Relating to the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens, prepare for fireworks. After enjoying one of many season’s most fun video games of their first matchup, a 41-38 Ravens additional time win, an analogous scene performed out Thursday night time at M&T Financial institution Stadium. Once more, it was the Ravens rising victorious and capturing a key AFC North win to maintain pushing the Pittsburgh Steelers within the division, coming again and holding off the Bengals 35-34 Thursday night time.
With the win, the Ravens moved to 7-3 on the season. The Bengals pursuit of .500 once more failed, dropping to 4-6 and delivering a blow to their playoff odds.
The Cincinnati Bengals acquired off to a sizzling begin, taking the opening drive 70 yards on 12 performs. QB Joe Burrow hit completions to WR Ja’Marr Chase and WR Andrei Iosivas to march into Ravens’ territory. A holding name on 4th and Objective stored the group’s drive alive with RB Chase Brown taking a Burrow handoff over the objective line on the following play to seize an early 7-0 lead.
Aggressiveness was the theme of the day for the Bengals who tried and did not convert on 4th down from the Ravens’ 41-yard line on their subsequent drive, giving the ball again on downs. Baltimore capitalized for his or her first factors of the sport, QB Lamar Jackson executing a wonderful pretend to discover a huge open WR Nelson Agholor for a 6-yard landing.
The groups traded punts all through a lot of the remainder of the half. However Burrow put collectively one other lengthy drive, 10 performs and 73 yards as Burrow discovered backup TE Tanner Hudson for a 3-yard rating to take a 14-7 lead on the half. Not solely did Baltimore lose the tie recreation, they misplaced S Kyle Hamilton who left and didn’t return with an ankle harm.
Cincinnati didn’t waste time or performs so as to add to their lead within the third quarter. Following a Ravens punt, Burrow hit Chase for a 67-yard rating, out-running Baltimore’s secondary the ultimate 50 yards into the tip zone.
The Bengals appeared in charge of the sport till Brown fumbled in his personal territory mid-way by means of the third quarter. That sparked Baltimore as Jackson made a classic play, drifting and scrambling earlier than tight roping the sideline all the way down to the 1-yard line. RB Derrick Henry punched it within the following play to make it 21-14.
Getting the ball again after a Cincinnati punt, the Ravens discovered paydirt in a single play simply because the Bengals did earlier within the recreation. Jackson hit speedy WR Tylan Wallace, breaking a deal with and beating the safeties angle for an 84-yard rating.
Wallace entered the sport with solely two catches and had 98 complete yards by means of his first 4 NFL seasons. He completed the sport with three catches, 114 yards, and that rating.
However Ok Justin Tucker missed the additional level, preserving the Bengals’ one-point lead. It was his first missed additional level of the season and solely the seventh of his profession as his struggles proceed this season.
Cincinnati once more stayed aggressive. Dealing with 4th and a couple of on the Ravens’ 35 yard-line with 9:29 to go, Burrow couldn’t join with rookie WR Jermaine Burton because the Bengals once more turned the ball over on downs. Taking on, Jackson heated up with TE Mark Andrews, finishing the drive’s first and final passes to him. The latter went for an 18-yard rating. To make up for Tucker’s missed additional level, the Ravens went for and transformed the two-point strive, going up 28-21.
However the Ravens’ shaky move protection and fourth quarter woes continued to falter. Once more, it was a one-play huge play from Burrow to Chase, this time from 70-yards out. Chase cut up the nook and the protection as Burrow hit him in-stride for one more huge play, one which took Chase over 200 yards receiving for the night time.
The additional level knotted the sport at 28.
Like their first assembly, the back-and-forth scoring continued. A Jackson interception was overturned upon overview as he then hit WRs Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman for first downs. Baltimore moved deep into Cincinnati territory forward of the two-minute warning.
Dealing with third and objective from the Bengals’ 5, Jackson scrambled left, stored his eyes downfield, and floated a move to an open Bateman for his fourth passing rating of the sport. This time, Tucker’s additional level was true and the Ravens went forward 35-28.
It marked the fifth time within the final six video games Baltimore has scored 30 or extra factors.
Burrow acquired the ball again down seven with 1:49 to go and one timeout. He threw incomplete on the primary three performs earlier than discovering WR Andrei Iosivas proper on the sticks for the fourth down conversion. The play was reviewed however upheld. Baltimore harm themselves with expensive penalties. CB Marlon Humphrey was flagged for a facemask whereas DL Broderick Washington was known as for roughing the passer as Burrow hit Chase for 21-yards, 15 extra tacked with the flag.
Burrow hit Chase for his or her third landing of the day, a stupendous rainbow throw over two defenders to hit Chase within the again proper nook.
Persevering with their aggressive streak, the Bengals went for 2 and the win. Burrow’s move alongside the objective line fell incomplete to TE Tanner Hudson, excessive and incomplete, and the Ravens stayed forward 35-34.
Burrow completed the sport 34-of-56 for 428 yards and 4 touchdowns. Jackson matched these touchdowns and accomplished 25-of-33 passes for 290 yards. Chase ended with 259 yards and three scores. Former Steelers WR Diontae Johnson caught only one move for 6-yards, his lone reception having him unable to get out of bounds earlier than the tip of the primary half.
Baltimore will journey to Pittsburgh subsequent Sunday. Cincinnati will tackle the Los Angeles Chargers subsequent Sunday night time.
