New York @ Baltimore preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 23, 2016 ) Baltimore 16, N.Y. Jets 24

The Baltimore Ravens have surged to the head of the pack in the AFC on the heels of a franchise-record nine-game winning streak and control their destiny with three games left in the regular season. The Ravens can clinch a second straight AFC North title and inch closer to the No. 1 overall seed when they host the New York Jets on Thursday night.

"We've been building for this moment. We've been playing really good football," Baltimore safety Earl Thomas said. "It's prime time, everybody's watching, so you want to put the best product on the field. I have no doubt we'll do that." There was some doubt about the availability of Lamar Jackson after he was limited in practice Tuesday, but the second-year quarterback told the media he felt "great" and will be on the field. While the Ravens moved one game ahead of New England after last week's 24-17 win at Buffalo, the Jets made it four wins in five games by squeaking past Miami 22-21. It will be the first matchup between New York quarterback Sam Darnold, who was taken with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, and Jackson, selected 29 spots later.

TV: 8:20 p.m. ET, FOX, NFL Network. LINE: Ravens -15. O/U: 44.5

ABOUT THE JETS (5-8): Running back Le'Veon Bell fared better off the field Saturday night than he has on this season, bowling what he said was a career-best 251 just hours after he was ruled out of Sunday's game due to the flu. Bell, the team's marquee offseason signing, told reporters Tuesday that he is not receiving enough touches, but he hasn't done much with the workload he's had, failing to rush for 70 yards in a game and scoring four touchdowns. Darnold has nine touchdown passes versus two interceptions over his last five games while Robby Anderson has emerged as his top target with back-to-back 100-yard games. New York's rush defense is second in the league at 78.8 yards per game.

ABOUT THE RAVENS (11-2): Jackson became the second quarterback to rush for 1,000 yards in Sunday's victory and needs 23 yards Thursday night to eclipse Michael Vick's (1,039 yards) single-season record. The NFL leader with 28 touchdown passes, Jackson and running back Mark Ingram (887 yards rushing) are the keys for a top-ranked ground game that averages 200.9 yards and is on pace to break the single-season record set by the Patriots in 1978. Tight end Mark Andrews, who leads the team in catches (54), receiving yards (707) and receiving touchdowns (7), also was limited in practice Tuesday. Baltimore's defense has not allowed more than 20 points in eight consecutive games.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Jackson has accounted for 21 touchdowns (four rushing) versus one interception in the last six games.

2. Jets S Jamal Adams missed Sunday's game versus Miami and has not practiced this week.

3. Ravens TE Hayden Hurst had three catches for a career-high 73 yards and a TD on Sunday.

PREDICTION: Ravens 30, Jets 16