The Baltimore Ravens defeated the Denver Broncos, 38-35, in a double-overtime thriller this past weekend. A combined 877 yards and 73 points certainly provided plenty of statistics to take a look at afterwards. Let’s go a bit deeper in the numbers from this divisional matchup.
Ravens vs. Broncos: Torrey Smith touchdowns continue to lead Ravens to win
If Torrey Smith finds the end zone, there’s a good chance the Ravens are walking away with a win. Here’s a look inside the numbers.
Torrey Smith finished Saturday afternoon with three receptions for 98 yards. Two of those catches went for touchdowns, which apparently is a recipe for the Ravens success.
Smith caught a touchdown pass in six different games during the regular season. Baltimore won all six of those games. His production is inconsistent to say the least, but Smith finding the end zone is one of the most positive signs for the Ravens offense. He also scored twice in their win over the Patriots earlier this year. John Harbaugh might want to keep that in mind heading into the AFC Championship.
Joe Flacco put up 331 yards on the Broncos secondary, another strong indication of a Ravens win. Flacco threw for 300+ yards in five games this year, all resulting in wins. His highest total came against the Patriots back in Week 3.
The Ravens offense is carrying the team at this point, something we as football fans aren’t accustomed to seeing. Baltimore’s defense gave up 35 points, only the second time in franchise history the team allowed more than 30 points in a playoff game. The last time it happened came in a loss to the Steelers two years ago.
Ray Rice also put in an impressive performance, and his coaching staff finally relied on him to handle a sizable workload. He rushed for 131 yards and a touchdown on 31 carries. At the end of the day, the Ravens finished with an impressive 479 total yards of offense, averaging 6.5 yards per play.
One stat to keep in mind: the Ravens defense has played 94 snaps in both playoff games this season, according to Pro Football Focus. That number could easily be matched against a Patriots offense that constantly keeps the wheels moving. New England ran 83 offensive plays in Week 3.
On Denver’s side, the loss was rare considering the scenario. The Broncos became just the fourth team in NFL history to lose a home postseason matchup when scoring at least 30 points. Peyton Manning has been involved in two of those games, also losing to the Chiefs, 38-31, back in the 2004 playoffs. Can this guy get any help from the defense?
Trindon Holliday set two NFL records in the loss. His 90-yard punt return touchdown and 104-yard kick return score marked the longest in history for each. At least he can feel good about that part of the game.
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