49ers at Baltimore Ravens

Joe Flacco threw for 161 yards and Ray Rice ran for 59 yards and a touchdown as the Baltimore Ravens beat the 49ers 16-6 on Thanksgiving Night Football at M&T Bank Stadium. Alex Smith threw for 140 yards. Frank Gore ran for 39. David Akers kicked two field goals. The Ravens' defense produced nine sacks. The 49ers fell to 9-2 in the first loss in nine games.[1][2][3]

Ray Rice ran for 59 yards and a touchdown Thursday night at M&T Bank Stadium. The Ravens beat the 49ers 16-6 in the kind of Thanksgiving-night primetime road loss where the year-one regime's competitive identity, after an eight-game winning streak, fell to the Ravens' defensive front.

Alex Smith threw for 140 yards. Frank Gore ran for 39. Vernon Davis caught two for 38. The 49ers' offense produced 6 points. The kind of Thanksgiving-night primetime road game where the offensive identity, against the Ravens' defensive front, could not get into the kind of rhythm the year-one regime had been built around.

Joe Flacco threw for 161 yards. Anquan Boldin caught four for 41. The Ravens' defense generated nine sacks of Smith. The kind of Thanksgiving-night primetime road loss where the year-one regime's competitive identity, in the Harbaugh vs Harbaugh marquee matchup, fell to the kind of defensive performance the rebuild had not produced. 9-2 with the Rams at home next.

Ravens 16, 49ers 6. Margin: -10. Eleven-game record: 9-2, +101 differential.

• Ray Rice: 14 carries for 59, 1 TD.
• Joe Flacco: 15-of-23 for 161.
• Anquan Boldin: 4 catches for 41.
• Ed Reed: 1 INT of Smith.
• Alex Smith: 17-of-28 for 140 (nine sacks taken).
• Frank Gore: 18 carries for 39.
• Vernon Davis: 2 catches for 38.
• David Akers: 2 FGs.
• Ravens D: 9 sacks of Smith.
• Harbaugh vs Harbaugh: Ravens win.
• 49ers 9-2 (first loss in 9 games); Ravens 8-3.

A 16-6 Thanksgiving Night Football road loss to the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. The 49ers fall to 9-2 in their first loss in nine games.

How it unfolded

The Ravens built a 10-3 first-half lead behind a Joe Flacco-led drive and a Justin Tucker field goal. David Akers kicked a field goal for the 49ers. The Ravens added another field goal. Ray Rice ran in a goal-line touchdown to make it 16-3. Akers kicked his second field goal to make it 16-6. The 49ers' offense never crossed the goal line.

The turning point

The Ravens' defensive performance generating nine sacks. With the year-one regime's offense looking to extend the win streak and the Thanksgiving-night primetime road environment looking like the year's most-difficult matchup, the Ravens' defensive front (Ngata, Suggs, Lewis) produced the kind of pressure the 49ers' offensive line had not faced.

By the numbers

Smith 17-of-28 for 140 with nine sacks taken (the year's worst sack day). Gore 18 carries for 39. Davis 2 catches for 38. Morgan 3 catches for 27. Akers two field goals. Joe Flacco 15-of-23 for 161. Ray Rice 14 carries for 59 with a TD. Anquan Boldin 4 catches for 41.

Personnel watch

The Ravens' nine sacks of Smith. Smith's lowest passing-yard day. Gore's lowest rushing-yard day. The defense gave up 16 points. The kind of Thanksgiving-night primetime road performance where the year-one regime's competitive identity, in the Harbaugh vs Harbaugh marquee matchup, fell to the kind of defensive performance the rebuild had not produced.

What it means

9-2 with the Rams at home next week. The Thanksgiving-night primetime road loss is the kind of result that ends the eight-game winning streak. The Rams home game next is a winnable divisional matchup.