Future Hall of Famer Ray Lewis saw his ‘last ride’ end in perfect fashion as the Baltimore Ravens saw off a spirited comeback from the San Francisco 49ers to triumph 34-31 at Super Bowl XLVII. The game also saw quarterback Joe Flacco named Super Bowl MVP after a nearly faultless performance.

Legendary linebacker Lewis opted to defer after winning the toss, a decision which was vindicated soon after when he helped the Ravens defense restrict the 49ers offense to a quick three and out.

Baltimore’s offense, keen not to be outdone by their defense, quickly laid down a similar marker. They moved swiftly down the field in a drive which culminated in a 13-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Anquan Boldin.

San Francisco made a statement of their own on their next drive, moving seemingly effortlessly up the field. Once they entered the Red Zone however, the Baltimore defense immediately looked to tighten up. A sack from Paul Kruger helped restrict San Francisco to a successful field goal from David Akers.

The 49ers registering on the scoreboard seemed to spur the Ravens into a higher gear, and Baltimore’s defense registered two quick turnovers, the first a forced fumble from Courtney Upshaw, and the second an Ed Reed interception. The Ravens capitalized on both, with quarterback Flacco showing his ‘elite’ credentials, hitting Dennis Pitta and Jacoby Jones for touchdowns on the respective drives.

San Francisco managed to double their points tally late in the second quarter, successfully landing another field goal, which sent them into the halftime break trailing 21-6. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick had look rattled up until the late scoring drive, but his key role in overcoming a 17-point deficit against the Atlanta Falcons previously had 49ers fans remaining fairly confident over their chances in the second half.

Clearly, Jim Harbaugh had his work cut out in the locker room at the half, but it looked as if John Harbaugh had more success, with Jones returning the subsequent kickoff for a 108-yard touchdown, tying the NFL record.

The 49ers ensuing drive was of critical importance. If San Francisco were to have any chance of a comeback, they needed a score. A disruptive loss of power then sparked a monumental swing in momentum, despite the Ravens defense holding strong and forcing the 49ers into a three and out.

A 31-yard Michael Crabtree touchdown midway through the third quarter brought the 49ers to within 15 points of the Ravens and gave much needed hope to an ailing 49ers side. Hope was then compounded by the San Francisco defense, who forced the previously ruthless Baltimore offense into a three and out.

Ted Ginn’s punt return to Baltimore’s 20-yard line gave the 49ers excellent field position as Kaepernick went back to work, first finding Vernon Davis with a precision pass, before Frank Gore ran untouched into the end zone.

Things then went from bad to worse for Baltimore as running back Ray Rice fumbled deep in Ravens territory, which was recovered by San Francisco and eventually a field goal kicked, leaving the score at 28-23 to Baltimore.

The Ravens were in dire need of a score on their next drive. A big gain down the sideline by Boldin put Baltimore into 49ers territory, but the San Francisco defense came up strong in the Red Zone, limiting the Ravens to a field goal.

The Ravens reprieve was short lived however as Kaepernick lead the 49ers down the field in just three plays, and then sped into the end zone on a 15-yard rush. The two-point conversion was unsuccessful however, and Baltimore maintained a two point lead.

Time management was now on both teams’ minds. A Ravens’ drive, ending in a field goal by Justin Tucker, increased their lead to five points with just over four minutes left on the clock.

The 49ers drive made it to the Baltimore’s 7-yard line by the two minute warning, but the Ravens forced a turnover on downs with some fierce defense. The Ravens were then unable to get a first down and wind down the clock, but gave up an intentional safety in order to take as much time off the clock as possible. The 49ers attempted to return the resulting punt, but with just four seconds left on the clock, they were unable to do so.

Lewis’ legacy cemented. Reed won his first Super Bowl in his hometown. Flacco proved, perhaps unequivocally, that he is an elite quarterback. John Harbaugh won the ‘HarBowl’. The storylines were concluded in dramatic fashion, amidst scenes of euphoria for the Baltimore Ravens.

The Baltimore Ravens, World Champions.

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Many people were wondering whether the heartbreaking AFC Championship loss to the New England Patriots last season would leave the Baltimore Ravens more fired up than ever this season, or facing a hangover. This question was answered emphatically as the new-looking Ravens blew away the Cincinnati Bengals in their home opener, 44-13, on Monday night with the rest of the nation looking on.

Baltimore got off to perfect start, scoring on all three of their first drives. The first drive ended in a first NFL field goal for rookie kicker, Justin Tucker, following a 52-yard pass to Torrey Smith off of the very first snap of the game.

It was then the Ravens’ defense turn to step up and they forced a three and out on Cincinnati’s first drive. This gave Baltimore excellent field position and the new no-huddle offense shone, moving the ball quickly back towards the Bengals’ end zone. Running back, Ray Rice, then began to justify his new contract by punching it in to give his side a 10-0 lead.

The Bengals pulled back three points of their own with a field goal early in the second quarter, but they were soon facing an even bigger deficit. Quarterback, Joe Flacco, was in impressive form and took his team on another long drive, regularly finding receivers with pinpoint passes. He finished off the drive by finding Anquan Boldin for a 34-yard touchdown pass and firmly putting Baltimore in the driving seat.

Cincinnati was able to strike back before the half, as BenJarvus Green-Ellis rushed his way to a 6-yard touchdown, leaving the Bengals trailing 17-10 heading into the third quarter. Head Coach, Marvin Lewis,  was pleased with his sides’ drive down the field, which involved a couple of fourth down conversions and generally showed a fluency that had been lacking early on in the game.

Questions about the proficiency of the Baltimore pass rush were raised early in the third quarter when quarterback, Andy Dalton, lead his team comfortably down the field for another field goal to bring his side to within four points of the Ravens.

Fortunately for Baltimore, their offense continued it’s great start to the game, scoring on consecutive drives, the first a Dennis Pitta touchdown, followed shortly by another field goal from Tucker.

It was almost as if the defense recognized they were being outshone and came up with two impressive plays of their own on either side of the end of the third quarter. Ed Reed was the first to step up, picking off Dalton and returning the football for a 34-yard touchdown, a score which moved Reed to the top of the all-time interception return yardage table, having now put up 1,497 yards. The beginning of the fourth quarter rolled around and it was now time for the other defensive talisman of the Ravens to take the spotlight as Ray Lewis forced a fumble on Dalton that was quickly recovered by Lardarius Webb.

Another rushing touchdown for Rice and a field goal for Tucker left the score at 44-13 to Baltimore, and the Ravens brought in their reserves for the final nine minutes, who were able to comfortably see the game out.

Cincinnati will now have to wait until the last game of the regular season to get a shot at avenging this humbling score, but they will be eager to record their first win of the season against the Cleveland Browns next week.

Head Coach, John Harbaugh, has been thrilled with the Raven’s season opener, as they shone in the new no-huddle offense. Flacco put up great numbers (21/29, 299 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INT) and Rice looked dangerous whenever he got the ball (10 carries, 68 yards, 2 TDs). The chemistry Flacco had with his receivers was also apparent, completing multiple passes to seven different receivers.

One cause for concern may be the lack of a consistent pass rush threat, despite Haloti Ngata picking up two sacks, and it will be something defensive coordinator, Dean Pees, will want to work on before their game against the Philadelphia Eagles next week.

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The Baltimore Ravens (12-4) secured the AFC North title and ensured a first bye week in the playoffs with a confident 24-16 victory over divisional rivals the Cincinnati Bengals (9-7).

The Ravens got off to the perfect start, with Ray Rice breaking into the secondary and racing to the end zone for a 70-yard rushing touchdown. Both Billy Cundiff and Mike Nugent then proceeded to exchange field goals and left the Ravens leading by seven points at the end of the first quarter.

Baltimore then made it a two possession game in the second quarter, with Joe Flacco finding tight end Dennis Pitta for a 9-yard touchdown pass, part of a great performance for Pitta who finished with 62 yards on six receptions.

The Bengals cut the deficit back to seven points late in the third quarter however, with running back Bernard Scott going over for a 25-yard rushing touchdown, giving heart to the Cincinnati offense which had been fairly ineffective up to that point.

Despite pulling to within four points of the Ravens with another Nugent field goal, the game wrapped up midway through the fourth quarter when Rice broke off his second big run of the game, registering a 51-yard rushing touchdown, and giving the running back 191 rushing yards on just 24 carries.

Linebacker Terrell Suggs kept up the form which has many tipping him to become Defensive Player of the Year, sacking Andy Dalton as well as forcing a key fumble late in the game, with possession returning to the Ravens.

The Ravens will now enjoy a home match in the second round of the playoffs, and condemn archrivals the Pittsburgh Steelers to have to face the Denver Broncos next weekend.  The Bengals will also appear in the playoffs despite their loss to the Ravens today, and will have to travel to Houston to take on the Texans next week, illustrating the strength of the AFC North as arguably the most competitive division in the N.F.L.

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The Baltimore Ravens (11-4) bounced back from their disappointing loss to the San Diego Chargers with a 20-14 victory over divisional rivals, the Cleveland Browns (4-11). The Ravens maintained their position at the top of the AFC North with the victory and will finish top of the division if they can beat the Cincinnati Bengals in the last game of the regular season, regardless of how the Pittsburgh Steelers do in their game.

The Ravens got off to the perfect start, with Ed Dickson collecting a 5-yard touchdown pass from quarterback, Joe Flacco, in the first quarter and was soon followed up by a field goal from Shayne Graham, giving Baltimore a 10-point lead going into the second quarter.

Flacco then threw his second touchdown of the game in the second quarter, finding running back Ray Rice open, and Rice had little difficulty coasting into the end zone for a 42-yard touchdown. The Ravens added another field goal early in the third quarter, giving themselves a 20-point lead over the Browns, then had to brace themselves for a comeback from Cleveland. Josh Cribbs gave the Browns’ fans some hope with a touchdown on an 84-yard punt return in the third quarter, which was followed up by a 6-yard touchdown pass from Seneca Wallace to Evan Moore in the fourth quarter, but could not find another score as they lost the game by six points.

Whilst Wallace performed competently, if not spectacularly, at quarterback, running back Peyton Hillis looked in formidable form for arguably the first time this season, running for 112 yards on 24 carries. Although Hillis has slowly begun to find his form in this injury-plagued season, it may be too little, too late to save his career in Cleveland, and he could well be looking for a new team come the end of the season.

Although they allowed two touchdowns late in the game, the Ravens defense looked far more solid than they did last week against the San Diego Chargers. Ray Lewis looked to have fully recovered from his toe injury, registering a game-high 10 tackles as Baltimore managed to make the Browns’ offense look fairly ineffective for the majority of the game.

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The Baltimore Ravens (9-3) snapped their habit of losing to teams with a less than .500 record with a comfortable 24-10 victory over A.F.C. North rivals, the Cleveland Browns (4-8). With many Cleveland fans still angry about the relocation of their beloved team to Baltimore during the N.F.L. expansion, this game often takes an even higher meaning for them, and they will be disheartened to have not caused an upset.

The main injury concern before the game surrounded Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis, who continues to suffer from a toe injury, and although sources reported he probably could have played, the Ravens had him rest, ensuring that he is fully healed for the end of the season as well as the playoffs, which are looking more and more favorable for Baltimore.

Although the first quarter was scoreless, the visiting Ravens took the lead halfway through the second quarter with a 6-yard touchdown rush from running back Ray Rice, and Baltimore proceeded to extend the lead to 10 points with a successful field goal from Billy Cundiff.

The Browns cut the deficit back to seven points with a field goal of their own in the third quarter, but could not maintain it for long as the Ravens struck back with a one-yard touchdown from Ricky Williams, the tailback finishing off a 73-yard drive which had taken just three plays.

Baltimore really wrapped the game up when Ladarius Webb returned a punt for a 68-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, and although Cleveland managed to grab a consolation touchdown after a 22-yard pass to tight end Evan Moore, it was too little too late for the home side, who will now be resigned to finishing bottom of the A.F.C. North.

The dominant running game of the Ravens was just too much for the Browns, with Rice rushing for 204 yards on 29 carries, and Williams amassing 76 yards on 16 carries, with both backs registering a touchdown apiece.

With Lewis still out, Baltimore Head Coach John Harbaugh will also be pleased with the performances of inside linebackers Dannell Ellerbe and Jameel McClain, who effectively shut down the running game of Peyton Hillis and Chris Ogbonnaya. They were not the only defensive highlights for the Ravens, as rookie Pernell McPhee continues to impress, sacking Colt McCoy twice during the course of the game, whilst cornerback Jimmy Smith continues to grow into his role in the Ravens defense, collecting another interception in what was a composed performance from Baltimore.

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The Baltimore Ravens (7-3) moved to top position in the AFC North with a well-earned 31-24 victory over divisional rivals the Cincinnati Bengals (6-4). The most noteworthy injury news prior to this game revolved around Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis.

A toe injury, which had ruled Lewis out of practice in the week running up to the game, brought to an end a streak of 57 consecutive games started for the 16-year Raven. The Bengals were not without injury concerns of their own, however, having ruled wide receiver A. J. Green inactive following a knee injury sustained a week ago during their game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Both teams went three and out on their opening plays, perhaps inevitably, considering the inconsistencies of the Ravens offense recently and the fact, the Ravens are the only team in the N.F.L. to have not conceded points on the opening drive of the game. Despite having home field advantage, the Ravens were the first to give away points, running back Cedric Benson powering into the end zone.

Cincinnati’s lead was short lived, however, with quarterback Joe Flacco rolling right from the snap, and with plenty of time for his receivers to escape their coverage, found Anquan Boldin for a 35-yard touchdown pass.

Baltimore then added another touchdown, this time Ray Rice going over from the one-yard line after a couple of excellent catches from wide receiver Torrey Smith had allowed the Ravens to advance down the field.

The Bengals responded well after the half, answering a Ravens field goal with another rushing touchdown for Benson, reducing Baltimore’s lead to just three points. As in the first half, Ravens struck back quickly with rookie Jimmy Smith grabbing his first interception in the N.F.L.

Smith later fumbled the ball; fortunately for Ravens’ fans, the ball was recovered by Brendon Ayanbadejo, and set up Rice for the one-yard touchdown run. Things quickly went from bad to worse for Cincinnati with Ladarius Webb acrobatically picking off an Andy Dalton pass on the Bengals’ 38-yard line, and Flacco proceeded to throw a touchdown pass to Smith on the first play of Baltimore’s possession, lengthening their lead to 17 points.

Jimmy Smith could not continue to live up to the high standards he had set for himself with his first-ever interception in the N.F.L. as he let Bengals wide receiver Andre Caldwell get away from him and collect a 49-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter, the longest scoring play allowed by the Ravens all season.

Hopes of a Cincinnati comeback ignited when tight end Jermaine Gresham juggled the ball as he moved into the end zone, managing to take control of the ball just before he was pushed out of bounds. The Bengals had to settle for a field goal, bringing them to within seven points of Baltimore.

With less than a minute to play, and the Bengals in a first and goal situation, the Baltimore defense, shorn of its on-field leader Lewis, put in a titanic effort, forcing the Bengals to go four and out and secure victory for the home side.

The Ravens’ stuttering performance last week against the Seattle Seahawks was put to bed after this vital victory over the Bengals, although question marks will remain over the consistency of the Ravens, especially against lesser opposition.

Head Coach John Harbaugh will be pleased with a number of players performances, notably wide receiver Smith, who had 165 yards on just six receptions, including one for a touchdown, as well as tailback Rice, who helped his side with 104 yards on 20 carries.

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The Baltimore Ravens (6-3) were unable to build momentum after their impressive victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers last week as they succumbed to a 22-17 loss on the road at the Seattle Seahawks (3-6).

Although the Ravens could still not welcome back wide receiver Lee Evans due to his ankle injury, concerns over Matt Birk, Ed Reed, and Terrell Suggs all amounted to nothing as the trio started against the Seahawks. Meanwhile, Seattle declared starting quarterback Tavaris Jackson active after a pectoral injury from the previous week.

The underdog Seahawks made the much better start to the game, racing into a 10-0 lead, with Marshawn Lynch running in a touchdown from a yard out, and kicker Steven Hauschka adding a field goal. If Lynch had been the go-to man on the Seahawks drive, then Ed Dickson stepped into that role for the Ravens, with Joe Flacco targeting him consistently on their drive, which culminated in Ray Rice passing to Dickson for a one-yard touchdown pass, cutting the Seahawks’ lead to just three points.

Hauschka added three more field goals for Seattle towards the end of the second quarter, the latter coming as a result of a fumbled kick return from David Reed, turning things from bad to worse for the Ravens. The Seahawks then increased their lead to 15 points with another field goal after Flacco’s pass was deflected, and linebacker David Hawthorne intercepted the ball for the Ravens’ third turnover of the game.

As the third quarter came to a close, the Ravens found success with the no-huddle offense, much in the same way they did previously against both the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers, and were rewarded with a field goal, and setting up an exciting final quarter.

Baltimore continued to use the no huddle offense, and drove quickly up the field midway through the fourth quarter, and Flacco found Dickson for his second touchdown of the game with an 11-yard pass, leaving the Ravens trailing by just five points with just under six minutes left to play. Unfortunately for the visitors, their defense could not make anything happen, and Seattle ran the clock out with Lynch running  strongly.

The performance of tight ends Denis Pitta and Dickson will be pleasing to Offensive Coordinator Cam Cameron, as will the performance of the offense when it was in its hurry-up mode, but more worryingly for Baltimore is the fact that they have slipped to another defeat against a side they should be beating if they have genuine playoff ambitions.

The Ravens’ lack of a significant running game ultimately cost them this game, with Lynch running for over 100 yards, as well as the Seahawks punishing Baltimore for their errors, including the two fumbled kick returns from D. Reed. They will need to be more clinical on offense and solid in defense next week when they take on AFC North rivals the Cincinnati Bengals as they look to reaffirm their position at the top of the division.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3) suffered a devastating loss to the Baltimore Ravens (6-2) during a 23-20 defeat to their bitter rivals at Heinz Field, as they gave up top spot in the AFC North.

Whilst the Ravens were still missing wide receiver Lee Evans, guard Ben Grubbs was able to return to duty, and they had no new major injury concerns, unlike the Steelers.  Pittsburgh did welcome back James Harrison after he recovered from his eye injury, but were without linebackers LaMarr Woodley and James Farrior for this crucial match.

Baltimore almost made the perfect start when Ray Rice found a hole on the Ravens first possession, and ran for a 76-yard touchdown, only for a flag to be thrown for holding by wide receiver Torrey Smith. The Ravens did take the lead soon after however, with the Steelers holding them out despite being on the one-yard line, and Baltimore had to make do with a field goal from Billy Cundiff.

Both teams proceeded to trade field goals and ended the second quarter with Baltimore leading 9-6. As predicted, both teams’ defenses seemed to be dominating the play, and limiting the opposition to field goals.

With the Steelers advancing down the field, and finding a couple of big gains through the air, it felt like only a matter of time before Ben Roethlisberger found someone for a touchdown pass, but then the veteran quarterback threw a ball straight at Terrel Suggs, and the linebacker picked up the interception.

The drive following Suggs’ interception was turned into a touchdown when Ike Turner was called for pass interference on Anquan Boldin, which brought the Ravens to the 10-yard line, and Rice had no trouble finding a hole and getting the touchdown, making it 16-6 to Baltimore.

Pittsburgh hit back in similar fashion however, going on an 80-yard drive, which culminated in Rashard Mendenhall going over for a one-yard touchdown, and cutting the Ravens lead to three points with most of the fourth quarter left to play.

Roethlisberger then put the Steelers into the lead for the first time on the night, passing on the run to Mike Wallace for a 35-yard touchdown pass, making the score 20-16 to Pittsburgh. The Ravens were not finished though, and went on a 92-yard drive, and Joe Flacco found Smith in the endzone for a 26-yard touchdown pass, securing the win for the visitors with just eight seconds left to play.

Head Coach Mike Tomlin will be disheartened with the loss, but can be content with the performance of Roethlisberger, as the quarterback continues from where he left off against the Patriots last week.

The Ravens, who have now recorded a sweep over the Steelers this year, will be encouraged by the return of Grubbs and the solidity that he brought to an offensive line which has been heavily criticised so far this season. Flacco’s proficiency on third down, and his contributions to the game-winning drive, will also have pleased Offensice Coordinator Cam Cameron, even if there are still large question marks over the quarterback.

The Steelers will head into Week 10 having to play AFC North surprise package the Cincinnati Bengals, and will need to maintain their focus after emotionally charged matches with rivals New England Patriots and the Ravens. The Ravens, meanwhile, will travel to Seattle to take on the Seahawks, and will be fairly confident of getting the win but will need to ensure they do not slip up in the same way they did two weeks ago against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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After a disheartening loss in Jacksonville on Monday, the Baltimore Ravens (5-2) made a comeback as they edged a 30-27 victory over the visiting Arizona Cardinals (1-6) at the M&T Bank Stadium. The Ravens came from a 21-point deficit to win the game, a franchise-record turnaround.

This match-up saw the N.F.L.-leading defense of the Ravens going up against the inconsistent offensive line of the Cardinals, who have already given up 18 sacks so far this season. The game started much as expected, with the linebacker trio of Jarret Johnson, Paul Kruger, and Terrell Suggs all recording sacks on Kevin Kolb early in the first quarter.

The Ravens offense, which had been woeful against the Jaguars six days earlier, appeared equally inept before a home crowd as the Cardinals raced into a surprising 24-6 lead by the end of the second quarter.  With Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco throwing an interception and fumbling in the second quarter, the Cardinals punished the home side, with Beanie Wells recording his seventh rushing touchdown of the season after Darrell Dockett had recovered the ball from Flacco’s fumble.

Patrick Peterson also returned a punt for an 82-yard touchdown, whilst Kolb, looking far more confident in the second quarter, found Earl Doucet for a 10-yard touchdown pass. The Ravens managed to claw back three points with a second field goal after their no-huddle offense seemed to find its rhythm late in the second.

Offensive Coordinator Cam Cameron must have been happy with what he saw at the end of the half, and the Ravens continued to utilize the no-huddle offense, with Flacco finding wide receiver Anquan Boldin for a 37-yard reception.

The Ravens then reduced Arizona’s lead to 11 points when running back Ray Rice went over for a one-yard rushing touchdown, with the inclusion of Haloti Ngata at tight end drawing much of the defensive attention and allowing Rice to jog through a large hole. Baltimore’s defense continued to shine, with Chris Carr and Bernard Pollard both picking up sacks on the increasingly ineffective Kolb.

This took the Ravens to a total of six sacks for the game as they began to establish dominance over the Cardinals offense. This pressure resulted in the Ravens regaining possession, and Flacco and Boldin continued to flourish in the second half. Boldin, a former Cardinal, notched 80 yards on four receptions as Flacco lead his side into the redzone.

Rice then went on to collect two more touchdowns, as the running back saw much more of the ball than he had six days previously in Jacksonville.  The Cardinals did kick a field goal to tie the game up, but with just seconds left on the clock, Billy Cundiff kicked a field goal of his own to earn the win for Baltimore.

After a disappointing first half, Flacco, who passed for 336 yards, and Boldin, who earned 145 yards for seven receptions, were dominant, and will need to maintain their form if they are to emerge victorious over the Steelers next week.

Suggs will also be keen to carry on from where he left off, putting in an excellent defensive performance — registering nine tackles, four assists, and a sack — as he continues to show the kind of leadership required when Ray Lewis decides to call it a day.

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Everyone knows about the Jets’ defense. They’re big, they’re strong, they’re good, and they were embarrassed by Darren McFadden and the Oakland Raiders.

The Jets, who believe they have the most intimidating and best defense in the NFL, were given a dose of their own medicine when they went into Oakland on Sunday. The Raiders punished the Jets’ defense physically on their way to 234 yards on the ground, with 171 coming from McFadden.

There have been three games in this young NFL season and this Jets’ defense looks like a shell of the defenses we saw in 2009 and 2010. This may just be a temporary skid or loss of defensive identity, but if you look at the games so far, they’ve had two bad performances sandwiching a beat down of a journeyman quarterback.

Rex Ryan took blame for the defensive performance, saying that Raiders coach, Hue Jackson, out prepared him, but that was blatantly obvious.

On the first drive, the Raiders came out in a no huddle offense. The Jets’ defense looked like it had never heard of a no huddle, let alone seen one before. Oakland marched right down the field for a five play 76 yard opening drive for a touchdown.

“That’s unacceptable for our defense,” said cornerback Darrelle Revis, alluding to the no-show on the game’s opening drive. “That had us on our heels.”

The other thing that’s not a good sign for the Jets’ defensive line is how Oakland simply pushed them around. They exploited the weaknesses in the Jets’ defense around the perimeter as the Jets’ linebackers aren’t known as the quickest bunch and that, combined with poor tackling, led to a long day for the Jets.

They were also fooled on multiple plays. There was the McFadden 27 yard gain on a broken trick play. Then the next play on an end around missed tackles and poor positioning led to Moore’s 27 yard reverse for a touchdown.

“We didn’t play to our identity,” Revis said. “It’s a shocker for a lot of us.”

Well, the Jets better play to that identity next weekend as they face the Baltimore Ravens and Ray Rice who is another back who can make them look foolish. While this maybe just a temporary lapse, this Jets defensive line needs to turn things around quickly, otherwise a season that started with Super Bowl aspirations is going to end with “We’ll get em next year” aspirations.

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