The New York Giants needed only two plays to show they could run the ball against Ray Lewis and the NFL’s stingiest rushing defense.

Big Brandon Jacobs set up the first of his two short touchdown runs by bouncing to the outside for a tone-setting 36-yard ramble and the Giants (9-1) amassed more than 200 yards rushing for the third straight game in a 30-10 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

“You tell me,” Jacobs said when asked if his run down the left sideline set the tone for the game. “I think it did right away. The guys knew right away we could run the ball on these guys. It’s not impossible.”

Running against the Ravens (6-4) had been impossible for everyone else for the first nine games. They led the league, yielding an average of 65.4 yards, and no individual had rushed for 100 yards in any of the past 28 games against them.

Jacobs might have gotten there had he not tweaked a knee in the first half. He finished with 73 yards on 11 carries, but he had only two carries after halftime. The Giants finished with 207 yards rushing against a defense that had not given up more than 76 yards this season. The last time an opponent got more than 100 yards was Seattle, which ran for 144 on Dec. 23, 2007.

“They have a great defense, a great front, great linebackers with a lot of experience. … The great thing is, we just stuck to our game plan,” Giants offensive tackle David Diehl said. “We knew that if we just kept pounding away that eventually they were going to crack.”

Aaron Ross clinched the game by returning one of his two interceptions 50 yards for a third-quarter touchdown as the Giants won their fifth straight game overall, and sixth straight at home. {AP}

More from the game:
•••• Ravens K Matt Stover set an NFL record in the third quarter, kicking his 372nd consecutive point after touchdown.

•••• Ravens DE Trevor Pryce called Brandon Jacobs’ 36-yard run on the Giants’ second offensive play a game changer. “It showed them that they could run the ball,” Pryce said. “When you do that against our defense, you have some confidence. It makes things easier. The way it happened was a fluke when had him, but he bounced and went all the way to the other side. You don’t think that a big back can run that fast, but he does.”

•••• Ray Lewis, who finished with 10 tackles and an interception, said the Ravens allowed the Giants to get to the outside too much and did not make plays they normally do, including one where even he overran a tackle on Ahmad Bradshaw’s 77-yard run.

•••• Hall of Famer and former Giants quarterback Y.A. Tittle was an honorary captain for the coin toss. {AP}

Five observations:
1. The first two drives of the game really set the tone. The Ravens were super cautious on their first drive, and it looked like they were showing way too much respect for the Giants. Then on the Giants’ first drive, Brandon Jacobs ground out 52 yards with his best battering ram impersonation.

2. It was a gutsy effort by receiver Derrick Mason to not only start on Sunday after dislocating his shoulder last week against the Texans, but also reel in seven balls for 82 yards. Mason is as tough as they come. Now that’s the kind of guy you want on your team.

3. Joe Flacco didn’t look out of place against one of the NFL’s best defenses. His numbers were modest, but he didn’t get much help from the running game. In fact, he was the team’s leading rusher with 57 yards. He was only sacked once and showed great poise while escaping the rush.

4. Penalties killed the Ravens again. They were flagged 10 times for 66 yards, mostly in the first half when the game was still up for grabs. This problem must be corrected.

5. Plain and simple, the Ravens were dominated in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Had he not gotten a little banged up, Jacobs would have been the first back to rush for 100 yards against the Ravens in a long, long time. {Matt Vensel, b}

Three key plays:
1. Jacobs’ 36-yard run — On the Giants’ second offensive play of the game, New York running back Brandon Jacobs barreled into a tackler before rumbling 36 yards down the left sideline. The run set up an early touchdown and set the physical tone for the New York offense.

2. New York FG block — The Ravens answered the Giants’ first touchdown with a nice little drive of their own, but kicker Matt Stover’s attempt to put three points on the board was blocked by Fred Robbins and eventually recovered by the Giants at the Baltimore 33-yard line. The block led to another Giants touchdown that made the score 13-0.

3. Ross’s pick-six — After scoring a third-quarter touchdown to pull within 10 points, the Ravens were threatening to make it a one-score game. Quarterback Joe Flacco tried to find Derrick Mason near midfield, but the pass caromed off Mason’s helmet into the hands of New York cornerback Aaron Ross, who returned it 50 yards for a touchdown. Game over. {Matt Vensel, b}

Joe Flacco Watch: Flacco went 20-for-33 for 164 yards, with a touchdown and two interceptions. He was also the Ravens’ top rusher with 57 yards on six carries.

Hit of the game: In the second quarter, the Giants had the ball near the Ravens’ goal line. Derrick Ward took a handoff and tried to run through the left side of the Baltimore line. He was met by Justin Bannan, who thumped him good and held him out of the end zone. At least until the next play.

Play of the game: Early in the fourth quarter, Giants back Ahmad Bradshaw ran around left tackle before cutting back to the right side of the field, leaving Ray Lewis in his wake. Bradshaw sprinted 77 yards before Fabian Washington dragged him down at the 2-yard line. The play pretty much summed up the Ravens’ afternoon. {Matt Vensel, b}

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