Fave Five: Best Ravens Catch?

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(nominees are presented in chronological order)

1) Clayton Gets Dirty with Browns – Ravens 37 - Browns 27, Week 9

The setup: The Ravens were looking to make an early statement against the AFC North rival Cleveland Browns. One week after torching the Oakland Raiders’ secondary with rookie quarterback Joe Flacco’s strong arm, Baltimore went at it again at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

The payoff: In the first quarter, Flacco took the snap on the Browns’ 47-yard line and faked a handoff to running back Ray Rice. Taking a long drop, Flacco unleashed a bomb to wideout Mark Clayton, who ran by cornerback Brandon McDonald and safety Sean Jones. Clayton had to dive and bounce into the end zone for the touchdown, but he still hung onto the ball.

He said: “We had a chance to get them over the top for a touchdown,” said Flacco. “That was pretty big. We felt like they wanted to put pressure on us and we converted on those chances – enough for the win.”

2) A Tip from 83 Degreez – Ravens 36 - Eagles 7, Week 12

The setup: Daniel Wilcox may be a tight end, but there are moments every season he’s been in Baltimore where he showcases the receiver skills he hones in college. He displayed such talent in head coach John Harbaugh’s much anticipated meeting with his former team, the Philadelphia Eagles.

The payoff: With a 3-0 lead in the second quarter, the Ravens drove all the way to Philly’s 1-yard line. The fact that 345-pound defensive tackle Haloti Ngata stepped in as an eligible receiver meant that the Ravens were running, right? No. Flacco rolled to his right as Wilcox slipped into the end zone. The short pass was definitely too high, but Wilcox tipped it to himself with an extended left hand and had just enough room to tap his toes.

He said: “I saw Joe throw the ball,” Wilcox stated. “He threw it kind of hard, and kind of far, and it felt like he threw it too far in front of me. And the dude grabbed my arm to try to keep me from catching the ball. I just stuck my left arm up, I just felt like God was with me. I absolutely felt blessed, and kept my feet in-bounds, and got six points.”

3) Clayton Goes One-Handed – Ravens 34 - Bengals 3, Week 13

The setup: To be honest, this game was out of hand by the time Clayton made what could have been the play of the day - and that’s saying a lot considering his outing. Already, Clayton had executed two incredible over-the-shoulder catches for big yardage, and he even threw a 32 touchdown pass to Derrick Mason. Clayton saved the best for last.

The payoff: From his own 30-yard line, Flacco calmly dropped back and showed off his cannon arm, lacing a deep rainbow to a sprinting Clayton. The receiver, who had gotten free behind the Bengals’ cornerback, still had to stretch to get a hand on the ball. One had is all he got, as Clayton finger-tipped the ball and amazingly hauled it in en route to the end zone.

He said: “Obviously, as you progress you get a lot more confident in the product you put out on the field,” said Clayton.

4) Mason Guts Out the Cowboys – Ravens 33 - Cowboys 24, Week 16

The setup: It was a must-win for the playoff-hopeful Ravens, who headed into the final game at a charged Texas Stadium. And, for the first half, all Baltimore could muster was three Matt Stover field goals. What’s more, their leading receiver, Derrick Mason, had left the game briefly with a painful shoulder injury.

The payoff: Coming out of the half, there was No. 85, with his left arm in a bulky brace. But, with the Ravens up 9-7, he came through with a huge play. Mason split out to the left and somehow got open in the back left corner even though he ran his route with his left arm held stationary. With Flacco under pressure, the quarterback zipped a shot to Mason, who barely could reach up for the grab.

He said: “It’s hard for me to raise my arm,” Mason said. “It got better at halftime, but it was still hard to run and move my arm. Joe has done an excellent job for me. He’s putting the ball right where I don’t have to move my hands. This was a two game series for us. All hands on deck. There were a lot of guys out there, beat. That just shows the perseverance that we have as a football team."

5) Mason Does It Again – Ravens 13 - Titans 10, AFC Divisional Playoff

The setup: Mason refused to quit, playing the rest of the season with that hurt shoulder and brace. Even in one of the most physical matchups of the season, a playoff contest against the Tennessee Titans, Mason was back out there, and he made his presence felt with the longest play of the game.

The payoff: The Titans’ stout defense held Baltimore to three-and-outs on their first two series, but on the third, Mason sprinted down the right sideline on third-and-13. He found a small opening in Tennessee’s zone coverage, and Flacco delivered a 48-yard pass to knot the score. What made the catch even more impressive is that Mason had to double-back to snatch possession.

He said: “It was just a streak down the sideline, and Joe put the ball right on the money,” Mason simply stated.