunt for a touchdown in the final minute of the third quarter. In the last quarter, he allowed himself a run of no less than 60 yards.
“When I’m on the sidelines, I look at everyone, I see how they play, I see the offensive line giving us the openings and the opportunities,” Mitchell said. When I was able to play, I just took advantage of it. »
Beckham caught a touchdown pass in the Super Bowl in February 2022, with the Los Angeles Rams. However, he suffered a knee injury in that match and did not play again until the current season.
He signed a six-yard reception for a touchdown in the last quarter.
The Seahawks have lost twice in a row on the road. They are undefeated in their last three games in Seattle heading into the visit of the Washington Commanders next Sunday.
The Ravens will prepare to host the Cleveland Browns next Sunday.
Noah Trister, Associated Press