Ravens Make Statement in Christmas Win vs. 49ers: 3 Takeaways

The San Francisco 49ers were upset on Monday Night Football by the Baltimore Ravens. Here are three observations from the Christmas Day shocker.

Jeremy Brener | Dec 26, 2023

Ravens Make Statement in Christmas Win vs. 49ers: 3 Takeaways /

The Baltimore Ravens are on top of the NFL's Christmas tree after winning a 33-19 affair against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night at Levi's Stadium.

The Ravens became the first and only team to win 12 games this season, giving them the best record in the league.

To accomplish that feat is one thing, but to do so on the road against the top team in the NFC speaks volumes to the Ravens' ceiling.

Here are three takeaways from Monday night's affair ...

Lamar Jackson 49ers — Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports

Lamar is HIM.

Lamar Jackson may not have had his flashiest game of the year, but the Ravens quarterback shined when the lights were brightest. He threw for 252 yards and two touchdowns while adding 45 yards on the ground. But the most important stat? Zero turnovers.

Lamar shook off some poor decisions out of his system on the first two possessions, but then he led seven consecutive scoring drives to the tune of 33 points, the most any team has scored on the 49ers this season.

Defense Shows Out

Lamar deserves his flowers, but the defense should get a bouquet as well.

Not only did the Ravens force five interceptions, but they did so against the No. 2 offense in the NFL. Kyle Hamilton had a pair of picks before leaving the game with a knee injury. Marcus Williams, Patrick Queen and Marlon Humphrey also caught one of Brock Purdy's passes.

WATCH: Flowers Puts Ravens Up Big Over 49ers

Best Team in the NFL?

As of now, the Ravens should be atop everybody's power rankings and considered as the Super Bowl favorite with two weeks left to go in the regular season.

They beat the top team in the NFC as the best in the AFC and they will be a favorite in every game they play between now and their elimination.

Not just the fact that they won, but how they won, is exactly why the Ravens are the best team in the NFL ... but as we all know at this time of the year, every team is only as good as their last game. But if that's the case, then the Ravens are definitely the best team on Christmas Day.

Published Dec 26, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.