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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
BALTIMORE (AP) -- The scenario was all too familiar to the
Baltimore Ravens and their fans.
Baltimore had rallied from a 17-point deficit, only to fall
behind with 1:45 left when Mark Brunell put together a drive that
seemingly doomed the Ravens' bid for their first win over
Jacksonville.
|  | | Jimmy Smith's huge day for the Jags -- 15 catches for a career-high 291 yards and three touchdowns -- was all in vain Sunday. |
This time, however, Baltimore had an answer. Tony Banks'
career-high fifth touchdown pass, a 29-yarder to Shannon Sharpe
with 41 seconds to go, lifted the Ravens to a rousing 39-36 victory
Sunday.
Baltimore's initial win over the Jaguars in nine tries enabled
the fifth-year team to reach another significant milestone: sole
possession of the AFC Central lead for the first time.
The victory seemed improbable when the Ravens trailed 17-0 in
the first quarter and 23-6 at halftime. It seemed virtually
impossible when Brunell hooked up with Jimmy Smith for a 41-yard
touchdown to make it 36-32.
"In most situations, that's a victory," Brunell said.
"How many fans looked at that score and said, `Here we go
again?"' Ravens coach Brian Billick said. "And I can't blame
them. But our guys were not going to allow that to happen."
Banks moved the Ravens 75 yards in seven plays. Sharpe, signed
in the offseason for his prowess as a tight end and his playoff
experience, caught the ball inside the 5 and bulled into the end
zone.
"You've got to give credit to Tony Banks and his offense,"
Brunell said. "It was two very good teams going head to head, and
Baltimore was better than we were today."
Those are words the Ravens have long been waiting to hear from a
Jacksonville player.
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TOM DONAHOE'S BREAKDOWN |
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This was a wild offensive game. Baltimore showed great resolve in being able to come back from several deficits and win the game.
Jaksonville quarterback Mark Brunell was outstanding with 386 yards passing, but for every big play he completed it seemed Baltimore had an answer. Jacksonville's Jimmy Smith also had a standout game with 291 yards receiving. But in the end, it came down to Baltimore's ability to not give up and to make the plays they had to make.
Impressive in this game for Baltimore were the performances of rookie receiver Travis Taylor and of quarterback Tony Banks, who made some plays coming down the stretch to give the Ravens their first win ever over the Jaguars.
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"It was like we won the Super Bowl," Banks said.
Sharpe's score ruined a magnificent performance by Smith, who
had 15 catches for a team-record 291 yards and three touchdowns.
"The stats are good, but it doesn't matter when you don't
win," Smith said.
Baltimore (2-0) has never had a winning record or participated
in the playoffs. This year is supposed to be different, and the
Ravens might have announced their arrival by ending their skid
against the playoff-toughened Jaguars (1-1).
"Confidence is very huge in the NFL. We have great players, we
have great coaches. But if you don't believe you can win, that you
can beat a team, you'll never do it," Baltimore linebacker Peter
Boulware said.
The Ravens made one blunder after another in falling behind 17-0
in the first quarter. Smith had 10 catches for 194 yards and two
touchdowns by halftime.
But the second half was all Baltimore.
Rookie Travis Taylor caught his second touchdown pass and
Obafemi Ayanbadejo reeled in a 5-yarder to cut the deficit to 26-22
entering the fourth quarter.
Jacksonville third-string running back Chris Howard, playing
ahead of injured Fred Taylor and Stacey Mack, then lost his second
fumble on the Jaguars 12 with 10:09 left. Banks later hit Jermaine
Lewis in the end zone to give the Ravens their first lead.
It was 32-29 before Brunell brought the Jaguars back with a
61-yard drive that ended when Smith caught a deflected pass and
broke a tackle by Duane Starks to score.
But Banks brought the Ravens back. He was 23-for-40 for 262
yards.
Baltimore's offense was hindered by the loss of wide receiver
Qadry Ismail, who sprained a ligament in his left knee returning a
first-quarter kickoff. Ismail, the team's leading receiver last
year, scored the Ravens' lone touchdown in their season-opening
16-0 win at Pittsburgh.
Brunell, forced to play with a crippled running attack rendered
useless by the Ravens, went 28-for-50 for 386 yards and three TDs.
Brunell quickly quieted the boisterous sellout crowd by
completing a 26-yard pass to Smith on the first play from
scrimmage. The drive was extended when Baltimore was called for 12
men on the field on a third-down sack, setting up a 36-yard field
goal by Mike Hollis.
After a 20-yard punt, an illegal contact penalty against
Baltimore's Chris McAlister on a third-down incompletion was
promptly followed by Smith's touchdown catch covering 45 yards.
The Jaguars used a similar formula to make it 17-0 on their
third possession. After McAlister was called for pass interference
on a third-down play, Smith caught a 43-yard TD pass.
Game notes
Baltimore is 2-0 for the first time. ... Boulware, with two
sacks, has 10 in seven games against the Jaguars. ... The Ravens
had never before overcome a 17-point deficit to win, and the 32
points were the most they've scored in one half.
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ALSO SEE
NFL Scoreboard
Jacksonville Clubhouse
Baltimore Clubhouse
Clayton: Patience pays off for Banks
Despite Smith's big day, Jags leave empty-handed
Week 2 wrap-ups
Week 2 infirmary report
TJ's Take on Week 2
Week 2 stats leaders
Prime Time Players
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Tom Coughlin is unhappy with his team's mistakes on Sunday.
wav: 273 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Tony Banks feels good about his second-half play.
wav: 94 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Shannon Sharpe likes the way Tony Banks played on Sunday.
wav: 389 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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