Week 7 turned the AFC North upside down, and by the end of Sunday the Ravens were the ones staring up at everybody else.
Cincinnati’s 35-13 win in Baltimore was the loudest result of the day, but it wasn’t the only one. Cleveland survived Tennessee, Pittsburgh handled New Orleans in Paris, and Baltimore’s collapse sent the Ravens into last place in the division at 4-3. Every other AFC North team walked away with a win.
For Cleveland, the formula was equal parts drama and efficiency in a 27-24 escape against the Titans. The Browns were tied with under 30 seconds left when Deshaun Watson found Harold Fannin Jr. for a 36-yard gain that set up Andre Szmyt’s game-winning field goal.
Watson finished with 308 passing yards, an interception, and a rushing touchdown on the previous drive to tie the game. Quinshon Judkins posted his best outing of the season with 96 rushing yards and two scores on 17 carries, while first-round pick KC Concepcion broke out with 129 receiving yards on eight catches.
The Browns’ defense also made enough plays to survive, forcing two turnovers. Denzel Ward picked off a pass and Tyson Campbell forced a strip that Ronnie Hickman recovered. Tennessee still had plenty of success on the ground, though, with Tony Pollard ripping off 129 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries.
Pittsburgh kept pace at 5-2 with a 16-10 win over the Saints in Paris, and Aaron Rodgers did just enough to get the Steelers across the finish line. Rodgers went 19 of 30 for 212 yards and a touchdown while taking three sacks, and his lone scoring pass went to Darnell Washington on the tight end’s only catch.
He also used his legs at a key moment, scrambling on a crucial third down to help extend Pittsburgh’s final drive. Jaylen Warren carried the offense on the ground with 101 yards on 18 carries, and D.K.
Metcalf led the receiving group with 56 yards on two catches.
The Steelers’ defense was just as important. New Orleans managed only 18 rushing yards for the game, and Pittsburgh added turnovers and pressure to keep control.
Payton Wilson intercepted Tyler Shough, T.J. Watt and Patrick Queen each registered sacks, and Queen led the way with 10 tackles.
Then came Cincinnati’s second-half surge in Baltimore, a comeback that flipped the game and the division standings in one shot. The Bengals were blanked in the first half and trailed 13-0, but they ripped off five straight scoring drives after halftime to hang 35 unanswered points on the Ravens.
Joe Burrow was the engine of it all, completing 22 of 30 passes for 292 yards and four touchdowns. Tee Higgins was unstoppable with six catches for 148 yards and a touchdown, and Ja’Marr Chase, Drew Sample, and Mike Gesicki also found the end zone.
Chase Brown led Cincinnati’s ground game with 39 yards on 11 carries, and Samaje Perine punched in a one-yard touchdown.
Baltimore looked in control early, piling up 258 yards to Cincinnati’s 59 through two quarters, but the game changed completely after halftime. Tyler Huntley finished with a career-high 292 passing yards, plus one touchdown and one interception on 24-of-34 passing.
His scoring throw was a pass behind the line of scrimmage that Zay Flowers turned into a 48-yard touchdown. Flowers caught eight passes for 137 yards, but the Ravens’ run game never got going.
Derrick Henry was held to 45 yards on 17 carries, a 2.6-yard average, and Baltimore couldn’t recover once the Bengals found their rhythm.
The Ravens’ defense had its moments early, but the second half unraveled fast. Cincinnati scored on five straight possessions after the break, and Baltimore could never slow the avalanche. Mike Green recorded the team’s only sack on Burrow, and it came in the first half.
In Other News...
Ravens Trade Deadline Need May Not Require A Splash Move
Baltimores trade-deadline conversation does not have to center on a blockbuster, and the fit with Tampa Bay defensive tackle A'Shawn Robinson is a good example of why. Robinson brings the kind of run-stopping presence that could help deepen the Ravens defensive line rotation, and his contract status makes him the sort of player that can come up in deadline chatter when a team is weighing whether to buy or sell.
For Baltimore, the appeal is obvious enough: the Ravens do not have a ton of salary-cap room, but they do have enough draft capital to make a modest move if they decide the right veteran is worth adding. No trade has been reported, and the more interesting part may be whether Baltimore views this as a spot where a smaller, practical addition can matter just as much as a splashier name. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens May Need Ethan Burke Sooner Than Anyone Expected
Tavius Robinsons season-ending pectoral injury has forced the Ravens to reshuffle their edge rotation, and it may have opened a door for Ethan Burke sooner than expected. The undrafted rookie has flashed in limited work, giving Baltimore something useful on both passing downs and against the run at a position where depth suddenly matters a lot more.
Burkes early showing has been encouraging enough that the Ravens cant ignore him as they sort through Robinsons absence. His ability to affect the pocket and hold up physically gives the defense a workable next option, and the coming weeks should tell whether his role stays as a spot contributor or grows into something more substantial. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Are Still Paying For One Costly Maxx Crosby Decision
When the Ravens weighed a move for Maxx Crosby, the appeal was obvious: an edge rusher who could change the tone of a defense and bring a little more edge to a locker room that has needed it at times. Baltimores interest was real enough that the front office got deep into the process, and the decision ultimately came down to how comfortable the team felt with the risk attached to the deal versus the long-term value of its draft capital.
Now, with the defense still searching for answers, the choice looks more consequential by the week. Crosbys impact elsewhere has only sharpened the what-if conversation around Eric DeCostas judgment, especially after Baltimore turned in a different direction to address the pass rush. It is the kind of front-office fork in the road that can linger for a while, because the Ravens did not just pass on a player, they passed on a player who might have altered both the production and the personality of this defense. [Read more 🡒]