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Posted on Mon, Nov. 02, 2009

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Broncos' streak comes to an end

By DAVID GINSBURG

Associated Press

BALTIMORE — The Denver Broncos went from unbeaten to overmatched during a 60-minute beatdown by the Baltimore Ravens.

Rookie Lardarius Webb returned the second-half kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown, and Baltimore ended a three-game losing streak with a surprisingly easy 30-7 victory Sunday.

It was Denver's first loss under rookie head coach Josh McDaniels. The Broncos (6-1) came in with the NFL's top-ranked defense, a plus-7 turnover differential and one of the league's best kick returners in Eddie Royal. Denver had also outscored the opposition 76-10 after halftime.

The Ravens, however, dominated every facet of the game.

"We didn't play our best ball, but they're a pretty good team and they beat us pretty good today on all sides of the ball," Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton said. "We didn't really do a whole lot."

Baltimore (4-3) limited Denver to 200 yards, scored off the game's lone turnover, won the special teams fight and outscored the Broncos 24-7 in the second half.

Denver started the day as one of three unbeaten teams in the NFL and was trying to go 7-0 for the first time since 1998. Baltimore needed a win to avoid falling under .500 and dropping two games behind Pittsburgh and Cincinnati in the AFC North.

In a duel between an undefeated team and a desperate one, the Ravens prevailed.

"They just did a better job of executing. Desperation had nothing to do with it," Broncos safety Brian Dawkins said.Baltimore held Royal in check, bottled up Orton and became the first team this season to rush for more than 100 yards against Denver. Given two weeks to think about a three-game skid in which they lost by a combined 11 points, the Ravens started fast and never relented.

"We know we're capable of doing this kind of thing," said Joe Flacco, who went 20 for 25 for 175 yards and a touchdown. "We had a chance in the other games. Today we finished. That's why we won."

DenBal

First downs1716

Total Net Yards200292

Rushes-yards19-6635-125

Passing134167

Punt Returns2-53-17

Kickoff Returns6-1122-112

Interceptions Ret. 0-00-0

Comp-Att-Int23-37-020-25-0

Sacked-Yards Lost2-182-8

Punts8-38.44-44.3

Fumbles-Lost1-11-0

Penalties-Yards6-358-94

Time of Possession26:2333:37

Denver007 0—o 7 Baltimore331014—30

First Quarter

Bal—FG Hauschka 43, :56.

Second Quarter

Bal—FG Hauschka 35, 4:58.

Third Quarter

Bal—Webb 95 kickoff return (Hauschka kick), 14:46.

Den—Moreno 1 run (Prater kick), 9:46.

Bal—FG Hauschka 31, 4:55.

Fourth Quarter

Bal—Mason 20 pass from Flacco (Hauschka kick), 13:07.

Bal—Rice 7 run (Hauschka kick), 1:59.

A—71,132.

Individual Statistics

Rushing—Denver, Moreno 10-39, Buckhalter 8-16, Orton 1-11. Baltimore, Rice 23-84, L.McClain 3-31, Flacco 5-5, Clayton 1-4, Heap 1-2, McGahee 2-(minus 1).

Passing—Denver, Orton 23-37-0-152. Baltimore, Flacco 20-25-0-175.

Receiving—Denver, Buckhalter 6-30, Marshall 4-24, Gaffney 3-43, Graham 3-30, Hillis 2-10, Royal 2-10, Moreno 2-(minus 4), Scheffler 1-9. Baltimore, Rice 5-24, K.Washington 4-58, Mason 4-40, Clayton 3-33, Heap 3-16, McGahee 1-4.

Missed Field Goals—None.