Ravens spread wings on offense, clinch AFC North

• Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce ran for more than 100 yards as Baltimore clinched the AFC North title
• The Ravens snapped a three-game losing streak, setting their season-high offensive yardage output
• The Giants have lost five of seven and would miss out on the playoffs if the season ended Sunday

BALTIMORE – Maybe all Jim Caldwell needed was the keys to the car and some time to figure out all the bells and whistles.

In his second game as offensive coordinator and first full week behind the wheel of the Baltimore Ravens offense, the team pulled off a 33-14 pasting of the visiting New York Giants with season bests of 534 yards of offense and 225 rushing yards.

The offense hasn't been revamped — though the coordinator threw in a never-before-seen Joe Flacco to Ray Rice option pitch on the game's first drive. But it was noticeably faster, with less time spent in the huddle and more time spent bullying a Giants defensive front missing defensive end Justin Tuck (shoulder).

Tempo was a major point of contention under former offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, fired Dec. 10 by coach John Harbaugh.

"When the play caller doesn't necessarily get the play in as fast as you would like, you're waiting and allowing the defense to get comfortable and set up," Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta said. "I think in the past that had been (the cause of) some of our issues, but I think Jim has done a great job of correcting that, so we can get our tempo high."

In a win that secured the Ravens' second AFC North Division title in a row, Baltimore (10-5) leaned on running back Ray Rice (158 yards from scrimmage) and an accurate, decisive Flacco (25-of-36, 309 yards, two touchdowns). He had interceptions against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Redskins and Denver Broncos during a three-game slide.

"He has a lot of determination, a lot of pride," Harbaugh said. "You have to have thick skin, skin like an armadillo. If you look around the league, there are a lot of great quarterbacks under fire because they're going against pretty good defenses and it's a tough position to play. (I am) proud of Joe, always have been."

Wide receiver Torrey Smith, one of the many key Ravens ailing this week, turned in a pivotal performance with five catches for 88 yards and the game's first touchdown — a 6-yard catch over the middle. Smith's highlight reel 43-yard over-the-shoulder sideline catch in the first quarter set up a Flacco TD run.

Smith suffered a concussion last Sunday during a 34-17 loss to the Broncos, capping Baltimore's first three-game losing streak since 2009. Baltimore hasn't lost four in a row since 2007, a 5-11 season.