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SPORTS Wednesday 29 november 2017
Suggs, Ravens get defensive in 23-16 win over Texans

By DAVID GINSBURG Flacco went 20 for 32 for
AP Sports Writer 141 yards.
BALTIMORE (AP) — Take the The Ravens (6-5) have won
ball away from the other consecutive games for the
guys, hold onto it yourself first time since they opened
and make sure nothing the season 2-0. They are
happens to Justin Tucker. now above .500 for the first
That, apparently, is the for- time since Oct. 8 and tied
mula the Baltimore Ravens with Buffalo for the final
intend to use to reach the AFC wild-card spot.
playoffs. Houston (4-7) has lost four
Terrell Suggs led an ag- of five.
gressive defense that Savage, who has start-
kept Houston out of the ed the last four games in
end zone for the final 51 place of injured DeShaun
minutes, and the Ravens Watson, completed 22 of
forced two turnovers in the 37 passes for 252 yards.
final 5 minutes to secure a But he gave the ball away
23-16 victory on Monday three times, and that was
night. the difference.
“If the game’s on the line, “You’re not going to win
you’ve got to be comfort- any games when you turn
able when your defense is it over and you don’t get
out there,” Suggs said. “It any turnovers,” O’Brien
feels good.” said. Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker C.J. Mosley (57) and Houston Texans offensive guard Xavier
After Suggs stripped the Aided by three penalties Su’a-Filo chase after a Texans fumble in the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, Nov.
ball from quarterback Tom against Baltimore, the Tex- 27, 2017, in Baltimore. Baltimore recovered the ball on the play.
Savage and Baltimore re- ans traveled the length of Associated Press
covered, Tucker kicked his the field and went up 7-0
third field goal with 2:53 re- on a 4-yard touchdown run
maining for a seven-point by Lamar Miller.
cushion. That would be Houston’s
Anthony Levine then inter- last sniff of the end zone.
cepted a Savage pass to “It’s hard to run the ball on
clinch it. these guys,” O’Brien said.
The Ravens picked off two “You try to stay balanced
passes to increase their and we couldn’t really
NFL-leading total to 18, run it.”Early in the second
and their three takeaways quarter, after a third-down
upped their league-best incompletion, the Ravens
total to 26. appeared poised to punt
Asked to assess Savage’s for the fourth time in four
performance, Houston series. But Koch lofted a
coach Bill O’Brien said: pass to Chris Moore , a
“Can’t turn it over. I thought play that went for 22 yards
he did some good things, to the Houston 19. That set
but he turned it over too up a 10-yard touchdown
many times.” run by Javorius Allen, who
Baltimore, in turn, did not reached the end zone with
commit a turnover. a healthy push from several
Suggs had two sacks, Alex of his teammates.
Collins ran for 60 yards and An interception by Tony
a touchdown, and punter Jefferson was followed by
Sam Koch threw perhaps a fourth-and-1 gamble in
Baltimore’s most significant which Collins took a quick
pass of the game. pitch and ran for 29 yards
Baltimore coach John Har- to the Houston 8. Collins
baugh called for a fake covered the final 8 yards
punt, converted a fourth on the following play for a
down with a rarely used 14-7 lead.
pitchout and had quarter- The teams traded field
back Joe Flacco line up at goals in the final two min-
wide receiver on a play in utes before halftime.
which Collins took a direct GET THE BALL
snap. Suggs joked about how for-
“You always have them in mer Ravens linebacker Ray
the game plan,” Flacco Lewis loved pouncing on
said. “It’s just the flow of the loose balls.
game.” “Every time I’m ready to
All of this added spice to a get the ball, I can hear
stagnant offense that pro- Ray Lewis say, ‘Sizzle, get
tected the ball and did just the ball. I want the ball,’”
enough to win. Suggs said. q