Ravens Squander 13-0 Halftime Lead as Bengals Score 35 Unanswered in Baltimore
The Baltimore Ravens led 13-0 at halftime and did not score again, falling 35-13 to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, Oct. 25, at M&T Bank Stadium. Joe Burrow threw four touchdown passes in the second half as Cincinnati scored on five straight possessions.
The loss drops the Ravens to 4-3 and 1-2 at home. Cincinnati improved to 4-2, with a 3-1 road record.
A fast start that stalled
Baltimore needed four plays to open the scoring. Tyler Huntley hit Zay Flowers for a 48-yard touchdown at 13:36 of the first quarter, capping a 65-yard drive that took 1:24.
The Ravens then put together two long drives and came away with three points each time. An 18-play, 78-yard march that ran 11:00 off the clock ended with a 34-yard Tyler Loop field goal at 9:42 of the second quarter. A 13-play, 82-yard drive produced a 24-yard Loop field goal with 50 seconds left in the half, making it 13-0.
Baltimore finished 0-for-3 in the red zone. The Bengals went 5-for-5.
Second-half collapse
Cincinnati took the opening drive of the third quarter 66 yards in nine plays, with Burrow finding Mike Gesicki from 6 yards out at 9:24. After a three-play Ravens possession lost 5 yards, Burrow hit Tee Higgins for a 13-yard score at 4:29 to put the Bengals ahead 14-13.
The Ravens answered with a 10-play, 59-yard drive but turned it over on downs when Huntley's fourth-and-2 pass to Josh Cuevas fell incomplete on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Cincinnati then went 88 yards in six plays. Higgins took a deep ball 44 yards to the Baltimore 23, Samaje Perine ran 15 yards to the 8, and after a defensive pass interference call on K'Von Wallace, Perine scored from a yard out at 11:14 for a 21-13 lead.
Burrow's 30-yard throw to Ja'Marr Chase and a 43-yard strike to Higgins set up Chase's 2-yard touchdown at 7:25. On Baltimore's next snap, Demetrius Knight Jr. intercepted Huntley's pass intended for Flowers and returned it 14 yards to the Ravens' 24. Three plays later, Burrow connected with Drew Sample for a 16-yard touchdown at 6:21 to close the scoring.
Baltimore's next possession ended when Huntley was stopped for no gain on a fourth-and-1 run at the Cincinnati 48 with 4:44 remaining. The Bengals ran three plays and punted, and the Ravens closed out the game with four Rasheen Ali carries for 19 yards as the clock expired.
By the numbers
Burrow finished 22-of-30 for 292 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. Higgins caught six passes for 148 yards and a score, and Chase added five catches for 62 yards and a touchdown. The Bengals averaged 7.0 yards per play on just 51 snaps.
Huntley completed 23 of 34 passes for 298 yards, one touchdown and one interception, and was sacked four times for 22 yards. Flowers led all Ravens receivers with eight catches for 137 yards on 11 targets. Derrick Henry carried 17 times for 45 yards, a 2.6-yard average.
Baltimore held the ball for 35:00 and outgained Cincinnati 359-357, but committed 10 penalties for 57 yards, went 0-for-2 on fourth down and turned the ball over once. Roquan Smith led the defense with eight tackles, and Mike Green had the Ravens' only sack.
Injuries
Ravens guard Olaivavega Ioane was questionable to return with a knee injury. Smith was injured on a Chase Brown run at 13:30 of the fourth quarter and returned to the game later in the period.
For Cincinnati, safety Kyle Dugger (quadriceps) and tight end Erick All Jr. (knee) were both questionable to return. Bryan Cook was injured on a sack at 9:41 of the fourth quarter and later returned.
Rookie notes
Cuevas, a fifth-round pick (No. 173) out of Alabama, caught two passes for 35 yards. Third-round receiver Ja'Kobi Lane (No. 80, USC) added three catches for 25 yards. Sixth-round punter Ryan Eckley (No. 211, Michigan State) averaged 48.3 yards on three punts with a long of 57.
Up next
The loss leaves Baltimore fourth in the AFC North behind Pittsburgh (5-2), Cleveland (4-2) and Cincinnati (4-2). The Ravens visit the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Nov. 1, at 1:00 p.m. ET.