NFL Week 8 Top Plays: Ravens Defeat Bucs On Thursday Night Football

Week 8 of the NFL season kicked off with Thursday Night Football will feature the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tom Brady defending their home field against Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens.

Although Tampa led 7-3 early on, Baltimore’s defense held Brady in check as the game progressed, and the Ravens’ rushing attack was successful. The Buccaneers are now 3-5, while the Ravens are now 5-3 overall.

Mishandled!

Having to punt on their opening drive, the Ravens received a huge break when Tampa’s Dee Delaney botched the snap, giving them the ball back inside the 20-yard line.

Due to the expensive error, Baltimore was able to score an early field goal and take a 3-0 lead.

Putting It Together

On their opening drive, the Buccaneers displayed excellent play, as if they had faced no offensive difficulties prior to the contest. To advance into the end zone, Tom Brady and company put together a difficult eight-play, 75-yard drive by combining the run and pass.

No Sir

Baltimore was stopped on third down in the red zone late in the second quarter after getting close to the goal line.

Jackson and John Harbaugh decided to try for six instead of three when they had a fourth-and-2, but the play was stopped when Jamel Dean jumped in front of a Jackson lob pass.

Andrews Ruled Out

Mark Andrews, Jackson’s go-to target, was ruled out for the remainder of the game early in the third quarter after suffering a shoulder injury in the first half.

Get Your Groove On

Without Andrews on board, Jackson started acting independently. He hadn’t been particularly successful rushing the ball over the past couple of weeks, but he came alive with a variety of ankle-breakers to lead a nine-play, 77-yard scoring drive that tied the game at 10.

Unlikely Hero

The Ravens needed a playmaker to step up in Andrews’ absence, and they received assistance from a surprising source in the form of rookie Isaiah Likely, who made a significant impact with a crucial 10-yard touchdown catch in the back of the end zone. Late in the third quarter, the hiccup gave Baltimore a 17-10 lead.

Going Up!

Brady and his crew answered with three of their own points. Brady threw a long pass into the air, and when it came down, it fell right into Mike Evans’ hands. Tampa was able to keep it within a possession with a chip shot field goal after the long connection, which was good for 51 yards.

Keep It Pushing

On its subsequent drive, the Ravens’ offense got back to work, relying on a strong push from its offensive line to cover 83 yards in nine plays. Devin Duvernay completed the drive with a quick 15-yard run around the left end. Baltimore now led Tampa 27-16, and despite the Buccaneers scoring a late field goal to cut the lead to five points, the Ravens recovered the ensuing onside kick to claim victory.

Reference: https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/nfl-week-8-top-plays-ravens-face-bucs-on-thursday-night-football