Ravens get defensive, register 8 sacks in 20-12 win over lowly Jaguars

BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Ravens did just enough to get past the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars and remain in the thick of the AFC playoff race.

Baltimore sacked rookie Blake Bortles eight times and returned a blocked punt for a touchdown to squeeze out a lackluster 20-12 victory Sunday.

The Ravens (9-5) gained only 31 yards rushing through three quarters and scored just once with their offense on the field. But the defense was sound, and special teams helped Baltimore escape with its four win in five games.

Terrell Suggs was credited with 2 1/2 sacks and rookie Timmy Jernigan, starting for the suspended Haloti Ngata, had two.

Jacksonville (2-12) tried just about everything in its bid to pull off an upset, including an onside kick and a fake punt. Both worked, but it wasn't enough to earn the Jaguars their first win on the road.

Joe Flacco went 20 for 30 for 221 yards and a touchdown for the Ravens, who blanked the Jaguars over the final 30 minutes after trailing at halftime.

Bortles completed 21 of 37 passes for 210 yards, and an interception that came in the game's final minute. He threw under pressure for most of the game — Baltimore's season-high seven sacks increased the number Jacksonville has yielded this season to 62.

After leaving to jeers on its first series of the second half, the Ravens mounted an 80-yard drive to take a 17-12 lead with 8:34 left in the third quarter. Flacco went 5 of 5 for 65 yards, including a 27-yard completion to Owen Daniels and a 3-yard touchdown pass to the tight end.

The Jaguars were then poised for a three-and-out, but punter Bryan Anger flipped a pass to Will Ta'ufo'ou for 19 yards to extend the drive. Five plays later, however, Jacksonville punted.

Neither team had much success moving the ball until the Ravens put together a late 49-yard march that produced a field goal and an eight-point cushion with 1:11 remaining.

Baltimore trailed 12-10 at halftime after gaining only 13 yards on the ground and going 0 for 6 on third-down conversions.

Three straight plays during the game's opening series showed why Jacksonville came to town with only two wins. After tight end Mercedes Lewis dropped a second-down pass, Bortles missed connecting with a wide-open Cecil Shorts.

Scobee answered with a 53-yard field goal, then added a 45-yarder after Bortles was sacked twice following a first-and-goal.

Minutes later, Jacksonville recovered a fumble by Kyle Juszczyk and Scobee kicked another 53-yarder for a 9-7 lead. The Jaguars added to Baltimore's misery by pulling off a successful onside kick.

But Scobee misfired from 42 yards out, and the Ravens went 65 yards the other way before Justin Tucker kicked a field goal.