BALTIMORE, Oct. 20 (UPI) -- Todd Heap caught a pair of touchdown passes Sunday, breaking three tackles on one of them for a 20-yard score, as the Baltimore Ravens outlasted the Jacksonville Jaguars, 17-10.
A first-round pick of the Ravens in 2001, Heap backed up Shannon Sharpe during his rookie season and learned his lessons well. His breakout game this season came on the Monday night stage when he caught five passes for 84 yards and two touchdowns in Baltimore's 34-23 win over Denver.
On Sunday, Heap caught a one-yard touchdown pass 1:57 into the second quarter and put himself on the highlight reels with his 20-yard score with 41 seconds left in the third quarter. Lined up on the right, Heap blocked outside linebacker Akin Ayodele, slid out on a pattern, caught a short toss by Chris Redman and broke three tackles before lunging into the end zone to give the Ravens a 17-7 lead.
"I was trying to do everything I could to get in there," Heap said of his 20-yard touchdown. "I had a good head of steam going once I cleared the first guy and was able to sneak it in."
"The big thing with Todd is he could be a point of attack guy or just be a move guy," Ravens Coach Brian Billick said. "His blocking has been outstanding as well as his pass catching. He's as complete a tight end as there is in the league."
Baltimore (3-3) again played without star inside linebacker Ray Lewis and yielded 151 rushing yards to Taylor, who scored on a nine-yard run. However, Lewis' replacement, Bernardo Harris, intercepted a deflected pass at the Jacksonville 22 to set up a 30-yard field goal by Matt Stover in the third quarter.
Taylor carried the ball 25 times and became just the second player to gain 100 yards rushing against the Ravens since the last game of the 1998 season. Corey Dillon with 127 rushing yards on Dec. 23, 2001 and Taylor are the only two backs to gain 100 yards over the Ravens last 55 games.
"We didn't play well enough, regardless of the statistics," said Taylor, who increased his season rushing total to 597 yards and also caught eight passes for 46 yards. "Regardless of the numbers, a loss is a loss."
Lewis rushed for 119 yards on 28 carries for the Ravens, who beat Jacksonville (3-3) for the fifth straight time. Baltimore is 7-0 when Lewis has rushed for more than 100 yards. He has rushed for 576 yards in six games after missing last season with a torn ACL.
Jacksonville's Mark Brunell had thrown 109 consecutive passes without an interception, but was picked off three times by the Ravens. The first by outside linebacker Adalius Thomas was returned 32 yards to the Jacksonville 19.
Jamal Lewis then ran three times for 10 yards and Redman hit Travis Taylor with an eight-yard pass before finding Heap in the end zone, giving the Ravens a 7-0 lead 1:57 into the second quarter.
"They bit on a fake run play and I released into the end zone and Chris read it," Heap said. "Chris and I have been working hard all year throughout camp and practice. We're trying to build that relationship where we have the chemistry going. By making moves, he knows where I'm going. I think we are building on that and definitely getting better."
Redman did not commit any turnovers, completing 14 of 28 passes for 152 yards.
"He (Redman) showed some good judgement today, a lot of checks," Billick said. "He did an excellent job of orchestrating the offense."
Brunell completed 24 of 46 passes for 231 yards, but threw interceptions to Thomas, Harris and rookie safety Will Demps.
"Their scheme is a very good scheme and they played good football today," Brunell said. "They're better with Ray (Lewis), that's no secret. But they played with a lot of fire today. Guys were flying around."
Jimmy Smith, a reknowned Ravens killer, had seven catches for 63 yards but no touchdowns. He has 1,407 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in his career against Baltimore.
Jacksonville squandered an opportunity with a fourth and two at the Baltimore 12. Instead of trying a field goal, the Jaguars went for a first down and Smith was stopped for no gain after catching a pass.
"We needed every opportunity we could to put it in the end zone," Jaguars Coach Tom Coughlin said of his decision to go for the first down.
However, on the ensuing possession, Jamal Lewis fumbled after being hit by defensive tackle Marcus Stroud and linebacker T.J. Slaughter recovered for the Jaguars at the Baltimore 25.
Jacksonville took advantage of that turnover, thanks to Lewis, who carried four times for 25 yards, the last a nine-yard touchdown with 5:45 left in the half.
The Jaguars had a chance to take the lead after Stroud again forced a fumble, this one by receiver Brandon Stokley on a reverse, and linebacker Wali Rainer recovered at the Baltimore 38. However, rookie Hayden Epstein missed a 39-yard field goal with 63 seconds remaining in the half.
Baltimore's defense made the first big play of the second half when defensive end Anthony Weaver deflected a pass by Brunell to Harris, who made a sliding interception at the Jacksonville 22. That set up the go-ahead 30-yard field goal by Stover 5:44 into the third quarter.
At halftime, the Ravens unveiled a statue of Hall of Fame quarterback Johnny Unitas, who died of a heart attack last month.
