An uneven offensive performance in the Ravens' 21-7 win Sunday was stabilized in both the short and long passing game by wide receiver Torrey Smith, whose underneath catches launched the team's first scoring drive and whose fifth touchdown in five games helped seal the game.
Smith's 32-yard, fourth-quarter touchdown came despite an obvious hold, and to hear coach John Harbaugh laud Smith for fighting through it, he could have been talking about Smith's entire season.
"That was a difference-maker in the game, to extend the lead to two scores, to make that play," Harbaugh said. "[Titans Cornerback Blidi-Wreh Wilson] obviously held, and Torrey ran right through it. That's the thing. You overcome it. It gets called, it doesn't get called, you can't let it stop you. To make a play like that, it says a lot about Torrey."
Even including the Week 8 against against the Cincinnati Bengals where he was held without a catch, Smith has 270 yards and five touchdowns in his last five games. He didn't score a touchdown in the first five games of the season and took to social media to express his displeasure with his play.
His six touchdowns on the season lead the team and Smith's 446 yards receiving are second most on the Ravens. But even knowing the crucial role he played Sunday, Smith knows what he's left on the table.
"I really should have some more," Smith said. "I have to do some more work and be consistent, and also take what's there, not necessarily go for the home run."
Before he reverted to his role as the team's deep threat late in the game, Smith was intrinsic in the second-quarter touchdown drive that woke the Ravens' dormant offense. With Tennessee sending pressure up the middle and disrupting Joe Flacco's rhythm in the backfield, Smith caught three quick slants as the hot read, two of which went for first downs.
Then, Smith ended up getting his big play the way he's become accustomed to with the Ravens — over the top. It took three tries to find Smith streaking down the sideline. On the first, two different defenders impeded Smith as he tried to streak into the end zone, but neither was flagged.
On the second, Wilson gave Smith a 10-yard cushion on the right side, and Smith sped past Wilson only to be badly underthrown by Flacco.
His touchdown, combined with the stingy Ravens defense, sealed the game for the Ravens in the fourth quarter. Smith ran through an arm-bar from Wilson to catch Flacco's 32-yard pass in stride.
"It's a timing route," Smith said. "Joe put it out there and trusted that I would get to it. … I might not beat him at 10 [yards], I might not beat him at 20 [yards], but by the time I get to 30, I'm gone. He did a great job of putting it out there."
Such a pass hasn't been as heavily featured in the Ravens' offense in past years, though Flacco is tied for the league lead with nine touchdowns on throws over 20 yards. With such a heavy emphasis on the running game and a struggling short passing game, Smith's abilities downfield can change the game for the Ravens.
"It's huge, especially in a game like today where you're grinding it, grinding it, grinding it and then when you have the opportunity to take a shot, you have a guy out there you're going to hit it with," Flacco said. "He did a great job."
Earlier in the season, it appeared that Smith had been left behind as the Ravens ran the ball more and Flacco frequently targeted Steve Smith and Owen Daniels, sometimes at Torrey Smith's expense. After a late drop in the Ravens' 20-13 loss in Indianapolis, Smith tweeted that he was sick and he'd never been in the position he was before.
"He was down on himself because that's just how he is," receiver Marlon Brown said. "He's hard on himself."
Since then, he's caught five touchdowns from Flacco, all just rewards for the plays where Smith might stretch the defense only for his teammates to benefit underneath.
"I think anybody needs a touchdown if you're running," Steve Smith said. "Nobody wants to run for free. Nobody does that."
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