BALTIMORE – The Baltimore Ravens weren’t guilty of a college-style, run-it-up-for-the-pollsters move when Joe Flacco threw for a long touchdown with time running down in a 29-7 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
At first glance, maybe it looked that way Sunday. Falcons cornerback Josh Wilson gestured toward the Baltimore sideline after the play.
The reality: The Ravens were without long snapper Morgan Cox. He had sustained a knee injury (torn ACL) on Baltimore’s previous series.
Up 22-7, the Ravens faced fourth-and-nine at the Atlanta 39-yard line just after the two-minute warning. With that 15-point margin, two touchdowns and a two-point conversion could tie the game. We don’t have a long snapper, so snapping the ball back there in that situation, that’s risking any number of bad things that could happen to us, ” said Ravens Coach John Harbaugh.
“(To) put them back in the game wouldn’t be smart. ”
Even with a good snap, there was also at least the risk of a big return by Atlanta’s Devin Hester, who had an NFL-record 20 career kickoff and punt return touchdowns.
So Flacco threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Torrey Smith down the left sideline.
“We certainly weren’t expecting a touchdown, but we get all-press, man coverage, and that’s what we do, ” said Harbaugh. “Our guys made a play, so that’s football. And it was big for us because it sealed the game at that point. ”
Atlanta Coach Mike Smith didn’t object.