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Ravens Team Grades: Costly Mistakes Keep Biting Ravens As They Fall To Jets

By Benjamin Daniel

The Baltimore Ravens let another lead slip away. For the second straight week, the Ravens blew a 10-point lead at Metlife as they fell to the New York Jets 24-16.

Baltimore was thoroughly dominated on both sides of the ball, and made a plethora of mistakes at critical points in the game. The Ravens were out-gained 344-to-245 in total offense and turned the ball over three times. This matchup also marked the fourth straight time quarterback Joe Flacco had the ball in his hands with a chance to win with less than two minutes remaining.

Baltimore has now lost four straight games, despite holding a lead in each of those contests. The Ravens are against the wall as they have never reached the playoffs with a Week 7 loss after opening with a 3-3 record.

Offense: F

The Ravens scored no touchdowns and ran for a franchise record-low six yards. Two of their turnovers led to 10 Jets points.

Flacco started the game off strong, despite playing with a sore right shoulder, completing 17 of his first 25 passes for 215 yards. He finished the game, going 25-of-44 for 248 yards with two interceptions. Flacco has averaged fewer than 6.0 yards per pass over the last three games and has not tossed a touchdown in 11 straight quarters.

The good: Mike Wallace had a season-high 10 receptions, on 13 targets, for 120 yards. And Baltimore only committed four penalties for 35 yards, though a penalty on left tackle Alex Lewis wiped out a 53-yard scamper by running back Terrence West.

DefenseC-

The defense didn't play horribly, but are continually giving up big pass plays. Including Quincy Enunwa's 69-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter, the Ravens have now given up three touchdown passes that were 66 yards or longer. Baltimore gave up 215 yards via the air versus the Jets; 143 of those yards came on four passes.

The Ravens defense was put in terrible field positions on the Jets' last two scores, following turnovers. Baltimore, a top-5 defense, has given up 340 or more yards in consecutive games now. Running back Matt Forte became the second opposing back this season to total 100 yards on the ground.

DT Tim Jernigan recovered a fumble in the third quarter after DE Lawrence Guy ripped the ball from Forte on a second-and-goal run from the Baltimore 6. However, Jernigan lost the ball himself, and the Jets recovered. Three plays later, Forte scored on a 1-yard run.

Special Teams: A-

This grade would be higher had Devin Hester been able to hang onto the punts that he returned. Otherwise, the Ravens special teams were terrific.

Rookie WR Chris Moore scored his first NFL touchdown as a member of the punt block team. After the ball slipped through the Jets punter Lachlan Edwards' hands, Moore knocked him over before jumping on the ball in the end zone. Then, late in the fourth quarter, DT Brandon Williams kept the Ravens in the game by blocking a 51-yard field goal attempt.

Once again, Jason Tucker was perfect in the kicking department, nailing three field goals all 44-yards or longer. P Sam Koch continued his strong play as well, pinning the Jets inside the 20 three times and averaging 50.0 per pooch.

Coaching: C

Physical mistakes and injuries aside, John Harbaugh has to figure something out. The Ravens need to find a running game somehow, if to take pressure off of Flacco. The defense did do a good job getting after the Jets' two quarterbacks.

Baltimore is on a bye this upcoming week, which is good news, as the Ravens now have 13 days to get healthy. It'll be a much needed respite as they prepare for a matchup against the rival Pittsburgh Steelers, who come to town for a 1 p.m. kickoff on Nov. 6.

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