In a pulsating primetime clash that lived up to its billing, the Baltimore Ravens emerged victorious over the Cincinnati Bengals 35-34 on Thursday Night Football. Lamar Jackson once again proved his mastery over Cincinnati, engineering a dramatic fourth-quarter comeback to improve his career record against the Bengals to a stellar 10-1.
Jackson’s Late-Game Heroics
Trailing 34-28 with under two minutes remaining, Jackson orchestrated a 7-play, 75-yard drive capped by a pinpoint 5-yard touchdown strike to Rashod Bateman with just 1:49 left on the clock. The score marked Jackson’s 12th career game-winning drive, further cementing his reputation as one of the league’s premier closers.
The 2022 NFL MVP had to overcome a sluggish start that saw him limited to just 71 passing yards in the first half. But Jackson came alive after the break, shredding the Cincinnati secondary for 219 yards and a trio of touchdowns over the final two quarters to finish with this stat line:
- 23/32 passing (71.9%)
- 290 yards
- 3 TDs
- 0 INTs
- 119.4 passer rating
Chase’s Career Night Not Enough
On the other side, Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase delivered a performance for the ages in a losing effort. The second-year star torched Baltimore’s beleaguered secondary to the tune of 11 receptions for 264 yards and 3 TDs, joining Randy Moss as the only players under age 25 with at least seven 150-yard, multi-TD games in NFL history.
“Ja’Marr was amazing tonight,” praised Bengals QB Joe Burrow after the game. “I’m just disappointed we couldn’t pull it out in the end for him and the rest of the guys who left it all on the field.”
– Joe Burrow, Bengals Quarterback
Burrow certainly did his part, passing for 428 yards and 4 TDs while consistently connecting with Chase on explosive downfield strikes. But it wasn’t enough to overcome Jackson and a resilient Ravens squad that now sits atop the AFC North at 7-3.
AFC North Intrigue Builds
The hard-fought win, coupled with Pittsburgh’s bye week, vaults Baltimore into a virtual tie with the 6-2-1 Steelers for first place in the division. The two bitter rivals are set to clash in Week 11 in what figures to be a de facto AFC North title bout.
Cincinnati, meanwhile, drops to 4-6 and finds itself in the division basement despite presiding over the NFL’s sixth-ranked scoring offense (27.4 points/game). Head coach Zac Taylor and defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo will need to find answers quickly for a unit that surrendered 564 total yards and failed to register a sack against Baltimore’s makeshift offensive line.
What’s Next
Both teams will look get back at it in Week 11. The Ravens head to Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field for the palate-cleansing matchup with the Steelers (1 p.m. ET), while the battered Bengals lick their wounds in advance of a road tilt with the 5-3 Los Angeles Chargers (8:20 p.m. ET).
If Thursday night’s track meet is any indication, buckle up for a wild and wooly second-half ride in the loaded AFC. Jackson and the Ravens fired the opening salvo, but something says we haven’t heard the last from Burrow, Chase and the spirited Bengals. Stay tuned.
