BALTIMORE — Mark Sanchez kept giving the ball away, and the Baltimore Ravens were only too happy to take it the other way into the end zone.
The Ravens scored three touchdowns on defense, all off turnovers by Sanchez, and cruised to a 34-17 victory over the New York Jets on Sunday night in a bizarre game that featured an NFL-record five returns for scores.
Baltimore’s three touchdowns on defense were the most in franchise history. Jameel McClain took a fumble by Sanchez 6 yards for a score on New York’s first offensive play, Jarret Johnson scored on a 26-yard fumble return and Lardarius Webb put the Ravens up 34-17 in the third quarter by taking an interception 73 yards into the end zone.
The three touchdowns on defense equaled Baltimore’s output for the entire 2010 season. The Ravens also held the Jets to 150 yards and seven first downs in taking over sole possession of first place in the AFC North.
New York (2-2) has lost seven straight to the Ravens (3-1), the last two with coach Rex Ryan on the Jets sideline. New York’s touchdowns came on a 107-yard kickoff return by Joe McKnight and a 35-yard interception return by David Harris.
The Ravens got 17 points off three fumbles by Sanchez to take a 27-7 lead in the second quarter, and although the Jets cut the gap to 10, they were unable to complete the comeback.
