BALTIMORE – The Baltimore Ravens took another step toward securing a postseason berth, and the hapless Indianapolis Colts slipped a notch closer to matching one of the NFL's most dubious records.
Terrell Suggs had three sacks and forced three fumbles as part of an overwhelming defensive performance by the Ravens, who kept Indianapolis winless with a 24-10 victory Sunday.
Baltimore (10-3) limited the Colts (0-13) to 167 yards — just 53 through three quarters. Were it not for a touchdown on the game's final play, Indianapolis would have been held without a TD for only the second time since the 2003 season opener.
Joe Flacco threw two touchdown passes and Ray Rice ran for 103 yards and a score to help the Ravens win their fourth straight and improve to 7-0 at home. Baltimore is tied with Pittsburgh for the lead in the AFC North, but the Ravens hold the tiebreaker because of their two wins over the Steelers.
The Ravens had lost eight straight to Indianapolis, but Peyton Manning was healthy and at the top of his game. He has yet to play this year because of a neck injury.
Dan Orlovsky, the third Colts quarterback to start in place of Manning this season, went 17 for 37 for 136 yards and an interception. He was sacked four times and hounded throughout the game by Suggs.
The game was far more lopsided than the final score would indicate. Baltimore led 17-3 at halftime and 24-3 in the third quarter, and the Colts drove 76 yards in the final two minutes in a drive that ended with Orlovsky throwing a 13-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Tamme as time expired.
Indianapolis has three games left in the season. If the Colts don't win, they will join the 2008 Detroit Lions as the only NFL team to go 0-16 in a single season.
The Ravens needed less than five minutes to take the lead for good. After the Colts went three and out following the opening kickoff, Lardarius Webb returned a punt 27 yards in the Indianapolis 40 and Flacco capped a six-play drive with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Torrey Smith.
Baltimore's next march covered 66 yards over 13 plays and ended with a 36-yard field goal by Billy Cundiff for a 10-0 lead.
The first quarter ended with the Ravens holding a 111-10 advantage in yardage and an 8-1 lead in first downs.
Nothing changed in the second quarter. Baltimore forced a punt and Flacco went 5 for 7 for 54 yards in a 10-play drive that ended with a 6-yard touchdown run by Rice.
Indianapolis finally got into Baltimore territory when Joe Lefeged returned the ensuing kickoff 51 yards. Orlovsky then completed a fourth-down pass to Dallas Clark, and Adam Vinatieri kicked a field goal to make it 17-3 late in the half.
Baltimore went ahead 24-3 with 3:41 left in the third quarter. Flacco rolled to his right and was near the sideline when he threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Dennis Pitta in the middle of the end zone.
Flacco went 23 for 31 for 227 yards.
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