Ravens rookie wide receiver Rashod Bateman believes his 36-yard catch in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 24-22 loss to the Cleveland Browns should’ve been a 37-yard score.
“I definitely got the touchdown,” Bateman said Wednesday. “I don’t know what happened there, but it was definitely a touchdown. We all know that.”
With the Ravens trailing 24-9 and less than 10 minutes remaining in regulation, Bateman came through. Backup quarterback Tyler Huntley threw a deep ball down the left sideline, where Bateman made a catch over Browns cornerback Greedy Williams before falling into the end zone. The nearby official, however, ruled Bateman down at the 1-yard line, preventing his first career touchdown reception.
When asked whether he approached coach John Harbaugh about challenging the catch, Bateman said he hadn’t. Running back Latavius Murray scored on the following play to cut the Browns’ lead to 24-15.
“At the end of the day, we got into the end zone,” Bateman said. “That drive was done. I think we all think it was a touchdown, but there was no point. We needed the time. Coach Harbaugh made the right decision. Hopefully, the touchdown will come.”
Bateman, who had a career-high seven catches for 103 yards, said his focus after recording his first career 100-yard game is on doing it again.
“Put this team in the best position to win, whatever that may look like,” Bateman said. “I don’t care if it’s 2 yards or 100 yards.”
Rodgers among ‘the best ever’
Baltimore Ravens Insider
Harbaugh had high praise for Green Bay Packers star Aaron Rodgers, calling him one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history.
“He’s just one of the best ever, no doubt about it,” Harbaugh said. “Simply put, one of the best ever to play quarterback.”
The Ravens will their hands full trying to contain Rodgers. The three-time NFL Most Valuable Player threw for 341 yards and four touchdowns in a 45-30 win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday. He also ranks fourth in the NFL in QBR.
“He runs the offense,” Harbaugh said. “It’s got a lot of classic West Coast elements that have been in Green Bay for years. He understands where to go with the ball. He’s accurate, he’s timely. He just operates the type of passing offense they run and he runs really well.”
The last time Rodgers played against the Ravens was in 2013, when he threw for 315 yards, a touchdown and an interception to lead the Packers to a 19-17 win. He missed the Ravens’ 23-0 win at Lambeau Field in 2017 with a broken collarbone.
Rodgers is now playing through a fractured toe, which he said, during a Tuesday appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show, is “definitely hurting.” But Rodgers said the pain won’t stop him from playing, and Ravens outside linebacker Justin Houston said Wednesday that the injury isn’t even noticeable.
“You see the throws he’s been making?” he said. “I can’t tell, at least.”
Extra points
- Harbaugh called Rodgers and star wide receiver Davante Adams, who’s third in the NFL in receiving yards (1,204), “partners in crime.” He added: “I mean, those two guys, they’re on the same page. I don’t even think they need to speak with each other. It’s, like, telepathic, it seems like. They just understand what each other’s thinking at all times.”
- Bateman said he had no problems with the Ravens’ final play on offense Sunday, a fourth-and-6 completion that he caught short of the first-down marker, only to be tackled by Browns cornerback Denzel Ward. “I think the best play was made, the best call was made,” he said. “We just executed what was called.”
- Cornerback Chris Westry said that when he asked an official why he was flagged for defensive pass interference in the first quarter Sunday, he was told he’d made contact too early with Browns wide receiver Jarvis Landry. “So just don’t make contact before you turn your head,” he said.