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Ravens pull away from Texans

Oct 17, 2011 - 12:58 AM Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Billy Cundiff tied a franchise record by making five field goals and Joe Flacco threw for 305 yards as Baltimore downed Houston, 29-14.

Flacco completed 20-of-33 passes with a rushing score and Ray Rice ended with 101 yards on 23 carries for the Ravens (4-1), who have won three straight games.

Anquan Boldin led all receivers with 132 yards on eight receptions and Ricky Williams added a late rushing TD for Baltimore.

"It was one of those games...kinda emotional from beginning to end," said Ravens head coach John Harbaugh. "It was against a real good opponent. The way we played in the first quarter, that first possession, we took them out of the game with our offense. The defense played phenomenally well, especially against the run."

Matt Schaub ended 21-of-37 for 220 yards and a touchdown for the Texans (3-3), who have lost three of their last four.

Jacoby Jones totaled 76 yards and a score on four receptions, but Arian Foster was limited to 49 yards on 15 carries in defeat.

With time winding down in the fourth quarter, Baltimore moved 66 yards in six plays and extended its edge from five to 12 points. Williams powered into the end zone from four yards out to give Baltimore a 26-14 lead with 4:01 left in the contest.

On the ensuing Texans series, Schaub threw three straight incompletions before hitting Jones at the left sideline on a 4th-and-4 from his own 26. The pass was ruled incomplete because it appeared that Jones did not have possession with both feet inbounds. A lengthy review upheld the original call and the home team took over.

The Ravens were able to advance only four yards, but took more than a minute and a half off the clock before Cundiff's 40-yard boot on the first play after the two-minute warning.

Foster was stuffed on a 4th-and-2 from the Texans' 28-yard line and Flacco took a knee twice to run out the remaining time.

"When it counted most with about 10 minutes left, we just quit making plays and they started making them," Texans head coach Gary Kubiak said. "We've got a pretty good football team, one that won't give you a damn thing in this league. But you've got to make plays to win."

The lone tally of the first quarter came after Baltimore melted almost nine minutes off the clock during its first possession. Flacco scored from the one to cap a 97-yard, 16-play drive.

Just after the midway point of the second, Flacco was hit at his own 17 and coughed up the football. Tim Jamison eventually recovered on the spot of the fumble. Three plays later, Ben Tate lost the ball, but it rolled forward and Wade Smith eventually fell on it in the end zone for the tying score.

Cundiff hit a 43-yard field goal just after the two-minute warning for a 10-7 game at the half, then opened the third quarter with a 48-yard make for a 13-7 Baltimore edge.

But Jones leapt in the end zone to bring down a Schaub pass on Houston's ensuing possession, and the 32-yard grab put the Texans up by one.

Cundiff was called upon once more on the following series, and put the Ravens back on top by a 16-14 count after hitting from 25 yards out.

He struck again inside the first minute of the fourth quarter from 33 yards to give the Ravens a five-point edge.

Game Notes

Baltimore claimed a 402-293 edge in total yards, and gained 24 first downs to 18 for Houston...For Williams, it was his first rushing touchdown with the Ravens, and his 65th career score on the ground, tying him with Thurman Thomas and Stephen Davis for 33rd on the all-time list...The Texans have lost all five meetings with the Ravens since entering the NFL in 2002.