MNF Recap: DOUBLEHEADER

The weekly recaps are written by former Stanford kicker Derek Belch.

Ravens 34
Texans 28

What a Game

Monday was a fantasy bonanza for nearly every player that you would have considered starting on both teams, all part of one of the best Monday night football games we’ve seen in a long, long time. While Matt Schaub will be remembered for the interception he threw to end the game in overtime, he played brilliantly the entire second half to even make that interception possible. Schaub completed 31 of 62 passes for 393 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions. Two of those touchdowns were thrown to cap off consecutive 90+ yard drives that absolutely gassed the Ravens defense.

Andre Johnson, who hasn’t posted consecutive 100 yard games all season, was coming off a 6 catch, 149 yard effort last week against Philadelphia, and thus due for a stinker, right? Wrong. Johnson was spectacular again when you needed him most, catching nine passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns. His second score was particularly impressive, as he hovered his right hand briefly above the ground out of bounds to give his second foot time to get down in the endzone. Johnson wasn’t the only Texan to have a big night, however, as Jacoby Jones and Owen Daniels finally delivered the games owners have been waiting for all season. Daniels caught five passes for 91 yards, despite dropping several passes, and Jones caught five passes for 52 yards, one touchdown, and one two point conversion. You probably didn’t have these two guys starting, however.

For Baltimore, Joe Flacco posted another solid night, completing 22 of 33 passes for 235 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. And once again, his leading receiver was veteran stalwart Derrick Mason, who caught six passes for 78 yards and two touchdowns. Mason’s day could have actually been even better, had he not dropped a first quarter bomb that would have surely resulted in a touchdown. Ray Rice was Baltimore’s second leading receiver, hauling in eight passes for 66 yards to go with his 54 rushing yards (on 19 carries). If the Ravens’ defensive woes weren’t enough to cause you to scratch your head, then maybe Rice’s rushing average the past six weeks will. Last night was the fourth time since Baltimore’s bye (in week 8) that Rice has averaged less than four yards per carry. The good news? Rice received 19 carries last night to Willis McGahee’s four (for seven yards and a one-yard touchdown, unfortunately).

The Other Guys

So who didn’t blow up last night? Two guys who you probably expected more from: Anquan Boldin and Arian Foster. Boldin, coming off one of his best games of the season last week against Pittsburgh, managed only three catches for 41 yards last night against the worst secondary in the NFL. While there were several instances last night in which Houston looked miserable as ever on defense, as a whole they played pretty well, sacking Joe Flacco five times and coming up big on several key third downs. The good news, I suppose, is that Boldin was targeted eight times last night, good for second on the team. Unfortunately, however, Flacco just isn’t looking for Boldin in key situations; that’s where he’s looking for (and finding) Derrick Mason.

As for Foster, we can’t exactly call 100 yards rushing and 25 yards receiving (on four catches) bad, can we? Foster averaged exactly five yards per carry rushing, and did everything asked of him except score a touchdown, only the fifth game this year that he’s failed to score. The Houston offensive line actually did a good job run blocking against a unit that, entering last night, was ranked seventh against the run. Houston just had to throw too often in a comeback effort, and the Texan receivers were having their way with the Raven defense. With Tennessee, Denver, and Jacksonville left on the schedule, I fully expect Foster to finish the year with a bang.

Quick Hits… From Detroit

As we’ve already mentioned all key statistics from last night’s Baltimore-Houston game, let’s quickly run down what happened in Detroit last night, after the Vikings and the Giants were forced to play their game at Ford Field due to the roof of the Metrodome collapsing on Sunday. This will be pretty quick, as there’s very little to discuss from the Minnesota offense. Playing in place of Brett Favre, Tarvaris Jackson completed only 15 of 30 passes for 118 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception. Sixty of those yards went to Sidney Rice, who caught five passes, while Bernard Berrian also caught five passes for 30 yards. Adrian Peterson, coming off his thrashing of the Buffalo Bills last weekend, managed only 26 yards on 14 carries, his lowest single-game rushing total of the season… For the New York Giants, it was another game led by the rushing tandem of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw, who rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries and 103 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries, respectively. Both backs broke long runs, Bradshaw’s resulting in a touchdown. While Bradshaw injured his forearm in the game and is already questionable for next week, there’s no reason to not play both of these guys going forward no matter the opponent (if healthy)… Eli Manning struggled early, but rallied to throw for 187 yards, one touchdown (to Kevin Boss), and two interceptions. It was good to see Hakeem Nicks back with no apparent ill effects from his compartment syndrome three weeks ago. Nicks led all Giant receivers with seven catches for 96 yards, and was overthrown on a sure long touchdown in the first half. Nicks looks ready to help your team make a championship run.