As the New York Jets fade, the Baltimore Ravens position themselves as players in the AFC wild card race.
Quarterback Joe Flacco threw for 273 yards and a touchdown in freezing conditions, and the Ravens' defense held the Jets to 220 total yards in a 19-3 win Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium.
The Ravens improve to 5-6 with a huge Thanksgivingmatchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers on tap. The Jets (also 5-6) have lost consecutive games for the first time this season. Meanwhile, concerns about Jets rookie quarterback Geno Smith amplify on a weekly basis.
Here's what else we learned:
- Jets coach Rex Ryan has a tough decision about Smith this week. The young signal-caller's confidence looks shot, and the Jets' play-calling is a glaring indicator the coaching staff has lost faith. Smith has completed just 25 passes over the last three games and has a league-leading 23 turnovers. Ryan wouldn't say after the game if Smith was his starter next week against the Miami Dolphins. Matt Simms is in play.
- A new uniform can't change one unconquerable truth for safety Ed Reed: He can't move anymore. Flacco's long touchdown pass to Jacoby Jones was tailor-made for a Reed pick during his salad days in Baltimore. The Reed of today wasn't quick enough to adjust, allowing the back-breaking score. If Reed doesn't help solve the Jets' deep ball woes, he doesn't have much use.
- Flacco made some big throws in brutal conditions, including a 60-yard completion to wide receiver Torrey Smith and a 66-yard bomb for a touchdown to Jones. Baltimore's deep-strike ability has been mostly absent this season, but Ravens coach John Harbaugh was smart to attack an opponent's weakness.
- So much for Ray Rice's 131-yard breakout against the Chicago Bears ending his season-long funk. Rice was back in more familiar territory against an imposing Jets front, finishing with 30 yards on 16 carries. Bernard Pierce wasn't much better.
- Defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson was a bright spot for New York, finishing with two sacks, three QB hits and six tackles. Nobody can run on the Jets. Problem is, everybody can throw on their subpar secondary.
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