NEW ORLEANS (AP) – Kenyan Drake rushed for 93 yards and two touchdowns, Justin Houston had an interception for his third straight multi-sack game and the Baltimore Ravens beat the New Orleans Saints 27-13 on Monday night.
Lamar Jackson passed for a touchdown and frustrated New Orleans (3-6) with his mobility, rushing for 82 yards and showing an array of leaps and turns as he helped Baltimore (6-3) win its third straight and stay atop the AFC North , one game ahead of Cincinnati.
The Saints entered the game with a chance to tie atop the anemic NFC South with Atlanta and Tampa Bay. Instead, they were outplayed by a Baltimore team that was missing several offensive starters, including tight end Mark Andrews and running back Gus Edwards.
The Ravens converted nine of 15 third downs and had 319 total yards. The Saints were 3 of 11 on third down and finished with 243 yards. Baltimore had the ball for 37:47.
Andy Dalton passed for 210 yards and New Orleans’ lone touchdown to tight end Juwan Johnson, who came in when the game was almost out of reach in the fourth quarter. Alvin Kamara was limited to 62 yards from scrimmage, his lowest output in five games.
Dalton was sacked four times and his interception came on a pass thrown by Brent Urban. The play set up Drake’s second TD.
Baltimore’s defense suffocated New Orleans on its first four possessions, limiting the Saints to 13 combined plays.
Consequently, the endurance of the New Orleans defense was tested as the unit battled the elusive Jackson for 19:31 of the first half. Baltimore’s star QB didn’t let that time go to waste.
As he rolled to the right, he found tight end Isaiah Likely who ran the flag for a 24-yard score to make it 7-0 in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Jackson orchestrated a 12-play, 81-yard drive that included runs of 7, 16 and 12 yards. Drake capped it off by running into the end zone virtually untouched from a yard out for a 14-0 lead.
Wil Lutz got the Saints on the board with a field goal as time expired in the half — but not before Dalton brought down wide receiver Maquez Callaway in the end zone.
Jackson completed 12 of 22 passes for 133 yards with no interceptions.
MEMORIES OF THE MILLS
The Saints held a halftime ceremony to honor the late linebacker Sam Mills, who was posthumously inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this summer.
Saints Hall of Famers Rickey Jackson, Willie Roaf and Morten Andersen appeared on the field in gold jackets, along with linebacker Pat Swilling, who was part of the famed “Dome Patrol” linebacker corps that also included Jackson, Mills and Vaughan Johnson .
Their coach, Jim Mora, also appeared as a video montage of Mills Saints highlights played on the Superdome video boards.
INJURIES
Ravens: Right tackle Morgan Moses drew attention on the field during the third quarter.
Saints: Center Eric McCoy had to leave the field with a calf injury late in the second quarter. Pete Werner was taken to the locker room in the third quarter with an ankle injury. Defensive end Marcus Davenport left in the second half with a calf injury.
NEXT
Ravens: After the bye, host Carolina on Nov. 20.
Saints: Visit Pittsburgh on Sunday.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
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