The Cincinnati Bengals came out of their bye week with a slow start against the Baltimore Ravens. After halftime, the Bengals woke up in a big way and exploded for five straight touchdowns to turn a two-score halftime deficit into a 35-13 Baltimore victory.
Joe Burrow was held out of the end zone in the first half, but threw four touchdowns in the second half. This is his second straight game with four touchdowns and no interceptions.
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The 35-point second-half swing was one of the biggest in league history.
The Ravens, deprived of Lamar Jackson, led 13-0 at halftime. Tyler Huntley, starting for a third consecutive game, got the Ravens off to a good start. But they performed poorly after halftime – both offensively and defensively – to fall to 4-3 overall and 0-2 in the division.
After their second straight victory, the Bengals are now 4-2 overall and 1-1 against their AFC North opponents.
The Ravens controlled the clock for more than 22 minutes in the first half, scoring a touchdown on their first drive. Huntley led them down the field in four tidy plays, highlighted by a 48-yard TD pass to Zay Flowers, who had six catches for 120 yards in the first half alone.
After a punt, the Ravens closed the half with drives of 78 and 82 yards, but they were stopped twice in the red zone. Two Tyler Loop field goals gave the Ravens a 13-0 halftime lead.
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The Bengals didn’t do anything offensively before halftime, punting on their first three possessions and running out the clock on their final series of the half. Cincinnati gained just 59 yards in the first half on 21 plays.
But they quickly turned on the afterburners in the third quarter, driving for three straight touchdowns fueled by Burrow, Tee Higgins and the passing game. Higgins was held without a catch in the first half, but exploded after halftime with six catches for 148 yards and a TD catch that gave the Ravens the lead for good.
Ja’Marr Chase, who was held to two catches for 23 yards in the first half, also came alive with a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter to give him a two-score lead.
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The Ravens trailed 14-13 when they faced a fourth-and-two play from the Cincinnati 12-yard line. Ravens head coach Jesse Minter went for it, but Huntley’s pass appeared to surprise rookie tight end Josh Cuevas and fell incomplete. The Bengals took over and drove 88 yards, with Samaje Perine’s TD giving Cincinnati a 21-13 advantage.
Penalties killed the Ravens all game, with 10 flags accepted on the day. Huntley’s fourth-down stop and bad interception in the fourth quarter put their chances of making it a game again.
Baltimore’s failures after halftime are becoming something of an epidemic. The Ravens outscored their opponents, 131-53, in the first half, but they were now outscored, 149-51, after halftime.
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The Ravens were also hit by a few injuries in the loss, with standout rookie offensive guard Vega Ioane suffering a knee injury in the first half and being ruled out. They also lost linebacker Roquan Smith to what appears to be a leg injury.
The Bengals lost tight end Erick All and safeties Kyle Duggar and Bryan Cook to injuries.
Teddy Ricketson
Baltimore played yet another game that was a tale of two halves. The Ravens scored all 13 of their points in the first half and held the Bengals scoreless.
Then it changed, and it was all Cincinnati in the second. The Bengals scored five straight touchdowns in the second half to win 35-13.
Cincinnati improves to 4-2, while Baltimore falls to 4-3.
Teddy Ricketson
On fourth-and-1, Tyler Huntley went for a quarterback keeper but got stuffed. It looks like Baltimore is headed for a loss and a 4-3 record.
Teddy Ricketson
Cincinnati is now up to FIVE consecutive TD drives.
After intercepting Huntley’s pass, the Bengals ran three plays, the third being a 16-yard score to Drew Sample.
The Bengals now lead 35-13 with 6:21 remaining.
Teddy Ricketson
Baltimore’s offense is incapable of building anything. The Bengals caught a pass from Tyler Huntley that took off from a receiver and flew away.
Teddy Ricketson
Joe Burrow started Cincinnati’s next drive with a 30-yard run to Ja’Marr Chase. Burrow then immediately hit Tee Higgins for a gain of 43 to go down to the Baltimore 6-yard line after just two plays.
Two plays later, Burrow then found Chase for the 2-yard score.
That makes four straight Bengals drives that ended in a touchdown.
Teddy Ricketson
Baltimore couldn’t do anything against Cincinnati’s defense in the second half.
After the Bengals scored their third straight touchdown, the Ravens ran four plays, then punted.
Cincy leads 21-13 with 9:19 left.
Teddy Ricketson
Whatever Zac Taylor did at halftime, the Bengals should implement it pregame. Cincinnati went scoreless on four drives in the first half, but now the Bengals have had three straight drives ending in a touchdown.
Bakcup running back Samaje Perine evaded defenders and scored a goal-line field goal to give Cincy a 21-13 lead.
Teddy Ricketson
It was a fast third quarter in Baltimore. The Ravens finished the game rolling the dice and not taking field goal attempts to take the potential lead.
The ensuing fourth-down attempt looked muddled and a Tyler Huntley pass fell incomplete for the turnover on downs.
Cincinnati leads 14-13.
Teddy Ricketson
Cincinnati took its first lead. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow found Tee Higgins for the 13-yard score.
Cincy leads 14-13 with 4:29 left in the third quarter.
Teddy Ricketson
Baltimore quarterback Tyler Huntley was rushing to the right, but he was caught from behind and brought down for a loss of four yards.
The Ravens scored three points on their first possession of the second half.
Teddy Ricketson
Cincinnati is finally on the board. Quarterback Joe Burrow found tight end Mike Gesicki for the six-yard score.
Baltimore leads 13-7.
Teddy Ricketson
Baltimore takes a 13-point lead at halftime.
Cincinnati had the ball last before the break, but failed to get anything going despite Joe Burrow having three completions for 24 yards.
The Bengals get the ball back after halftime.
Teddy Ricketson
Baltimore had 13 plays in which the Ravens had 82 yards. As Baltimore approached the 10-yard line, the Bengals defense stepped up and kept the Ravens out of the end zone.
Tyler Loop settled for a 24-yard field goal, giving Baltimore a 13-0 lead with less than a minute remaining in the first half.
Teddy Ricketson
Zay Flowers already has over 100 receiving yards for the game, with Tyler Huntley leaning on him.
Huntley spread the ball around and, on third-and-16, found Rashod Bateman for a gain of 18. That triggered the 2-minute warning.
Teddy Ricketson
This is a bit of a revenge game for Baltimore DE Trey Hendrickson who played last season for Cincinnati. He walked in free agency but remained in the division, joining the Ravens.
Hendrickson got some revenge in the second quarter Sunday, bringing down Joe Burrow, although he barely missed a sack.
Teddy Ricketson
Baltimore eventually had a drive, but faced fourth-and-1 at the 11-yard line. After a false start set them back five yards, Tyler Loop was called for the 34-yard kick, which he completed.
The Ravens lead 10-0 with 9:42 left in the first half.
Teddy Ricketson
Baltimore and Cincinnati exchanged three points as neither offense wanted to maintain their drives.
Joe Burrow had two misses before finding Chase Brown for just a gain of three and then punting.
Teddy Ricketson
Baltimore’s offensive momentum from its first drive was halted. The Ravens ran six plays and the drive ended with Tyler Huntley being sacked for a six-yard loss on third down.
The Ravens kicked off with 6:41 left in the first quarter.
Teddy Ricketson
Cincinnati was unable to replicate Baltimore’s score to start the game.
The Bengals ran six plays and only had 21 yards before punting.
Teddy Ricketson
It took the Ravens more than a minute and a half to put points on the board.
Without Lamar Jackson, Tyler Huntley hit Zay Flowers over the middle and he raced past Cincinnati defenders to the end zone for a 48-yard touchdown.
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