Sep 16, 2007, 23:54 GMT
Baltimore, MD - Back-up quarterback Kyle Boller threw for 185 yards and two touchdowns on 23-of-35 passing as Baltimore hung on to top the New York Jets, 20-13, in a Week 2 matchup at M&T Bank Stadium.
Willis McGahee carried 26 times for 97 yards and added a touchdown catch for the Ravens (1-1). Todd Heap had seven receptions for 76 yards and a score.
Substitute signal caller Kellen Clemens completed 19-of-37 passes for 260 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions for the Jets (0-2). Jerricho Cotchery caught seven balls for 165 yards and Chris Baker added a TD catch. Thomas Jones gained just 67 yards on 24 carries.
Jets starting quarterback Chad Pennington was held out of the game due to a right ankle injury suffered last Sunday, while Ravens starting quarterback Steve McNair did not start because of a bothersome groin injury suffered last Monday.
'He did some really positive things throughout the game,' Jets coach Eric Mangini said of Clemens. 'I thought he showed great poise. This is a guy making his first start against an outstanding defense that gives multiple looks and pressure. He took their best shot and kept coming, and I was pleased with that. There obviously were some things to work on, but there were a lot of positives.'
Trailing by 14, Clemens led a march late in the fourth, eventually hitting Baker for a three-yard score on 3rd-and-goal with just over three minutes left in regulation to make it 20-13.
New York failed on its onside kick, but held the Ravens to a three-and-out on the next series.
Clemens then hit Cotchery for a 50-yard strike down the middle to begin the next drive. Two plays later, Justin McCareins dropped a potential touchdown pass then Laveranues Coles couldn't come up with another Clemens throw near the end zone from the Ravens' 31. Coles did catch a spectacular ball along the left sideline while being pushed by two defenders to give the Jets a first- and-goal at the seven.
However, Ray Lewis picked off a deflected pass in the end zone on second-and- goal to kill the drive and sew up the victory.
'It's always tense, when they have the ball and you're up by seven and they have a chance,' Ravens coach Brian Billick said. 'But you have to have faith in our defense and we do. We've been here before and we'll probably be here again.'
Baltimore took a 7-0 lead on its third drive of the contest. McGahee's two- yard TD reception capped an 11-play, 65-yard drive.
The Jets responded early in the second on a 50-yard field goal by Mike Nugent, then Matt Stover equalized with a 28-yard make.
The Ravens took a 17-3 lead just before the half on a disputed play. Boller threw to Heap at the left side of the end zone, and there was some question whether or not he had both feet in with possession before falling out of bounds. A lengthy replay confirmed that Heap's one-handed catch was good, and Baltimore took a 14-point lead to the break on the four-yard pass.
After a quiet third quarter, Stover hit a 43-yarder on the first play of the fourth to up the Baltimore edge to 20-3.
The Jets then drove 68 yards in 10 plays, but could only muster a 21-yard field goal from Nugent to make it 20-6.
Game Notes
Baltimore leads the all-time series, 5-1...Ravens head coach Brian Billick improved to 4-0 against the Jets, while Jets head coach Eric Mangini lost his first game facing the Ravens...Ravens offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden also missed the game after aggravating a toe injury...Ravens defensive end Trevor Pryce suffered a broken wrist...Jets kick returner Justin Miller left the game with an undisclosed injury...Boller had a 110.6 rating in the first half, while Clemens clocked in at 19.4...The Jets had only 107 yards of offense through three quarters.
© 2007 The Sports Network
Game Notes.
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