With Division Title In Hand, Ravens Turn Focus to Top Seed, Winning Super Bowl

BALTIMORE — The Ravens wore t-shirts emblazoned with the phrase "The AFC North Is Not Enough" following a 42-21 victory over the New York Jets.

Indeed, Baltimore won the division crown for the second straight year.

Now, the coaches and players can focus on loftier goals.

"The Ravens are the AFC North champs, and we’re very proud of that," coach John Harbaugh said. "That’s a great accomplishment. It’s a great division, and it’s our first goal. It’s not our top goal, but it’s our first goal. So, we’re proud of that. That’s done. We move on, and we’ll get to work. We have to get better."

Baltimore extended its winning streak to 10 games and can secure the top seed throughout the AFC playoffs with a win at Cleveland in Week 16. That home-field advantage could be a huge factor in the Ravens reaching the Super Bowl.

Lamar Jackson has been the catalyst behind Baltimore's surge to the postseason. He finished with 86 yards on eight carries against the Jets, giving him 1,103 yards on the season. Jackson broke the previous quarterback rushing record for a single season set by Michael Vick, who ran for 1,039 yards in 2006.

Jackson has been a spark since taking over the starting job midway through the 2018 season after Joe Flacco went down with a hip injury. He led the Ravens to victories in six of their final seven games and helped the team snap a three-year postseason drought.

Baltimore lost to the Los Angeles Chargers 23-17 in the first round of the AFC playoffs. That setback still resonates with Jackson and the goal is to take the team even further this season.

“Last year, you know, two different teams, two different mindsets, but last year we worked so hard for that," Jackson said. "We [were 4-5 when he took over] and we lost one game on that run and people didn’t think our team would make it to the playoffs, and we had a strong team last year and we made it happen. That’s my fault we lost in that first-round last year, but this year is a different team, different mindset. It’s a brotherhood going on right now, and we’ve just got to keep it going.”

On the season, Jackson has thrown for 2,889 yards with an NFL-leading 33 touchdown passes, which also is tied for the franchise season record set by Vinny Testaverde in 1996.

Jackson has inspired confidence in his teammates. Many of the Ravens' players say the camaraderie in the locker room has been the key to the team's success.

Running back Mark Ingram has touted Jackson's MVP credentials after each victory. He can sense something special brewing with this group of players.

“It’s special. It’s just a blessing to be a part of it," Ingram said. "The good Lord put me in a great situation where I’m here with the Baltimore Ravens, and I’m here with great teammates, a great organization. I thank the good Lord for putting me here, and it’s a special thing to be able to witness ‘L.J.’ [Lamar Jackson] accomplish special things – franchise record for TD passes, the league record for QB rushing yards. So, I’m just happy for ‘L.J.’ He deserves it. He’s a hard worker. And that’s what we’re here for, to make his job easy and let him do what he does.”

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