Freeman scores, nabs first catch in Denver loss
BALTIMORE — Imperial native Royce Freeman added the second touchdown of his NFL career to go with 53 rushing yards and his first reception in the Denver Broncos’ 27-14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.
Freeman’s 6-yard run up the middle in the first quarter, followed by a successful PAT, gave Denver an early 7-0 advantage.
Denver’s second score of the game also came in the first quarter, on a 35yard touchdown run from wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders. The score put the Broncos up 14-7.
From there on, the Ravens defense clamped down and their offense stepped up.
Joe Flacco picked apart Denver’s depleted defense for 277 yards. Connecting with eight receivers, Flacco went 25 for 40 with a touchdown and no interceptions on a rainy afternoon. He threw 28 passes in the first half alone, when Baltimore (2-1) took control.
The Ravens turned to their defense in the fourth quarter, twice stopping drives inside their own 15.
“It was one of those games that you want to put away a little bit earlier, but we just didn’t,” Flacco said.
Flacco’s success came against a Denver backfield that began the day without injured cornerback Adam Jones (thigh) and lost cornerback Tramaine Brock (groin) in the first quarter. As a result, rookie Isaac Yiadom saw significant playing time at right corner.
Javorious Allen caught a 12-yard touchdown pass and ran for a score for the Ravens.
Denver was coming off two home wins, both by virtue of fourth-quarter comebacks. This time, the Broncos could not rally after Allen’s 1-yard TD run made it 27-14 midway through the third quarter.
Denver was inside the Baltimore 5 with 9 minutes left before Case Keenum was intercepted by Patrick Onwuasor, whose 89-yard return for a touchdown was wiped out by a block in the back.
The Ravens took consolation in preventing Denver from getting within a touchdown.
“That was a huge stop,” said Ravens coach John Harbaugh, who celebrated his 56th birthday in style.
The Broncos’ next drive ended at the Baltimore 11, and the Ravens ran out the clock over the final three minutes.
Denver got a touchdown after blocking a punt and also swatted away a field goal try. Chris Harris took the second blocked kick 58 yards for a touchdown, but an illegal block nullified the second-quarter score.
“We probably cost ourselves 20 points today on penalties,” Coach Vance Joseph said.
Freeman’s 53 rushing yards on 13 carries gives the former Imperial High and Oregon University star 152 on the season. Sunday’s 5-yard catch gives him 157 all-purpose yards.
The loss drops the Broncos to 2-1 on the season. They are scheduled to play division leader Kansas City (3-0) at home Oct. 1.