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Jamison Hensley
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Jamison Hensley
ESPN Staff Writer
- Jamison Hensley is a reporter covering the Baltimore Ravens for ESPN. Jamison joined ESPN in 2011, covering the AFC North before focusing exclusively on the Ravens beginning in 2013. Jamison won the National Sports Media Association Maryland Sportswriter of the Year award in 2018, and he authored a book titled: Flying High: Stories of the Baltimore Ravens. He was the Ravens beat writer for the Baltimore Sun from 2000-2011.
Multiple Authors
BALTIMORE — The Jacksonville Jaguars beat the Ravens — and Mother Nature — 33-10 on Thursday night at M&T Bank Stadium.
It might not have always been pretty, in part because of intermittent heavy rain, but the Jaguars (6-2) surpassed 30 points for the third consecutive game and fifth time this season. Cam Little tied his career high with four field goals, the defense intercepted rookie quarterback Joe Fagnano twice and the Jaguars forced three turnovers for the ninth time since the start of last season. Fagnano was making his first start because of injuries to Tyler Huntley (turf toe) and Lamar Jackson (right thumb injury).
This also was the third consecutive game in which the Jaguars have played in the rain. They dealt with it in London in Week 6 (a loss to the Houston Texans at Wembley Stadium) and in Jacksonville in last Sunday’s 42-7 victory over the Indianapolis Colts at EverBank Stadium.
Here are the most important things to know for both teams:
Trend to watch: Wideout Parker Washington was one of the league’s best punt returners in the past two seasons (three returned for touchdowns). However, he’s made minimal impact as a returner this season. He entered the game averaging 3.5 yards on eight returns and hadn’t returned a punt since Week 6. He failed to catch any of the Ravens’ three punts in the first half and finished with one return for 11 on the night. The Jaguars gave Travis Hunter some reps as a returner Sunday, and that’s something to monitor as the Jaguars try to jump-start their special teams unit. Hunter did not have any returns Thursday.
Stat to know: Washington’s 50-yard catch and run for a touchdown in the second quarter was the Jaguars’ 11th offensive touchdown of at least 20 yards this season. That’s the most in the NFL, per ESPN Research, and the New England Patriots are second with nine. The Jaguars had nine offensive touchdowns of 20-plus yards last season.
Next game: vs. Tennessee Titans (Nov. 15, at 1 p.m. ET)
The Ravens’ struggles without Jackson have reached historic levels.
In losing for the fourth straight time, Baltimore has dropped its third straight by 20 or more points. This is the first time that’s happened in the Ravens’ 31-year history.
With undrafted rookie quarterback Fagnano making his first start, the Ravens tried to be creative with running back Derrick Henry running the Wildcat. But Fagnano, who was 10-of-18 for 60 yards and two interceptions, and the Baltimore offense looked overmatched.
In what has been a nightmarish stretch for first-year head coach Jesse Minter, the Ravens have now been held to under 14 points in three straight games for the first time in team history. Baltimore turned the ball over three times.
Baltimore (4-5) has to figure out how to manage without Jackson (right thumb), who was placed on injured reserve Thursday and will miss at least the next three games. There is hope with Baltimore expected to finalize a trade for veteran journeyman quarterback Jacoby Brissett this weekend.
Most surprising performance: Zay Flowers. He was held to six yards on three catches, which is the result of Fagnano not being able to stretch the field. In the first seven weeks, Flowers was among the NFL’s top receivers with 40 catches for 608 yards. He then was held to no catches in the last game and had three catches (on six targets) for six yards on Thursday.
Stat to know: In the second quarter, Ravens safety Malaki Starks was beaten for a 50-yard touchdown pass to Washington, which has been a major weakness of this defense. Entering this game, Baltimore had allowed 1,421 yards to wide receivers, which was the third most in the league. Only the Philadelphia Eagles and Titans have allowed more to wide receivers this season. It didn’t help that the Ravens were without top cornerback Nate Wiggins, who was inactive with an illness.
Trend to watch: The Ravens keep hurting themselves on offense, leading the NFL with 24 false starts. With a small margin of error without Jackson at QB, Baltimore committed three false starts in the first half: offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley, tight end Mark Andrews and wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane. It’s been a perplexing problem for Baltimore, which had 19 false starts all of last season.
Next game: vs. Los Angeles Chargers (Nov. 16, at 8:15 p.m. ET)
