OWINGS MILLS Justin Layne Jersey , Md. (AP) — John Harbaugh has seen Joe Flacco play in more than 170 games for the Ravens, including 15 in the postseason with an MVP effort in the Super Bowl.Though Baltimore’s coach is hard-pressed to remember them all, Harbaugh ranks Flacco’s performance against Denver on Sunday among the best.Flacco went 25 for 40 for 277 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions in Baltimore’s 27-14 victory . He’s put up better numbers during his 11-year career, but this outing stood out because of the fashion in which Flacco zipped the ball short, long and in between.“He’s had a lot of good throwing days, right? But definitely … it’s in the top category,” Harbaugh said Monday. “That’s what you’d like to see Joe do. I just think it’s a combination of a lot of things, including confidence in the guys that he’s throwing to.”Harbaugh became Baltimore’s head coach in 2008, the same year Flacco entered the NFL. The pair has gone through a lot together, most recently three straight seasons without a playoff appearance.The Ravens (2-1) hope an improved offense will turn things around.It’s been a long time since Flacco has had so many capable receivers to choose from. Offseason acquisitions Willie Snead Benny Snell Jr. Jersey , Michael Crabtree and John Brown have been excellent, and Mark Andrews got into the mix Sunday with 59 yards receiving, a Ravens record for a rookie tight end.“I’m really pleased with all those guys. They’re playing really well and they’ve made big plays,” Harbaugh said.With Flacco leading the way, the Ravens went 8 for 16 on third down against a team that stopped 17 of 22 attempts in its first two games.“All the receivers have a good chemistry with Joe,” Brown said. “It’s all about trust, starting with practice and talking with him to see if we’re seeing the same thing. That plays a big part of it.”The Ravens have long been known for their defense, and that unit has played well. But, at least for now, the offense is doing its part Zach Gentry Jersey , too.After Denver bolted to a 7-0 lead, Baltimore went the distance on a soothing touchdown drive.“That was the tone setter for us as a team, to have them answer for us and really get us back to even,” safety Eric Weddle said. “And, once we settled down, shoot, defense played lights out.”As did the offense — again. The Ravens are averaging 32 points per game, and Flacco has completed 82 of 129 passes for 889 yards and six TDs with just two interceptions.Most impressive of all is Baltimore’s performance in the red zone: 12 trips, 12 touchdowns, including 3 for 3 against Denver.“We’ve had a good mix. I think we’ve probably thrown the ball in six times and run the ball in six times Nick Bosa Jersey ,” Flacco said. “If you can do both of those things, especially when you get down tight inside the 5-yard line, that helps a lot. We’ve got good playmakers, and we put a lot of pressure on the defense with the guys that we have out there.”Give credit to the receivers, along with the running back tandem of Alex Collins and Javorius Allen, but Harbaugh knows the real reason why Baltimore has been unstoppable inside the 20.“It probably starts with Joe,” Harbaugh said. “I think Joe has done a great job making plays, making throws, trusting his guys and also extending some plays. That’s been big.”The Ravens escaped the Denver game without any serious injuries, and Harbaugh hopes middle linebacker C.J. Mosley (knee) can return for an AFC North showdown Sunday night with the Pittsburgh Steelers. ALAMEDA L.J. Collier Jersey , Calif. (AP)The Oakland Raiders are trading star kick returner Cordarrelle Patterson to the New England Patriots.A person familiar with the deal said Sunday that the deal will become official after Patterson passes a physical. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced. Pardon My Take first reported the trade.NFL Network reported that Oakland will receive a fifth-round pick in the deal and send one of its six sixth-round picks to New England.Patterson is one of the most accomplished kickoff returners in the game. His career average of 30.2 yards per return ranks second all-time to Hall of Famer Gale Sayers’ 30.6 mark.Patterson spent one year in Oakland after playing four seasons in Minnesota. The Vikings originally acquired Patterson with the 29th pick in the 2013 draft after trading up with the Patriots.Patterson has played receiver throughout his career, but has made his biggest impact as a returner where he has scored five touchdowns and has always helped create good field position for his teams.The Raiders had the best average starting field position after kickoffs last season in the NFL, while the Patriots ranked fourth.That speed has been less effective as a receiver where Patterson has averaged only 10 yards per catch in his career as he has been mostly used on screens and short passes.Patterson caught 31 passes for 309 yards last season for Oakland and also ran for 121 yards on 13 carries for three scores.For his career, Patterson has 163 catches for 1,625 yards and seven touchdowns to go along with 44 carries for 454 yards and six scores.The Raiders have made some moves at receiver this offseason under new coach Jon Gruden. Jordy Nelson was signed last week to be a starter alongside Amari Cooper, leading to the decision to let Michael Crabtree go.Oakland also signed Griff Whalen for depth at returner and receiver and is reportedly interested in former Washington receiver Ryan Grant as a potential free agent addition.—