BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Ravens aren’t quite a playoff team yet. They sure are playing like one, though.
Joe Flacco threw a career- high four touchdown passes, and the Ravens capitalized on six Chicago turnovers in a 31-7 rout on Sunday.
Baltimore (8-6) led 14-0 after 13 minutes and 31-7 after three quarters. The win solidified the Ravens’ hold on a wild- card playoff spot in the AFC; they’re tied with Denver for the fifth and sixth seeds but own the head-to-head tiebreaker.
“The game looked like one team was playing for something and the other one really wasn’t,” Bears coach Lovie Smith said.
Jay Cutler threw three interceptions, upping his NFL-high total to 25, and backup Caleb Hanie also was picked off. In addition, Chicago (5-9) lost two fumbles. Baltimore scored 24 points off turnovers.
“That’s what great teams do,” said Ravens cornerback Domonique Foxworth, who had two interceptions. “Good teams get turnovers. Great teams convert them.”
Chicago’s only score came on a 49-yard punt return by Earl Bennett.
Flacco went 21-of-29 for 234 yards with no interceptions.
Cutler went 10-for-27 for 94 yards. The Bears have lost six of seven overall and five straight on the road.
