BALTIMORE — Joe Flacco threw a touchdown pass before being knocked from the game with a concussion, and the Baltimore Ravens frustrated quarterback Matt Moore and the Miami Dolphins in a 40-0 victory Thursday night.

Alex Collins ran for a career-high 113 yards, and Baltimore (4-4) returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the most lopsided shutout in franchise history.

In the midst of one of his best performances of the season, Flacco was struck in the helmet by Miami linebacker Kiko Alonso while sliding at the end of an impromptu run. Flacco’s helmet flew off his head, and the 10-year quarterback appeared dazed as he struggled to his feet.

The play occurred with 3 minutes left in the second quarter. Alonso was flagged for unnecessary roughness, providing Baltimore with a first down that ultimately turned into a touchdown.

NOTES

BROWNS: Rookie defensive end Myles Garrett, who has played so well when healthy, won’t travel with the team to London because of a concussion and will miss Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings.

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The No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, Garrett already has missed four games with a badly sprained right ankle and now he’ll sit out again.

Team officials and Coach Hue Jackson had been hoping Garrett would be well enough to make the trip, but he stayed behind Thursday night when the team departed for its first regular-season game abroad.

“Myles is a great player,” linebacker Christian Kirksey said Wednesday. “He’s just coming off the edge, bringing the extra spark to the defense, being that guy that can go out there and make an impact play. That’s definitely something that we’ll miss.”

Garrett was placed in concussion protocol Tuesday after arriving at the team’s facility not feeling well. The 21-year-old recorded a sack Sunday and didn’t have any symptoms until two days later.

PANTHERS: Middle linebacker Luke Kuechly participated in all of practice for the second straight day Thursday, and Coach Ron Rivera remains optimistic the three-time All-Pro will be cleared to play against Tampa Bay (2-4).

He’s in the final stage of the NFL’s concussion protocol, and will need to be cleared by an independent doctor before being allowed to play in a game.

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Kuechly is expected to meet with doctors Friday.

The concern over Kuechly is amplified because this was his third concussion in the past three seasons for the Panthers (4-3).

He spent three weeks in the concussion protocol following the previous on-field collisions in 2015 and 2016. Rivera even erred on the side of caution last year by holding Kuechly out an additional three games to recover at the end of the season because the Panthers were out of the playoff race.

Kuechly has only missed one game in the NFL concussion protocol this season.

TEXANS: J.J. Watt has announced plans for how the more than $37 million he raised in the wake of Hurricane Harvey will be distributed.

The Houston Texans’ defensive end will divide $30.15 million of the donations between Americares, Feeding America, SBP and Save the Children.

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The money will go toward rebuilding child-care centers and homes, and providing food and health care to those affected by the storm. He’ll hold onto $7 million for now and distribute it next year after his group assesses the continuing relief efforts.

CARDINALS: Arizona placed quarterback Carson Palmer on injured reserve after he underwent surgery for a broken left arm. The move means Palmer wouldn’t be able to play until the next-to-last game of the season, Dec. 24 at home against the New York Giants. That’s followed by the season finale at Seattle on Dec. 31.

Palmer turns 38 on Dec. 27 and there would seem to be no need for him to return this season at all if the Cardinals are well out of the playoff picture that late in the season.

Palmer’s longtime backup Drew Stanton will start Arizona’s next game, Nov. 5 at San Francisco. Blaine Gabbert moves up to the backup quarterback role. The team has a bye this week.

COLTS: Kicker Adam Vinatieri has missed two extra points getting acclimated to a new long snapper and a new holder, but is 12 of 13 on field goals and has scored 45 points to stay on pace for an unprecedented 20th 100-point season.

This week, Vinatieri’s focus is on his pursuit of Gary Anderson, who is second on the league’s career scoring list with 2,434 points.

Vinatieri needs 12 points to pass him and 23 to move within double digits of career scoring leader Morten Andersen (2,544).


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