BALTIMORE -- A few thoughts on the Baltimore Ravens' 21-7 win against the Tennessee Titans at M&T Bank Stadium:
What it means: The Ravens (6-4) closed to within a half-game of the first-place Cleveland Browns (6-3) even though they remain in last place in the AFC North. With the win, the Ravens bounced back from consecutive losses, including an embarrassing defeat in Pittsburgh. Using a dominant defensive effort, the Ravens improved to 34-8 (.810) against teams with losing records in the John Harbaugh era. This also improved the Ravens to 9-3 against rookie quarterbacks since 2008, when Harbaugh took over as coach.
Creative call: The one bright spot on an ugly day for the Ravens' offense was the fourth-and-one call in the second quarter. Instead of shoving the ball up the middle -- like the Ravens have done all season in this situation -- they pitched the ball to running back Justin Forsett, who made a defender miss in the open field and scored a 9-yard touchdown. It was the first time the Ravens had converted a fourth down in the red zone all season.
Flacco finishes: In a game where quarterback Joe Flacco looked like he was sleepwalking at times, he put the game away with a 32-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Torrey Smith. The perfectly thrown pass came after Flacco couldn't complete a simple swing pass. That touchdown -- which put the Ravens up 21-7 in the fourth quarter -- was only the second time they had converted a third down in the game. Flacco finished 16-of-27 for 169 yards.
Timely turnover: The Ravens abruptly stopped the Titans on their opening drive when defensive tackle Haloti Ngata stripped Shonn Greene at the 1-yard line. Ngata has become a playmaker again for the Ravens this season.
Stock watch: Rising: Forsett in the red zone. The veteran journeyman scored the Ravens' first two touchdowns (of 9 and 11 yards). It was his first multitouchdown game since November 2009. He finished with 112 yards rushing on 20 carries.
Game ball: Ravens' defense. After a rocky start, the Ravens made Zach Mettenberger look like a rookie making his first NFL road start. The Ravens forced seven three-and-outs in the final three quarters. The defense allowed 45 yards in the second half, and it didn't give up a first down until there was five minutes left in the game. In total, the Ravens recorded five sacks and two turnovers.
What's next: The Ravens enter their bye week before playing at the New Orleans Saints on "Monday Night Football" on Nov. 24. The Ravens then finish November by facing the San Diego Chargers at home on Nov. 30.
