Buccaneers vs. Ravens- Recap

BALTIMORE -- Joe Flacco threw two touchdown passes, and the Baltimore Ravens beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17-10 Sunday for their franchise record-tying eighth straight home win.

Flacco connected with Todd Heap for a 65-yard score and hit Derrick Mason for a 10-yard touchdown during a three-minute span of the second quarter to stake Baltimore to a 17-3 halftime lead. Flacco now has 53 career TD passes, surpassing Vinny Testaverde (51) for most in Ravens history.

Flacco completed 25 of 35 passes for 289 yards and had a 76-yard touchdown throw to Ray Rice called back because of a block in the back by Anquan Boldin.

Baltimore (8-3) improved to 5-0 at home this season and remained tied atop with the AFC North with Pittsburgh. The Ravens host the Steelers next Sunday night.

Tampa Bay (7-4) still has not beaten a team with a winning record.

Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press

Tampa Bay Buccaneers release Jerramy Stevens

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers released tight end Jerramy Stevens on Monday after his weekend arrest for marijuana possession.

Stevens was pulled over in his Ford pickup truck on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. for loud music, Tampa police spokeswoman Andrea Davis said in a news release. The officer said he smelled marijuana inside the vehicle and found 38 grams, or 1 1/3 ounces, of marijuana.

The 30-year-old player was taken to jail and charged with possession of marijuana with intent to sell and possession of drug paraphernalia.

On Sunday, Buccaneers spokesman Jonathan Grella said the team was "deeply troubled" by the arrest. Stevens did not play in the Bucs' 18-17 win over St. Louis.

"We take such matters quite seriously," he said. "Obviously Jerramy Stevens will not be playing today and we will treat this matter with the seriousness it deserves."

The Bucs beat the Rams 18-17. Afterward, Bucs coach Raheem Morris declined to comment on Stevens.

Stevens was previously convicted of drunken driving in 2007 and pleaded guilty to reckless driving in 2003.

Stevens signed with the Buccaneers in 2007 after spending the first five years of his career with the Seahawks. The former first-round draft pick had 15 receptions for 130 yards and one touchdown last season and has 202 career catches for 2,217 yards and 22 TDs.

The Buccaneers promoted tight end Ryan Purvis from their practice squad after releasing Stevens.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.