Flacco helps Ravens survive scare from Browns

BALTIMORE | On an afternoon in which the esteemed Baltimore defense was rather ordinary, Joe Flacco and his retooled receiving corps carried the Ravens to a surprisingly difficult victory.

Flacco threw three touchdown passes to Anquan Boldin, and the Ravens survived an outstanding performance by Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis in a 24-17 win Sunday.

Baltimore allowed its first touchdowns of the season, failed to force a turnover and permitted Hillis to run for a career-high 144 yards.

It didn’t matter because of Flacco, who had come under fire after throwing four interceptions one week earlier in a defeat at Cincinnati.

“Obviously I’m happier this week than I was last week,” he said. “Those games happen, man.”

Boldin made himself right at home in his first game in Baltimore since coming to the Ravens (2-1) in an offseason trade with Arizona. The standout wide receiver caught eight passes for 142 yards and had a potential fourth score wiped out by a defensive play that bordered on interference.

“If we’re not shutting a team down, we have to be able to score some points and keep our defense off the field,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “I thought our offense carried themselves really well.”

Especially Boldin, the featured piece in an upgraded collection of receivers that includes T.J. Houshmandzadeh and a now-injured Donte’ Stallworth.

“I think this week we had a different mentality going into the game. Everybody (was) taking it personal, especially on the offense, with the performance we put out last week,” Boldin said.

Boldin repeatedly victimized cornerback Eric Wright.

“He’s obviously a good player, but I didn’t play up to my ability, anywhere close,” Wright said. “It’s unfortunate because you have 10 other guys on the field that are doing their job and really depending on me to be a certain type of player. I wasn’t that player by a long shot.”

Flacco completed 22 of 31 passes for 262 yards and three touchdowns. He did not throw an interception after committing six turnovers in his first two games.

His last TD, a rainbow toss of 27 yards to Boldin in the middle of the end zone, gave Baltimore a 21-17 lead. Billy Cundiff added a 49-yard field goal with 5:29 to go.

That was enough to offset a Baltimore defense that surrendered 304 yards and made Hillis look like an All-Pro.

“It was pretty streaky and it was pretty disappointing to allow a team to come out and pound the ball like that,” Ravens linebacker Jarret Johnson said.

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