For the third time in three Ravens' victories this season, Justin Tucker drilled the game-winning field goal, this time pushing Baltimore past the St. Louis Rams in a 16-13 rock fight. Here's what you need to know:
- The Ravens' last-second victory couldn't have been more pyrrhic in nature. After losing starting tailback Justin Forsett to a fractured arm in the first half, coach John Harbaugh announced at his postgame presser that Joe Flacco is done for the season with a torn ACL and a possible torn MCL. Flacco could barely stand on the offense's final play after suffering the injury earlier on the game-ending possession. Since the start of the season, Baltimore (3-7) has seen the football gods strike down Flacco, Forsett, No. 1 receiver Steve Smith, defensive leader Terrell Suggs, speedy first-round draft pick Breshad Perriman and center Jeremy Zuttah. Between the litany of major injuries and stomach-punch losses at the buzzer, this has been a nightmare season in Baltimore.
- Tucker can thank the Rams' offensive ineptitude for his second shot at the game-winner after he and Greg Zuerlein traded misses of 50-plus yards with less than two minutes left in the game. The Rams (4-6) got the ball with 1:13 remaining, only to see Case Keenum suffer a concussion when his helmet bounced off the turf on a hit from Timmy Jernigan. Eschewing the NFL's concussion policy, St. Louis' coaching staff allowed Keenum to remain in the game -- only to be punished with a strip sack by Courtney Upshaw to set up Tucker's 47-yarder. Responsible for two of the Rams' four turnovers while failing to move the chains, Keenum cannot be considered an upgrade on the banished Nick Foles.
- St. Louis' formula of a steady dose of Gurley with a sprinkling of Tavon Austin to go with a marauding defense simply doesn't work without competent play from the quarterback and offensive line. Beyond the obvious stumbles of Foles and Keenum, the blocking has been problematic. Left tackle Greg Robinson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, leads the NFL in holding penalties and whiffed on Upshaw's sack, resulting in Keenum's head bouncing off the turf. The right side of the offensive line featured overmatched rookies Cody Wichmann and Andrew Donnal, the latter leaving with a concussion. As impressive as Gurley has been, he can only overcome so much. At 4-6 with no quarterback answer on the horizon, the Rams are on the outside looking at the NFC wild-card hunt.
- If sterling defensive-tackle play puts a pep in your step, it's worth checking out NFL Game Pass for two of the football's most dominant pocket pushers in Aaron Donald and Brandon Williams. Donald spent the afternoon fashioning clown suits for the interior of Baltimore's offensive line, highlighted by the play in which he ended Forsett's season with a slam tackle that resulted in a fractured arm. Instrumental in bottling up Todd Gurley for 2.64 yards per carry, Williams owned the line of scrimmage for the Ravens.
