Smith leads the way as Ravens beat Panthers 38-10

By David Ginsburg, Associated Press

Sunday, Sept. 28, 2014 | 1:25 p.m.

Steve Smith didn't have to yell at the Carolina Panthers to remind them that they made a mistake by letting him go.

The boisterous wide receiver showed them with his actions on the field.

Smith punished his former team with seven catches for 139 yards and two touchdowns, and the Baltimore Ravens beat the Panthers 38-10 on Sunday.

Smith spent 13 seasons with Carolina before he was released in a cost-cutting move during the offseason. The 35-year-old proved he can still make the big play, scoring twice in the second quarter to help put Baltimore (3-1) in front 21-7 at halftime.

The first touchdown came when Smith grabbed a pass that deflected off the right hand of teammate Owen Daniels. He caught the ball in stride and took it into the end zone to complete a 61-yard play.

Smith also scored from 21 yards out with a diving reception.

Joe Flacco went 22 of 31 for 327 yards and three touchdowns, the other a 24-yarder to Torrey Smith.

Carolina (2-2) has lost two straight, both in lopsided fashion against AFC North foes.

Cam Newton completed 14 of 25 passes for 197 yards. Under duress for much of the afternoon, he was sacked twice.

Newton received little help from a running game that was without leading rusher Jonathan Stewart (knee), and DeAngelo Williams left in the second quarter with an ankle injury.

Carolina's defense was also spotty. One week after yielding 264 yards rushing in a loss to Pittsburgh, the Panthers gave up 454 yards of offense and 25 first downs.

Worse, the Panthers lost a fumble, didn't force a turnover and were penalized seven times — twice for having 12 men on the field.

Flacco led four drives of 80 yards, all of them resulting in touchdowns. Justin Forsett ran for 68 yards, backup Lorenzo Taliaferro gained 58, and each scored.

The Panthers held the ball for nearly eight minutes on the opening possession and drove to the Baltimore 17 before a sack took them out of field goal range.

After that, neither team got close to scoring until Smith caught the deflection to put the Ravens up 7-0 early in the second quarter. After the score, he took a bow in the end zone, ran off the field and heaved the ball into the stands.

Carolina tied it with an 80-yard drive, capped by Newton's 28-yard pass to wide-open rookie Kelvin Benjamin in the front left corner of the end zone.

Baltimore responded with an 80-yard drive of its own. Flacco threw for 39 yards and Forsett ran for 41, capping it with an 11-yard touchdown for a 14-7 lead.

After the Panthers went three-and-out for the first time, Smith got his second touchdown despite being harassed by cornerback Melvin White, who was called for pass interference. What made the score even more special was that Flacco fumbled the snap, scooped up the ball and lofted a floater that found its mark in the end zone.

Torrey Smith's first touchdown of the year made it 28-7 in the third quarter.

Baltimore clinched it with a 12-play drive for a 35-10 lead with 11:34 remaining. Flacco went 5 for 5 for 56 yards on the possession, twice hitting Steve Smith.