OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- Ray Lewis leads a defense that is among the best in the league, but it was rendered powerless against an opponent who started with the ball at the one-yard line.
The Oakland Raiders got a one-yard touchdown run from Zack Crockett on their first offensive play of the game and never trailed en route to a 20-12 victory over Baltimore, knocking the Ravens back into a first-place tie with the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC North.
"We lost an opportunity today to create some separation and maintain separation," Ravens coach Brian Billick said. "The reasons are obvious. You cannot turn over the ball and do some of the things we did and expect to win in the NFL."
Crockett's touchdown was set up when cornerback Phillip Buchanon returned an interception to the Baltimore 1. Ravens quarterback Anthony Wright completed 12-of-27 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown, but his interception and fumble proved costly.
"I can't say enough about the fast start that our defense provided today," Raiders coach Bill Callahan said. "This was an excellent game for us from the defensive perspective."
The Raiders (4-10) mustered only 265 yards of total offense, including only 79 on the ground, but it was enough for the victory as they worked with a short field after turnovers.
Baltimore (8-6) trailed 17-6 at halftime, and scored a touchdown with 2:10 left in the third quarter on a 13-yard pass from Wright to tight end Todd Heap. Chester Taylor appeared to get the two-point conversion that would have pulled the Ravens within a field goal, but he was ruled down by contact shy of the end zone and there was not enough evidence on replays to give Baltimore the two crucial points.
Billick, who has been an outspoken critic of the NFL's replay system this season, did not comment specifically on the review of the conversion, although he was noticably upset on the sideline after the call.
Heap made an excellent catch in the fourth quarter to get the Ravens to the Oakland 31, but Wright fumbled two plays later to cost the Ravens their last real opportunity to tie the game.
"It is frustrating that we could not pull this one out," Wright said. "Offensively, we were producing, but we just could not do it."
Jamal Lewis ran for 125 yards to increase his league-leading total to 1,847 for the season, but it was not enough to get the Ravens their fourth straight victory.
"It feels a lot better to pull one off when you're playing a team that has a lot to play for," said Raiders quarterback Rick Mirer, who completed 16-of-35 passes for 186 yards and a touchdown. "Regardless of what our record is, it feels good to beat somebody."
The Raiders snapped a three-game losing streak and won for just the second time since September 28.
