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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New York Jets squeezed tears out of their coach, but they couldn’t squeeze production out of their rookie quarterback.



A quick scan of the box score will suggest the reason the New England Patriots won Sunday was Wes Welker‘s sublime performance. Maybe your eye will pick up Tom Brady‘s numbers, or the gargantuan discrepancy in first downs, total yards or time of possession.



But the problem that doomed the Jets, what eliminated any chance they had of winning in Gillette Stadium, sweeping the season series and keeping their playoff hopes from flatlining was Mark Sanchez.



What a donkey performance Sanchez turned in. He threw four interceptions. He committed three turnovers — two picks and a fumble — in the fourth quarter alone.



The Patriots converted Sanchez’s giveaways into two touchdowns and a field goal. They won 31-14.



Patriots cornerback Leigh Bodden intercepted Sanchez three times, returning the first one 53 yards for a touchdown about nine minutes into the game. The play cast a pall over the rest of the game, and aside from a brief stretch in the third quarter where Sanchez appeared to collect himself, the Jets had no legitimate shot.



“They scored 17 points off of four turnovers by the quarterback, and that’s how we lose,” Sanchez said.



The Jets are 4-6, three games behind the Patriots and one game better than the last-place Buffalo Bills in the AFC East.



The tone surrounding the Jets’ season has gone from inspiring to depressing, and their quarterback’s performances have been corollary. He played like a veteran in the first few games yet has seemingly regressed.



After the game, Sanchez could be heard softly singing a song to himself as he buttoned up his dress shirt at his locker stall.



And maybe Jets coach Rex Ryan was whistling in the graveyard when he insisted he won’t consider inserting veteran backup Kellen Clemens to give the rookie a break from what has turned into an unremitting series of disheartening displays.



“I don’t think he’s going to get any better sitting on the sideline,” Ryan said of this year’s fifth-overall draft pick. “Without question, he made a lot of mistakes today. There were some other guys that made a lot of mistakes as well. But he’s got to learn from them.



“You can visualize all you want, watch tape and all that kind of stuff, carry a clipboard. But unless you get on the field, you’re not going to get any better.”



Sanchez has committed at least four turnovers three times this year.



He threw three interceptions (one for a touchdown) and lost a fumble (for a touchdown) in a 14-point loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 4. He threw five interceptions in a sudden-death loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 6.



Over the seven-game stretch in which the Jets have won one measly game and crumbled from Super Bowl contenders to AFC flotsam, Sanchez has thrown 14 interceptions and lost two fumbles.



That’s more giveaways than a feel-good Oprah show. Of course, she leaves her audience giddy. Sanchez makes Jets fans queasy.



“I just tell him to pick his head up and keep playing football,” Jets fullback Tony Richardson said, “because, obviously, he is very talented and can help this football team win.



“We are going to follow him 100 percent because he is the leader of this football team. When we watch the film, all of us could have done something to help win this ballgame. It’s not just him.”



Sanchez didn’t have many answers Sunday. He said the first two interceptions were proper reads, but bad throws. He said the last two were the result of trying to do too much on plays that didn’t work.



“Sometimes you just need to say ‘Uncle’ and end the play and be smart with the football,” Sanchez said.



But he claimed he was prepared, said he was coming off his best practice week all year and threw only one incomplete pass Friday.



“I was feeling good about the gameplan,” Sanchez said. “I knew it frontwards and backwards. But when you miss, a great defense like this will make you pay, and when you get down and try to create too much then they’ll make you pay again.



“I’ve just got to progress and play smarter and not put the ball at risk.”



Progress has been undetectable to anyone outside the organization.



“Would I say he’s regressed? It’s easy to say that when you compare to Week 2, but I think he’s getting better,” Ryan said.



Sanchez managed the Jets to a victory the first time they played the Patriots. He completed 14 of 22 attempts for 163 yards and one touchdown with zero interceptions at the Meadowlands in Week 2. He posted a 101.1 passer rating.



On Sunday, he was 8 of 21 for 136 yards and one touchdown — a gorgeous, arcing 29-yard throw to Jerricho Cotchery. But those four interceptions left Sanchez with a 37.1 passer rating. His first half stat line was atrocious: 2 of 9 for 15 yards and two interceptions for a 0.0 rating.



“I’m learning a lot,” Sanchez said. “It’s hard to say by the stats that ‘This kid’s really improving,’ but … I’ve just got to take it one game at a time and then at the end of the season just look back at my performances and how I’m going to improve for next year.”



Ryan admitted after the game he, offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and quarterbacks coach Matt Cavanaugh might have to reassess their approach with Sanchez.



“Obviously, we’ve got to look at what we’re asking him to do,” Ryan said. “We’ve got to look in the mirror and see what we can do to help this guy.



“He’s got all the tools. I think everybody sees that. We’ve just got to be patient with him. I think he’s going to be an outstanding quarterback. I don’t believe he’s regressed to point where I would even consider ever benching him. He’s our quarterback for the future, and he’s our quarterback now.”

ST. LOUIS — The knock on Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner — that he can be injury prone — became outdated years ago.



Warner hasn’t missed a game to injury since 2005, after all.



But when the three-time Super Bowl starter sat out the second half as a precaution Sunday after feeling “fuzzy” from a big hit, the other NFC West teams must have liked what they saw.



This division is the Cardinals’ to lose until the minute Warner walks away, probably after next season.



Backup Matt Leinart struggled to hold off the St. Louis Rams 21-13 after Warner handed him a 21-3 lead and an offense that had amassed 316 yards and 17 first downs in less than two quarters.



Leinart completed 10 of 14 passes for 74 yards, including a clutch 20-yarder to Early Doucet as Arizona finally handed the Rams their ninth defeat in 10 games. But the Cardinals’ offense punted four times and lost a fumble while generating seven first downs and zero points with Leinart at the controls.



Holding Leinart to Warner’s standard isn’t realistic or fair, but an occasional touchdown might be nice. Leinart has thrown one touchdown pass in his last 127 attempts dating to a 23-20 victory over Seattle early in the 2007 season.



This was the third time Arizona handed over the offense to Leinart this season. The Jaguars, Bears and Rams have outscored Arizona by a 24-0 count with Leinart in the game.



“Am I happy? I’m happy we won,” Leinart said. “Obviously, I’m going to get better and keep working and if my opportunity comes, keep making the most of it.”



While the Rams pitched a second-half shutout, no one in the Edward Jones Dome played tougher defense than Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt. He offered unwavering support for Leinart, but it was a tough sell.



“I think some of it has just been bad luck,” Whisenhunt said. “If you go back to Jacksonville, he threw a pass on a naked [bootleg] that was a first down and the guy drops it. He throws a pass today on a naked after just making on that same drive a big third-down conversion to Larry … and it’s fumbled. I mean, that’s not Matt’s fault.”



Leinart overthrew Fitzgerald twice on the Cardinals’ first drive of the third quarter. He seemed to hold the ball too long while taking a 9-yard sack on a third-and-3 play with 6:06 remaining in the game. A fumble in that situation could have cost Arizona its second consecutive 7-3 start.



“As with anything, you get into a groove as you are doing it and have some continuity, you get more comfortable,” Whisenhunt said. “The play he made to Early, I don’t see how you can make a better play than that as a quarterback.”



Warner completed 15 of 19 passes for 203 yards, two touchdowns and a 146.3 rating. He had just completed a 14-yard pass to Fitzgerald in the second quarter when Rams safety Oshiomogho Atogwe hit him from behind. Warner appeared shaken, but he stayed in the game for five more plays, leaving only after Beanie Wells‘ 1-yard touchdown run gave Arizona a 21-6 lead with 2:23 left in the first half.



“It was one of those situations where I didn’t feel perfect, so I just wanted to be cautious with it,” Warner said. “I actually feel pretty good right now. Just a very, very slight headache. I remember everything that happened. I didn’t get knocked out.”



Warner said he hasn’t suffered a concussion since probably 2003, when he was still with the Rams. The serious injury Anquan Boldin suffered against the Jets last season rattled Warner. Another teammate, Sean Morey, has battled concussions this season. Warner is 38 years old. He has seven children. He made the right decision.



“I think you get farther in your career and you see life beyond football and you realize that this game is just a game,” Warner said. “There are other things that you want to do and you want to be smart, especially when it comes to your health. I think that is what I have learned.



Warner overshadowed his former team when he was in the game and through the manner he left it. His St. Louis successor, Marc Bulger, wasn’t much of a factor in the outcome — not a good sign for a player with an $8.5 million salary next season.



But as Leinart showed the Rams on Sunday, drafting a quarterback in the first round assures nothing.



“Not taking anything away from Matt Leinart, because he is capable of getting the job done and they got a ton of weapons still, but I think it just shows you how good Kurt is, that when he comes out, things kind of shut down a little bit more for them,” Rams defensive end Chris Long said. “Kurt just makes plays.”

Leigh Bodden had three of the four interceptions thrown by Mark Sanchez and the New England Patriots defense allowed just one touchdown in a 31-14 win. The victory gave them a two-game lead in the AFC East and sent the Jets to their sixth loss in seven games.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — With 30 seconds left in the game and ahead by 17 points, the New England Patriots tried to deliver a sucker punch.

AP Photo/Charles KrupaAside from a 4-yard touchdown grab, Bills cornerback Darrelle Revis was successful in defending Patriots receiver Randy Moss.

Tom Brady loaded up and fired a bomb toward Randy Moss down the left sideline. The intention was clear. They wanted to sting New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis.



Revis, as he had throughout the game, was in Moss’ back pocket. The pass fell incomplete.



“We know the Patriots don’t quit,” Revis said with a laugh. “They want to keep on adding points up on the board. I knew it. I was ready to go. It’s just a play, and I did my job on that play.”



The Patriots won Sunday’s game 31-14 in Gillette Stadium, but Revis won the hotly anticipated rematch with Moss.



In Week 2, Revis limited Moss to four catches for 24 yards at the Meadowlands. Moss made some dismissive comments afterward about Revis having coverage help. Revis insisted he stopped Moss one-on-one. Moss on Friday said Revis better put up or shut up.



Brady targeted Moss 11 times Sunday. Moss caught four passes for 28 yards and was called for an offensive pass interference penalty with Revis guarding him.



“Randy is a great receiver,” Revis said. “I give him a lot of respect. When me and him battle, it’s great battles.”



Moss did beat Revis for a touchdown on a nearly indefensible 4-yard timing pattern in the first quarter and caught a 6-yard pass with cornerback Drew Coleman covering.



“Revis did a great job on Randy Moss, just like he did the last time,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said. “That’s one guy that actually won his battle.”



The Patriots tried to surprise Revis with a flea-flicker early in the first quarter. Revis didn’t bite. That pass also hit the ground.



“Moss tried to catch me sleeping,” Revis said. “That’s football. They bring the best out in you. I enjoy the competition. I’m expecting the ball to come my way when you’re covering a guy like Randy Moss.”



Moss didn’t speak to reporters afterward, but Ryan was quick to declare Revis the victor for that individual matchup, at least.



“We got the best corner in football,” Ryan said. “He’s going against Randy Moss. This is one heck of a football player in his own right, a Hall of Famer, the best vertical receiver in the game. Revis never flinched one bit.



“Out of 11 one-on-one matchups, we know we got that one. But we’ve got to worry about the other guys, too. It’s unfortunate to have that kind of effort from Revis and come up short.”

ARLINGTON, Texas — After drawing criticism all week for his play calling in a loss to the Green Bay Packers, Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrettt produced a much more balanced approach against the Washington Redskins. And the results weren’t a whole lot better.



This week, though, the defense bailed out the Cowboys long enough for the offense to finally show up in the fourth quarter in a 7-6 victory. On the surface, a 6-3 Cowboys team should’ve dominated a 3-6 team that is simply playing for pride at this point. But for the better part of four quarters, the Redskins were the best team on the field.



Garrett, a man who’d run the ball 41 percent of the time through the first nine games, answered his critics by calling 22 running plays against only 12 passes in the first half. Marion Barber and Felix Jones combined for 107 yards in the first half, but the Cowboys came up empty on the scoreboard. It didn’t help that Barber fumbled on the Redskins’ 16-yard line in the first quarter.



Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall scooped up the fumble, causing quarterback Tony Romo to become a defender. That’s not a good scenario for the Cowboys. Romo made the tackle but he suffered a back injury in the process. He winced in pain with each warm-up throw on the sideline, but never missed a snap.



Romo spent the rest of the afternoon subjecting his receivers to devastating blows from Redskins safety LaRon Landry. The quarterback was losing the ball high, something that normally takes place with Rangers pitchers a couple of blocks down the street. Romo was 15-of-27 for 158 yards, one touchdown and one interception.



The Redskins were playing without All-Pro defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth and they quickly lost starting running back Ladell Betts to a knee injury. This wasn’t supposed to be a fair fight, but it went to the wire because the Cowboys’ offense that helped lead the team to a four-game winning streak has gone in the tank. The Cowboys can probably get away with just showing up against the Oakland Raiders on Thursday, but they won’t beat teams such as the New Orleans Saints and San Diego Chargers playing like this on offense.



“This is also one of those kind of games you can look at and know you have to get better because if we play that type of football week in and week out, we won’t be able to accomplish the goals we need or want,” Romo said. “Saying that, it’s mostly us on the offensive side of the ball. The defense played outstanding today, they gave us a chance to win the game.”



When you hold a team to six points, I guess “outstanding” is an appropriate superlative, but the Redskins helped out the Cowboys with missed opportunities and baffling coaching moves. Linebackers London Fletcher and Rocky McIntosh both dropped easy interceptions in the first half that would’ve given the Redskins the ball inside Cowboys territory. And late in the first half, the Skins’ lame-duck coach, Jim Zorn, went conservative for no apparent reason. The Redskins had a third-and-1 at the Cowboys’ 21 with 15 seconds left in the first half. Instead of taking a shot at the end zone, Zorn sent the field-goal unit onto the field. Shaun Suisham hooked a 39-yard attempt and the Redskins only had a 3-0 lead at halftime.



It’s hard to say that a quarterback played an excellent game in a 7-6 loss, but that’s exactly what happened with Jason Campbell. He beat the Cowboys’ blitz by finding his receivers on hot routes and somehow shook off outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware to extend plays. His efforts were undermined by a poor effort from Suisham, and a playcaller and head coach who took their feet off the Cowboys’ throats at the worst possible moments.



Clinging to a 6-0 lead midway through the fourth quarter, the Redskins had a third-and-2 at the Cowboys’ 30. They had hurt the Cowboys on third down all day with quick deliveries from Campbell, but they decided to send Rock Cartwright up the gut for a 2-yard loss. Perhaps for a moment, playcaller extraordinaire Sherm Lewis forgot the Skins had one of the worst offensive lines in the league.



Suisham was wide right on a 50-yard attempt, and the Cowboys had new life. Romo was 7-of-8 on the ensuing drive. And with 2:50 left in the game, he spun away from rookie-of-the-year candidate Brian Orakpo‘s sack attempt and fired a 10-yard touchdown pass back across the field to Patrick Crayton.



Cowboys defensive end Stephen Bowen tipped a Campbell pass at the line of scrimmage that was intercepted by Anthony Spencer and the Cowboys escaped. No one in the Cowboys’ locker room apologized for the win — and they shouldn’t have to. But at some point this season — preferably before December — this offense needs to find an identity. Garrett reintroduced balance to the offense Sunday, but it didn’t yield any more points than his pass-happy approach at Lambeau Field.



“We weren’t consistent enough,” Garrett said after the game. “But at the end of the day, we found a way to win the game.”



With a huge assist from the Redskins, of course.

Bruce Gradkowski threw a 29-yard tying touchdown pass to Louis Murphy with 33 seconds left and Sebastian Janikowski kicked a 33-yard field goal after Andre Caldwell fumbled the ensuing kickoff, giving the Raiders a 20-17 victory Sunday.

At this point, the Giants will take a win any way they can get one. They had a two-touchdown lead in the fourth quarter and then watched it slip away as the Falcons tied the game with 28 seconds left.



It would have been a crushing loss, but the Giants won the toss and then quickly moved the ball into field goal range for Lawrence Tynes, a man who hasn’t been automatic from any distance this season.



Eli Manning was 25-of-39 for 384 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. The Falcons have one of the worst secondaries in the league and Manning made them pay with several deep balls.



Mario Manningham has been plagued by drops, but he caught six balls for 126 yards in the Giants’ win. His 29-yard catch on a fade route in overtime put the Giants in position to score. It was also a huge day for Kevin Boss, who had five catches for 76 yards and two touchdowns. The fact that the running game didn’t go anywhere shouldn’t be a huge concern. Teams have torched the Falcons’ secondary, so there’s really no reason to establish the run.



You have to be concerned about a defense that allowed another late drive, but the Giants will worry about that tomorrow. For now, they remain a game behind the Cowboys in the NFC East — and a 6-4 record must sound pretty good to them. Linebacker Michael Boley had an outstanding game against his former team Sunday. He had 13 tackles and a sack against the same Falcons that benched him during the 2008 season.



Justin Tuck has fought a shoulder injury since Week 2, but he had four tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. This is not anything close to an elite team, but in this division you don’t have to be. The Cowboys barely squeaked out a win over the Redskins and the Eagles are about to play the Bears at Soldier Field. The Giants could find themselves in sole possession of second place at the end of the night.



I’m not sure the Giants could have weathered another loss, but now we’ll never know. They have to turn around and make the trip to Denver for a game Thanksgiving night. It’s not an ideal situation. Just ask co-owner John Mara about that.



But the Broncos are imploding as we speak, so the game doesn’t look as difficult as it did three weeks ago. No matter how you slice it, the Giants had to have a win against the Falcons. Now they’re definitely back in the playoff conversation.

Philip Rivers and a dominant defense led the San Diego Chargers into sole possession of first place in the AFC West with a 32-3 drubbing of the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

Scott Boehm/Getty Images

Packers cornerback Al Harris’ potential season-ending injury could throw Green Bay’s defense out of whack.

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Al Harris pulled on a brown leather coat, turned around from his locker and for a moment I thought I was looking at the wrong guy. There were no crutches to be seen. No medical officials were hovering. Harris looked like any other Packers player departing Lambeau Field.



Then he took a step, and that was it. Harris could not put any weight on his left knee, and it appears a virtual certainty he will miss the rest of the season. The same could be true for linebacker Aaron Kampman, who like Harris, rode a cart off the field in the second half of the Packers’ 30-24 victory over San Francisco. Multiple reports suggested both players tore their anterior cruciate ligaments, but coach Mike McCarthy said only that the injuries “did not look very good.”



Regardless, the Packers almost certainly will be left to pursue a wild-card playoff berth without two of their most prominent players.



“Those are two staples of our defense,” cornerback Charles Woodson said. “They are great guys and teammates. I don’t know the extent of either one of their injuries right now. But not to have those guys is going to be tough going for this team.”



Through all of their trials in pass protection and scheme adjustment, the Packers have strung together consecutive victories to put themselves in position for a playoff spot. At 6-4, they’re part of a second tier of NFC teams behind the division leaders. That group includes the New York Giants (6-4) and possibly Philadelphia (5-4) should the Eagles win Sunday night at Chicago.



Otherwise, the Packers have gained an advantage over Atlanta (5-5), Chicago (5-5 at best), San Francisco (4-6) and Carolina (4-6) with six games to play. I believe they’ve tweaked their offense sufficiently enough to mitigate some problems in pass protection, having rediscovered their running game while targeting checkdown receivers more frequently. (Sunday, tailback Ryan Grant rushed for 129 yards while backup Brandon Jackson and tight end Jermichael Finley combined for 13 receptions.)



But even with Harris and Kampman on the field, the Packers were just starting to turn the corner on defense. To me, the biggest question of their playoff run isn’t whether they can protect Rodgers. It’s whether defensive coordinator Dom Capers can piece together a game plan to match their looming personnel turnover.



Their new mix is likely to include Tramon Williams in Harris’ spot along with rookie Brandon Underwood in the nickel. Rookie Brad Jones and veteran Brady Poppinga would replace Kampman.



“It’s like that in the NFL,” Capers said. “A week ago, when we didn’t have Aaron, Brad went in and did a nice job and we played well. Their job is to get ready and our job is to see how much we think they can handle and what they can do to find a way to play and win the game.”



I think most of us can agree the Packers strung together their best six quarters of defense last week against Dallas and in the first half Sunday against the 49ers. Here’s what the Cowboys and 49ers managed over that stretch:



Points: 10

Yards: 335

First Downs: 18



Now look at what happened from the moment Harris joined Kampman in the locker room at the 10:52 mark in the fourth quarter. See what the 49ers amassed in 10 offensive plays to close out the game:



Points: 14

Yards: 92

First downs: 5



The Packers suddenly couldn’t stop a team they had limited to one first down in the first half. Frankly, the Packers locked down the victory mostly because their offense ran the final 5:50 off the clock.



Capers noted that the 49ers began their comeback before Harris was injured, but I don’t think you can underestimate the domino effect of his departure. I’m well aware that rookie Michael Crabtree beat him for a 38-yard touchdown in the third quarter, but to that point Harris had blanketed him.



Woodson, for one, said Harris had made substantial progress in accepting the scheme recently.



“The last two weeks,” Woodson said, “the way he has studied, knowing what he’s going to get out there on the field, has drastically improved.”



Williams has a nose for the ball and is a decent playmaker, but I’m far from sold on his coverage skills. Crabtree, not noted for his speed, ran right past him on a 35-yard pass that set up the 49ers’ final touchdown.



“The second half, it wasn’t real good,” Williams said. “It’s a win, but deep down inside, we know it wasn’t a winning performance against a good team.”



In the worst-case scenario, in fact, the Packers will have two late-round draft picks in prominent roles for the rest of the season. Underwood (Round 6b) is the likeliest candidate for nickel, and Jones (Round 7) will certainly see significant time in Kampman’s place.



Like Harris, it seemed as though Kampman was beginning to find a comfort zone in the Packers’ defense over the past few weeks. After sitting out the Cowboys game because of a concussion, Kampman sacked 49ers quarterback Alex Smith in the first quarter and unofficially finished with a team-high four solo tackles.



If he is lost for the season, you have to wonder if Kampman has played his final game in a Packers uniform. His contract expires after this season, and while it’s clear he can be part of a successful 3-4 defense, it’s equally clear his skills are not maximized in it.



But Sunday’s sack came from a nickel-like package in which Kampman rushed from a down-lineman’s position. Kampman’s productivity has increased since Capers began giving him more opportunities to rush as a defensive end.



“I’m not sure how he felt about the defense this season and switching schemes,” Woodson said. “But I know one thing: Nobody worked harder at it trying to be a productive member of this team. I know he was excited, especially how we did last weekend [and with us] doing some good things today. To see a guy [seriously injured] that you know works hard at the game and loves the game, both him and Al, is a tough thing.”



And not just for Woodson. Overcoming these injuries, while maintaining their recent standard of defensive play, will be the key to the Packers’ season.

AP Photo/Nick Wass

Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco’s interception with under three minutes remaining cost the Ravens the game.

BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Ravens‘ final offensive play in Sunday’s 17-15 loss to the Indianapolis Colts was awkward from the start.



Baltimore was threatening to take the lead with third-and-7 on the Colts’ 14-yard line with 2:49 left in the game. But the Ravens were hurried at the line of scrimmage.



Baltimore had to decide whether to be conservative and run the football to set up a game-winning field goal, or pass to try for a first down or touchdown. Baltimore chose the aggressive play, but the Colts were prepared. Linebacker Gary Brackett made an interception covering Ravens tailback Ray Rice to seal the win for Indianapolis.



“I didn’t really think the guy that intercepted it was going to drop out the way he did,” a surprised Flacco said. “It was a bad job by me. I might have been able to get Kelley [Washington] on the outside. I kind of rushed to get the ball snapped and made a bad decision.”



The play was the final example of Baltimore continually being one step behind the Colts in the red zone Sunday. The Colts took the cliché of “bend but don’t break” to new levels in holding the Ravens to five field goals, despite Baltimore having no issues driving the football in between the 20s and putting up 354 total yards.



The Ravens were 0 for 4 in trips to the red zone, highlighted by Flacco’s pick and three failed attempts to run the football from the Colts’ 1 in the fourth quarter. Better execution in any of those four scenarios could have knocked the Colts (10-0) from the undefeated ranks and given the Ravens a marquee win that was sorely needed.



“We have to find a way to score touchdowns,” Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron said. “You can’t attempt six field goals in a game like this, or potentially seven. You can’t do that.”



Resorting to field goals against Peyton Manning will almost always result in a loss.



Manning (299 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions) had his issues with the Ravens’ defense. But he was still able to orchestrate two masterful touchdown drives of 87 and 80 yards that made the difference.



According to ESPN’s Stats & Information, Manning was 5-of-7 with a touchdown and a 117.3 passer rating in the red zone against the Ravens. It was a stark contrast to Baltimore’s offensive production close to the goal line.



“We scored touchdowns, they scored field goals,” Manning said. “That was kind of the difference.”



Adding to Baltimore’s plight was its inability to break off big runs. The Ravens rushed for 98 yards on 31 carries (3.2 yard average) and their longest run was 16 yards.



Baltimore got most of its yards through the air. Flacco threw for 256 yards and receiver Derrick Mason was the biggest target with nine receptions for 142 yards.

But the Colts tightened up in the red zone as the Ravens became easier to defend. Baltimore couldn’t get many yards on the ground and the short field limited the team’s options in the passing game.



“They’re not the No. 1 scoring defense in the NFL by accident at this stage,” Cameron said of Indianapolis. “You have to give them some credit. We can execute better and I can do better.”



The loss puts Baltimore’s playoff hopes on thin ice.



With six games to go, the Ravens (5-5) trail the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4), Jacksonville Jaguars (6-4), Denver Broncos (6-4) and Houston Texans (5-4) in a crowded field for the AFC wild-card. It appears 10 wins could be the magic number this season, which means the Ravens would have to win at least five of their last six games.



It starts with a huge AFC North showdown next week against the Steelers. Both teams are coming off tough losses and still have to meet twice this season. Those games probably will determine the playoff fates of each club.



“That’s a tough loss and it will be tough to swallow, but you’ve got to move on,” Ravens defensive lineman Dwan Edwards said. “You got Pittsburgh [next], and that’s a division rival and you need to try to get the ‘W.’ That’s all we can do.”



Mason was blunt about Baltimore’s prospects moving forward.



“We all understand what needs to happen now, we do,” Mason said. “You can’t get in the playoffs unless you win 10 games or more, and 10 games don’t automatically put you in in the AFC.



“So we know the road ahead of us. We have to win every game from here on out, point blank.”