Ravens' Owen Daniels keeps producing since Dennis Pitta's season-ending injury

The 5-yard score staked the Ravens to an early lead in the first quarter of a 29-7 win over the Falcons at M&T Bank Stadium.

"It's a play we've been working on and thought it would work against their defense," Daniels said. "Joe fit it in with a perfect throw. I just tried to make the catch. There were a lot of hands in there, but that's why we practice."

It also reinforced how the two-time Pro Bowl tight end continues to produce since Dennis Pitta's season-ending hip injury. Daniels caught six passes for 58 yards and a touchdown Sunday on nine targets with four of his catches going for first downs.

"I'm playing hard, trying to do what I can whether it's catching passes or blocking," Daniels said. "I'm just trying to be a solid player."

Daniels has 27 receptions for 275 yards and three touchdowns for the season, ranking second on the team behind wide receiver Steve Smith in all major receiving categories.

"I trained hard in the offseason, feel really good," Daniels said. "There wasn't a lot of tread off the tires last year, and I'm just trying to help out any way that I can. Obviously, my role has increased a little bit with Dennis being injured, but I'm just trying to do what I can to help the team."

Daniels and Flacco are continuing to upgrade their chemistry since he joined the Ravens in April on a one-year, $1.005 million contract.

"He's a nice big target," Flacco said of Daniels. "He's a good player. He gets himself open. He gets leverage on guys. He knows when to sit in holes, so you can trust when he is doing something that you can put the ball on and nobody is going to undercut him or anything like that.

"And he makes catches in traffic. He obviously has held onto the ball a lot of times while getting hit by two guys, even one in the end zone. So, yes, I have a lot of confidence throwing to him."

awilson@baltsun.com

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