7 POINTS

1. Facing the undefeated Broncos in the midst of a three-game losing streak, the Ravens put forth a gutsy effort to get off the schneid and stay in the thick of things in the AFC North. At times, it wasn’t pretty, but the Ravens found a way to beat the Broncos in all three phases of the game and, for the first time in more than a month, played like a playoff team.

2. The Ravens were much improved in pass coverage on Sunday compared to previous showings. They rendered Broncos QB Kyle Orton ineffective and wideout Brandon Marshall pretty much invisible by keeping a safety or two deep. The corners also did an excellent job tackling on short passes and screen plays, staples of the Denver offense.

3. Ravens wideout Kelley Washington had four catches for 58 yards, all of them moving the chains on third down. Washington has been a pleasant surprise this season, providing Joe Flacco with a big target over the middle — and an alternative to throwing to Derrick Mason in every key situation.

4. Yes, some of the penalties called against the Ravens were questionable, but once again, they gave away a bunch of free yards. The Ravens were flagged eight times for 94 yards, including one for Mason ripping off his helmet and chucking it across the bench area. Seeing veterans like Mason lose their cool in another important game is concerning.

5. Jarret Johnson has been the Ravens’ best pass rusher this season, not Terrell Suggs. Johnson’s sack on the Broncos’ first play from scrimmage set the tone for the defense Sunday, and he got consistent pressure all afternoon.

6. With the return of Jared Gaither at left tackle, the offensive line looked comfortable against Denver’s formidable pass rush. The Ravens linemen allowed only two sacks — Flacco’s elusiveness covered up a few of their mistakes — and physically wore down the Broncos’ front seven as the game progressed.

7. It sure looks like Lardarius Webb has locked up the kick-returning job, hasn’t it?

 3 KEY PLAYS

1. Late in the first quarter, Ed Reed introduced himself to rookie running back Knowshon Moreno by drilling Moreno as he hauled in a short swing pass from Denver QB Kyle Orton. The big hit kicked the ball loose and Terrell Suggs recovered the fumble at the Broncos 23-yard line, leading to a Ravens field goal that put them up, 3-0.

2. Thanks to great blocking, Ravens rookie returner Lardarius Webb opened up the second half with a 95-yard kickoff return for a score. Webb was pretty much untouched as he weaved through the Broncos on the big return that gave the Ravens a 13-point lead.

3. Joe Flacco connected with Derrick Mason on a 20-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter to seal the win. On the play, Mason beat cornerback Andre Goodman, who had no safety help, on a post route, making it an easy throw for Flacco. Matt Vensel, b

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