Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - The Baltimore Ravens would have made the late
Art Modell proud on Monday. Modell, the former Ravens owner and an
instrumental figure in making Monday Night Football a fixture in America,
passed away last Thursday at the age of 87. Sporting helmet decals
commemorating Modell, the Ravens hammered the AFC North rival Cincinnati
Bengals in the season opener, 44-13, thanks in part to a terrific performance
by Joe Flacco. Flacco completed 21-of-29 passes for 299 yards and two
touchdowns, as Baltimore (1-0) scored 27 unanswered points to win its 11th
straight regular season game at M&T Bank Stadium. Ray Rice totaled 93 yards
from scrimmage and ran for two scores, Dennis Pitta and Anquan Boldin each
caught a touchdown pass and Ed Reed recorded the seventh interception
return for a touchdown of his illustrious career. The Ravens are coming off
a 12-4 campaign that ended in an AFC Championship Game loss to the New
England Patriots. The Bengals (0-1) also made the postseason with a surprising
9-7 record behind a pair of offensive rookies in Andy Dalton and A.J.
Green, but lost in the wild card round against the Houston Texans. Dalton had
a tough start to his sophomore season, hitting 22-of-37 attempts for 221
yards with an interception and a lost fumble. Green caught five passes for 70
yards. BenJarvus Green-Ellis ran for 91 yards and a TD on 18 carries
in his Cincinnati debut.
The Sports Network