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A20 SPORTS
Saturday 14 december 2019

Jackson, Ravens beat Jets 42-21

to clinch AFC North title

By DAVID GINSBURG third quarter with a 24-yard 218 yards.
AP Sports Writer scoring pass to rookie Mar- “Experience. It’s com-
BALTIMORE (AP) — Only quise Brown following a ing,” Gase said. “It’s com-
minutes removed from turnover by New York (5-9). ing. He’s improving every
watching his team roll to Jackson ran for 86 yards week.”
its 10th consecutive victo- (on eight carries) to break The Jets’ other touchdown
ry, coach John Harbaugh Michael Vick’s single-sea- came on a blocked punt
showed up to the post- son record for a quarter- in the fourth quarter.
game news conference back (1,039 for Atlanta in New York’s defense came
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) scrambles for wearing a white hat pro- 2006). Jackson has 1,108 in ranked second in the
yardage against the New York Jets during the first half of an NFL claiming Baltimore to be yards rushing. NFL against the rush, but
football game, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2019, in Baltimore. AFC North champions. On this night, however, the unit was no match
Associated Press No small accomplishment, Jackson did most of the for the league’s top run-
winning that tough division damage with his right arm. ning game. The Ravens
two years in a row. He completed 15 of 23 amassed 218 yards on the
“We’re very proud of that,” passes for 212 yards and ground, including 76 by
Harbaugh said. “It’s our first increased his NFL-leading Mark Ingram.
goal. Not our top goal.” total of touchdown passes Jackson broke Vick’s rush-
Indeed. After Lamar Jack- to 33, tying the franchise ing mark on Baltimore’s
son ran and passed the Ra- season record set by Vinny opening possession while
vens past the New York Jets Testaverde in 1996. guiding the Ravens on an
42-21 on Thursday night, After Jackson’s pass to 84-yard march. The dual-
the shirt he wore reflected Brown, many in the crowd threat quarterback ran
the feeling of just about ev- of 70,545 chanted “MVP! three times for 27 yards
eryone associated with the MVP!” There was a reprise and completed all three of
team that owns the best of the mantra late in the his passes for 41 yards be-
record in the NFL. third quarter when Jack- fore Ingram ran in from the
“THE NORTH IS NOT son hit Seth Roberts for a New York 6.
ENOUGH,” yelled the senti- 33-yard touchdown. The Jackson supplanted Vick
ment in capital letters. score came after Jack- in the record book with a
Yes, the Ravens have an- son connected with tight 5-yard run from the Jets 11.
other division title after they end Mark Andrews for a It was more of the same on
clinched a playoff berth 36-yard completion on a Baltimore’s second drive. A
four days earlier in Buffalo. fourth-and-1 from the Bal- 29-yard run by Ingram and
With a victory next week in timore 29. a 25-yard impromptu jaunt
Cleveland, the Ravens will Jackson celebrated the out of the pocket by Jack-
be assured the top seed in first down by dancing son preceded a 5-yard
the AFC, a distinction that downfield with his arm touchdown pass to rookie
comes with home-field ad- pointing toward the New Miles Boykin.
vantage leading up to the York goal line. Not once Darnold threw a 4-yard
Super Bowl. throughout his exceptional touchdown pass to get
Super Bowl. That’s the tar- performance did Jackson New York to 13-7 before the
get. Victories in December show any sign of being Ravens rolled to their third
are merely steps in that di- slowed by a quadriceps in- TD in three possessions. A
rection. jury that made headlines in 43-yard pass interference
“We just have to keep it the days leading up to the penalty against the Jets
going,” Jackson said. game. set up a 1-yard touchdown
“The job is not over,” safety The Jets, meanwhile, hard- pass to Andrews, and In-
Earl Thomas said. “We got ly looked like a team that gram tacked on a 2-point
a couple more goals in had won four of their pre- conversion.
front of us.” vious five games. Sam Dar- INJURIES
Jackson threw five touch- nold threw two touchdown Jets: WR Jeff Smith hurt his
down passes and scurried passes to Jamison Crowder ankle. ... Before the game,
into the NFL record book. but the second-year quar- New York placed TE Ryan
He’s only started 21 games terback also tossed an in- Griffin (ankle) on IR. ... S Ja-
as a professional, yet Jack- terception and lost a fum- mal Adams (ankle) and CB
son looks like he’s been do- ble. Brian Poole (concussion)
ing it forever. The first turnover ruined were inactive. .
“I’m thinking in the back a potential scoring drive Ravens: OT Ronnie Stanley
of my mind sooner or lat- near the end of the first half (concussion) was inactive.
er he’s going to have a and the latter miscue im- UP NEXT
young, second-year grow- mediately preceded Jack- Jets: Another game
ing pains game,” veteran son’s TD pass to Brown. against an AFC North foe
guard Marshal Yanda said. “When we got our oppor- looms Sunday for New
“And the kid keeps playing tunities, we had to score York, at home against the
winning football.” touchdowns. We just didn’t Pittsburgh Steelers.
Baltimore (12-2) took con- do it,” coach Adam Gase Ravens: The last team to
trol with touchdowns on its said. “We didn’t finish the beat Baltimore was the
first three possessions and job.” Browns, 40-25 on Sept.
Jackson made it 28-7 in the Darnold went 18 for 32 for 29.q