GREEN BAY, Wis. _ The Ravens' much-needed bye week didn't do much to jump-start a sluggish offense. But the rest, and the luxury of facing an inexperienced backup quarterback rather than one of the game's best, sure did energize the defense.
The Ravens forced five turnovers and sacked Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Hundley six times in a dominant 23-0 victory at a cold Lambeau Field.
The Ravens earned their third shutout victory of the season and improved their record to 5-5.
Hundley was picked off three times and fumbled on a sack by Terrell Suggs. Hundley's final interception, which was snared by rookie Marlon Humphrey for the first of his career, set up Alex Collins' 3-yard touchdown run, his first as a Raven.
Leading by six at halftime, the Ravens, for all intents and purposes, put the game away on their first drive of the second half. After a 35-yard kickoff return by Chris Moore, Flacco found tight end Benjamin Watson open down the seam for a 33-yard gain.
Three plays later, Flacco lofted a pass to a tightly covered Mike Wallace in the end zone and the wide receiver out-dueled Damarious Randall and cradled the ball with one hand for a 21-yard touchdown reception.
Wallace celebrated his second touchdown in as many weeks, this one giving the Ravens a 13-0 lead, by taking a Lambeau Leap into the stands.
With Hundley on the field rather than star quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the Packers were powerless to overcome a two-possession lead.
On their next possession, Green Bay went for it on fourth-and-6 on the Ravens 41 and Hundley was sacked by defensive lineman Willie Henry.
The score remained 13-0 about midway through the fourth quarter when Suggs sacked Hundley and forced a fumble that was recovered by C.J. Mosley.
Green Bay's fourth turnover set up Justin Tucker's 23-yard field goal, giving the Ravens a 16-0 lead with 4:46 remaining.
The Ravens went into halftime with a 6-0 lead after Tucker's late 39-yard field goal, but it shouldn't have been that close. The Ravens defense set up the offense with three forced turnovers. On all four first-half possessions, the Ravens crossed into Packers territory and they only had two field goals to show for it.
The Packers marched down the field on their first drive, but cornerback Jimmy Smith picked off Hundley in the end zone. Smith baited the young quarterback and then dropped back on Randall Cobb in the back of the end zone and Hundley threw it right to the cornerback who made his third interception of the season.
The Ravens reached Green Bay's 36 on their next possession, but an errant snap by center Ryan Jensen _ Flacco was trying to call a timeout before the play but it wasn't granted _ created a loss of 14. Flacco was then sacked on third down by Clay Matthews, who easily beat substitute left tackle James Hurst, so instead of at least a field-goal attempt, the Ravens had to punt.
The Baltimore Ravens, coming off their bye week, face the Green Bay Packers Sunday in legendary Lambeau Field. The Packers will be without starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers, while the Ravens have placed former No. 1 pick Breshad Perriman on the inactive list as a healthy scratch.
Hundley was then picked off for a second time in the first-quarter on the Packers' next possession as his throw sailed into the arms of safety Eric Weddle. It was Weddle's team-leading fourth interception.
Again, the Ravens advanced deep into Packers territory with Flacco's 7-yard pass to running back Danny Woodhead on third-and-6 setting up a first down on Green Bay's 19. However, Collins lost 3 yards on third-and-2 and the Ravens settled for a 32-yard field goal by Tucker on the first play of the second quarter.
Hundley wasn't picked off for a third consecutive possession, but the Packers did turn the ball over. Reserve running back Devante Mays had the ball stripped by Matthew Judon and Patrick Onwuasor recovered on the Packers 43. However, the Ravens went backward on the drive and again punted.
When the Ravens got the ball back, a 21-yard Flacco-to-Collins completion and a roughing-the-passer penalty on Dean Lowry gave the visitors the ball on the Packers 24-yard line. Flacco, though, gave it right back with an inexcusable decision. He tried to force a ball to Woodhead streaking toward the end zone even though Packers safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix was all over the Ravens back. Clinton-Dix picked the ball off, costing the Ravens a chance to tack onto their 3-0 lead.
They ultimately did after a two-sack series by Judon and a 28-yard punt return by Michael Campanaro set up the Ravens at the Packers 30. A 14-yard completion to Jeremy Maclin put Tucker in position to convert from 39 yards as time expired in the second quarter.
