Ravens Turn Back Jets for First Win
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If the Ravens are going to make a championship run, they first have to learn how not to trip over themselves.
A week after the offense gave the season opener away with turnovers, the Ravens defense needed a late Ray Lewis interception in the end zone to avoid a dramatic fourth-quarter collapse and escape with a 20-13 victory over the New York Jets before an anxious 71,246 at M&T Bank Stadium.
Holding a 17-point lead in the fourth quarter, the Ravens sweated out the final two minutes because of uncharacteristic defensive breakdowns. Missed tackles, shoddy coverage and an untimely penalty put New York in prime position to send the game into overtime.
Backup quarterback Kellen Clemens, who was replacing an injured Chad Pennington, marched the Jets to the Ravens' 7-yard line before his final pass went off the outstretched hands of Justin McCareins in the end zone and fell into the arms of Lewis.
In the end, only three miscues by the Jets around the goal line (two drops by McCareins and a low throw by Clemens) allowed the Ravens to even their record at 1-1.
"Nothing's ever easy for us," said Lewis, who played with strained triceps in his right arm. "I've learned that when you get someone down, you have to put them away. But the bottom line is we won. No ifs, ands or buts. We won."
Read More: Ravens turn back Jets for first win [Baltimore Sun]
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