The Ravens have already played four prime time games this season, winning both at home and losing both on the road. They have another one coming up soon at home vs. Cleveland and could always have yet another flexed to Sunday night depending on how the rest of the season plays out.
The Ravens have played 75 prime time games in their 26 years, working to an average of almost three per season. They have won 42 of them with 33 losses. The home/away split is 24-8 vs. 18-25. The team’s record on Sunday nights is 16-13 (Miami is #1 at 19-9), 15-13 on Monday night (Seattle is #1 at 27-11), 8-6 on Thursday, and 3-1 on other nights.
Understandably, the Ravens were not in demand for prime-time games early on after moving to Baltimore, only drawing one appearance in each of their first four seasons. That was actually merciful since they lost three of the four, including a 37-0 beatdown in Pittsburgh. The first prime time game at home was a success, with the Ravens beating Cincinnati 31-24 on Sunday night in Week 4 of 1998, led by Jermaine Lewis’ 73-yard touchdown reception and 87-yard punt return touchdown.
In 2000, the Ravens made two prime-time appearances in the same season for the first time, both on Sunday night, splitting road games at Miami (L 19-6) and Jacksonville (W 15-10). After that season, Baltimore has always had at least two primetime games every season, with a record five in 2011 (including the first Harbaugh Bowl on Thanksgiving night). That record will be matched, perhaps broken, this season.
Ravens’ fans have long complained about the discrepancy in road vs. home games, a complaint that is supported by the numbers so far, 43 away games vs. 32 at home. This is particularly significant given the huge difference in their road vs. home primetime record.
Now allow me to offer the primetime games that jump out at me as the most memorable in franchise history.
Baltimore 33, Dallas 24, Week 16 (Saturday night), 2008
This game was set up as a celebration of the Cowboys’ final game in Texas Stadium (the stadium with a hole in the roof so God could watch his team play, it was said). This was the next-to-last week of the season and both teams were in the middle of a fight for the playoffs. Due in large part to this result, the Ravens made it, the Cowboys did not.
The Ravens led most of the way and were on top 19-10 with 6:30 left after Matt Stover’s fourth field goal of the game. The Ravens only touchdown had been set up by a first-down by punter/holder Sam Koch on a fake field goal in the third quarter. Things got a bit crazy in the closing minutes of the game and the stadium.
Cowboys QB Tony Romo marched his team down the field despite serious pressure from the Ravens defense to keep them in the game. His seven-yard touchdown pass with 3:50 left brought Dallas within 19-17. Baltimore quickly responded and seemed to put the game away when Willis McGahee burst through the middle of the Dallas defense and coasted to a 77-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage after the kickoff. Romo and the Cowboys’ offense answered on a 21-yard touchdown pass to TE Jason Whitten to cut the Ravens lead to 26-24 with 1:36 left and three timeouts remaining.
Then Jameel McClain called ballgame. He busted through the line and rolled to an 82-yard touchdown (the longest by a visiting player in Texas Stadium history) and sealed the Ravens’ 33-24 win. After the game, McGahee said, “It wasn’t a homecoming, it was a mock funeral. We spoiled their day.” Yes, and gave an early Christmas present to their fans.
Baltimore 31, New England 30, Week 3 (Monday night), 2012
Thas was the teams’ first meeting since the 2011 AFC Championship game that ended with a heartbreaking loss for the Ravens. I will always remember it, however, as the Torrey Smith game.
Smith had learned earlier that day that his brother had died in a motorcycle crash (he was acknowledged with a moment of silence before the game) but suited up to play anyway. And brother, did he play. Smith made six catches for 127 yards and two touchdowns, the second one drawing Baltimore within 30-28 with 4:01 remaining in the game.
The officials played an outsized part in this game-replacement officials since the regular ones were out in a labor dispute. There was a total of 24 accepted penalties for 218 yards. On New England’s final possession, the M&T Bank Stadium crowd finally had enough of it and entered into what broadcaster Al Michaels called “the largest manure chant I’ve ever heard.” It was loud and clear for sure and went on for a while. The Ravens’ defense held, and the offense got the ball back at their 21-yard line with 1:55 left and only one timeout.
Three consecutive Joe Flacco completions moved Baltimore down to the Patriot 35-yard line, but two plays later the Ravens faced 3rd-and-9. An obvious pass interference penalty moved the ball inside the New England 10-yard line, setting up a game-winning field goal attempt by Baltimore’s untested rookie placekicker, Justin Tucker. Every star needs to survive his first moment at center stage, and Tucker did…barely. He sliced the kick jussssst inside the right upright. A game that Michaels astutely called “wild and crazy” ended with 899 total yards of offense and a thrilling win on one of the most emotional nights in Ravens history.
Baltimore 18, Detroit 16, Week 15 (Monday night), 2013
This qualifies as a memorable game, not a good one. It was an awful game, really. The Ravens had lots of trouble scoring in 2013, and on this night, they took a 15-10 lead in the fourth quarter on Justin Tucker’s fifth field goal of the game. The Lions scored a touchdown with 2:21 left to take a 16-15 lead (they failed on the two-point attempt), and Baltimore got one last chance to respond.
Joe Flacco completed a critical 27-yard pass to Jacoby Jones on 3rd-and-15, but the offense stalled out and appeared to be setting up a…60 yard field goal attempt for the win? Facing 4th-and-7 at Detroit’s 43-yard line, Flacco lined up the offense to go for it, but Coach Harbaugh called time out and sent Tucker in. This kick also just snuck inside the right upright, officially a 61 yarder. Matt Elam’s subsequent interception of Lion QB Matthew Stafford iced the game for the Ravens.
Before Tucker’s game winner, MNF play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico pointed out that Detroit had been on the losing end of Tom Dempsey’s then-record 63-yard field goal, and I’m sure readers remember Tucker’s 66-yarder in Detroit a few weeks ago. The Lions certainly have an interesting, and for them unpleasant, legacy regarding long field goals.
No, I did not forget the Ravens’ wild 47-42 Monday night win in Cleveland last season. That one gets its own column later in the season.
Fascinating Factoid of the Week
Historically, one of the worst teams on Sunday nights is…the Cleveland Browns, which bodeS well for the Ravens’ upcoming game with them. The Browns have lost 10 of their 12 appearances on Sunday night, two of them to Baltimore. The only team worse than them on Sunday night is Cincinnati, winning only 3 of their 19 appearances.
The Bengals also stink on Monday night; their 12-25 mark is only slightly better than Detroit’s. The Lions 6-13 record is the worst on Monday nights, so at least with as few appearances as they make their fans don’t usually have to stay up late to watch them lose.
I’ll be skipping a week to enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday. In two weeks, it will be Steelers’ week, and I’ll be taking a look back at the Ravens-Steelers’ rivalry to date.
Until then, you can follow me on Twitter @jimjfootball and remember; it’s okay to look back as long as you live forward!
Jim Johnson spent most of his life in Maryland, growing up with the Orioles, the Colts, Terps, and later Ravens. He started his sports writing career as “The Courtmaster,” covering the Terps and ACC hoops and was a frequent guest on Bob Haynie’s old WNST show and other sports talk across the region. He is currently in his second run at BSL. After previously covering Maryland and Big Ten Football, he now writes about the NFL, primarily the action in the AFC North. Jim covers both current and historic stories, seeking perspective and having fun in the process.