BALTIMORE — Keaton Mitchell ran for 138 yards and his first NFL touchdown, Odell Beckham Jr. scored for the first time since the Super Bowl two seasons ago and the Baltimore Ravens routed another first-place team, beating the Seattle Seahawks 37-3 on Sunday.
Gus Edwards ran for two touchdowns for the Ravens (7-2), who remained tied for the best record in the AFC after holding an opponent to nine points or fewer for the fourth time this season. Lamar Jackson threw for 187 yards and ran for 60 before sitting out the fourth quarter.
The past three weeks in particular, Baltimore has built a compelling case it might be the best team in the NFL. The Ravens thrashed NFC North-leading Detroit 38-6, then won in routine fashion at lowly Arizona. On Sunday, they dominated a Seattle team that remained tied atop the NFC West despite the loss.
The Seahawks (5-3) managed only six first downs and were outgained 515-151.
Jackson was a bit gimpy after being tackled on a play in the third, but remained in the game. Baltimore had little reason to leave him in during the final quarter and Tyler Huntley guided a touchdown drive of his own.
Both teams turned the ball over twice in the first half, but those giveaways didn’t lead to many points.
Edwards opened the scoring with a 4-yard run in the second quarter. Then Geno Stone intercepted his sixth pass of the season, but the Ravens gave the ball back when Jackson lost a fumble. After forcing a punt, Baltimore drove 84 yards in 10 plays and went up 14-0 on a 3-yard run by Edwards.
After Seattle got a field goal, the Seahawks had a great chance to cut into the lead further when a fumble by Beckham gave them the ball at Baltimore’s 43. But Kyle Van Noy sacked Smith on back-to-back plays, the second of which resulted in a fumble that gave the Ravens the ball at the Seattle 36 with 33 seconds left in the half.
Justin Tucker’s field goal made it 17-3.
The Ravens entered the game with a league-high 31 sacks and added to that total with four before halftime.
Mitchell, a rookie, had played in only two previous games for the Ravens — without carrying the ball a single time. He made the most of his nine carries against Seattle, scoring on a 40-yard run in the third and adding a 60-yard rush in the fourth.
Beckham caught a touchdown pass for the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl in February 2022, but he also injured his knee in that game and didn’t play again until this season with Baltimore. His 6-yard TD catch from Huntley made it 37-3.
It was Seattle’s most lopsided loss since a 42-7 defeat against the Rams in 2017. It might have been worse, but the Ravens took a knee on fourth down at the Seattle 6 with under a minute remaining.
This story was originally published on the Associated Press Website.