Hail Mary: Ravens kick their way to a win on MNF

Baltimore entered the Lions den on Monday night knowing that they still had an outside chance of winning the AFC North, whereas Detroit needed to keep pace with the Bears in the NFC North.

Reggie Bush ended the night with 86 yards rushing, ran in the opening score from 14 yards away, but the Ravens went in at halftime 9-7 ahead off the back of Justin Tuckers boot. This was to set the tone for the rest of the night in Baltimore’s 18-16 winning effort.

Baltimore have never been a team that could light up the scoreboard, and they have struggled this year more than before and have relied on Tuckers kicking to get them out of a hole more than once.

The teams exchanged field goals into the fourth quarter and with Detroit trailing by five they finally managed to drive deep on the Ravens D resulting in Matthew Stafford’s 14 yards pass to Justin Fauria, ahead by a point they went for a two-point conversion which failed.

Stafford had three interceptions on the night and turnovers are becoming a real problem for Detroit are they need to buck the trend if they are to challenge down the stretch.

With just over two minutes left Joe Flacco got the Ravens to the Lions 43 yard line and Tucker would go for his sixth field goal attempt of the night, a franchise record, and at 61 yards it would be the longest of his career, but such was his confidence he told John Harbaugh that he could make it – instead of the tam going for it on 4th and 5.

The kick had enough distance and made it inside the right upright by a foot, lifting the Ravens to 8-6 on the year, and are now on a four game win streak keeping them in the last wild card spot but could still catch Cincinnati who they play on they last day of the season. Detroit are now behind both Chicago and Green Bay in their division and need help from elsewhere now.