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Jackson, Ravens look to keep rolling

BALTIMORE — The last time Tampa Bay faced Baltimore, Joe Flacco threw five touchdown passes within the first 17 minutes to get the Ravens rolling in a 48-17 rout.

Flacco will be watching from the sideline Sunday in the rematch of that 2014 blowout. The 2012 Super Bowl MVP lost his starting job this week to rookie Lamar Jackson, who presents an entirely different set of problems for a porous Tampa Bay defense that is allowing nearly 400 yards per game.

With Jackson operating an effective run-pass option, Baltimore (7-6) has racked up 914 yards rushing over the past four games, including 336 by its slashing, nimble quarterback.

“He is fun to watch, that’s for sure, and they’ve been tearing it up with their run game,” Buccaneers coach Dick Koetter said. “Their run game makes you play assignment football, and you can’t argue with the results, 3-1. They’ve been playing good football with him in there.”

Jackson took over as the starter after Flacco hurt his right hip on Nov. 4. Flacco is healthy now, but with the Ravens flourishing under Jackson, coach John Harbaugh decided to maintain the status quo as Baltimore seeks to end a three-year playoff drought.

“My brain and my heart and my experience says this is the way to go ,” Harbaugh said.

The Bucs (5-8) have also shuffled quarterbacks this season, with mixed results. Though Tampa Bay leads the NFL with 331.4 yards passing per game and ranks second in total offense, Jameis Winston and Ryan Fitzpatrick each have thrown 12 interceptions.

Fitzpatrick began the season as the starter, filling in while Winston served a three-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. Since leading the Bucs to upsets of the Saints and Eagles in the first two weeks, the 36-year-old journeyman has been benched twice over the course of losing five consecutive starts.

Winston, meanwhile, is 3-3 as a starter this season, 2-1 since regaining his job three weeks ago. He was benched after throwing 10 interceptions during a four-game stretch, but has done a much better job of protecting the ball lately.

Winston, the No. 1 overall pick from the 2015 draft, has one turnover in the past three games, –a meaningless interception with 1 second remaining in last week’s 28-14 loss to the Saints.

If Flacco gets into the game, the Tampa Bay defense must adjust accordingly.

“They were like 60-40 pass under Flacco. They’re more like 60-40 run now under Jackson. You’ve got to prepare for both,” Koetter said. “Our plan will be based primarily on their personnel and then their tendencies out of those personnel.”

Defending against Jackson, however, presents the biggest challenge.

“You didn’t just reach down in your desk drawer and pull out the same game plan that you used last week,” Koetter said. “You have to work at it.”

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