The matchup in Baltimore between the Saints and Ravens was one of several key games with heavy playoff implications Sunday. Baltimore won it 30-24 to solidify their playoff chances, making both teams 10-4. The defense held New Orleans to just 269 yards and forced two turnovers, ending the Saints’ six game winning streak. The rest of the work was taken care of by running back Ray Rice.
If you saw any of the game, it felt like every time you looked up Rice was breaking a big play. The pint-sized runner from Rutgers rushed for 153 yards on 31 carries, both season highs. He ran in Baltimore’s second touchdown giving them a 14-7 lead, and then he made it 21-7 with a beautiful 17-yard touchdown catch in single coverage. In addition to the season high rushing game, Rice also was the team’s leading receiver by far, racking up five catches for 80 yards.
Rice has had several big games in his career (see last year’s playoff game against the Patriots, his 155-yard game last year against the Steelers), but this was his best. Rice’s 233 scrimmage yards were a career high for the emerging star, and the best part is they came against a strong defense and in a key game with the playoffs on the line. It was great timing for the Ravens, but probably too late for most fantasy owners who were burned by Rice’s disappointing season until now.
Photo Credit: AP Photo/Nick Wass
