Jaguars Have the Ravens’ Number

Long after the game was over, Baltimore Raven linebacker Ray Lewis sat in front of his locker in full uniform, too disgusted and disappointed to move.

There might come a day when Lewis and the Ravens celebrate a victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars. At this point, they can do little more than come tantalizingly close.

James Stewart scored a touchdown on a four-yard run with 1:39 left as the Jaguars used a 23-point fourth quarter to record their franchise-record eighth consecutive victory, 30-23.

Jacksonville is 8-0 against Baltimore, including five victories by three points or less. “This was a gut-check game for us. When things weren’t going pretty good, it looked like they had our number,” quarterback Mark Brunell said.

The AFC Central-leading Jaguars (10-1) trailed 16-7 after three quarters and 23-22 with 6:26 remaining. But Brunell was 10 for 13 for 125 yards in the final 15 minutes and finished 27 for 47 for 338 yards and two touchdowns.

Two weeks ago, the Ravens held Brunell and the Jaguars to a franchise-low 132 yards passing. Jacksonville won that game, 6-3.

The Ravens once again gave the AFC Central leaders all they could handle, although that didn’t make the defeat any easier to stomach.

Said running back Errict Rhett: “It’s like they just know they can beat us. We’ve got to change that attitude.”

The Ravens (4-7) were in command until a pivotal 16-second span in the fourth quarter.

Down 16-7, the Jaguars began their comeback when Brunell converted a third-and-16 play with a 24-yard completion to Keenan McCardell. Four plays later, Brunell connected with McCardell for a one-yard touchdown with 11 minutes left.

On first down from the 20, a pressured Tony Banks then threw an ill-advised screen pass that the Jaguars’ Tony Brackens intercepted and returned 15 yards for a touchdown. The conversion pass made it 22-16 with 10:44 left, shifting the pressure to Baltimore.

After an exchange of punts, the Ravens moved to the Jaguar three on a 46-yard pass from Banks to Jermaine Lewis. Chuck Evans caught a three-yard touchdown pass from Banks on the next play to put Baltimore back in front.

But when the Ravens play the Jaguars, no lead is safe. This was no exception.