The Bengals’ defense keeps finding ways to tilt games, and it did it again against Baltimore in one of the biggest moments of the afternoon.
Cincinnati not only shut out the Ravens in the second half, but also piled up four sacks, picked off Tyler Huntley, and held Derrick Henry to just 2.6 yards per carry. The offense usually drives the conversation with this team, but the defense made the kind of impact that can swing a game all by itself.
That showed up most clearly late, when Baltimore faced fourth and two inside the 30 while trailing by a point. The Ravens passed on a field-goal attempt that would have put them ahead and tried to extend the drive instead. The result was an incomplete pass and a turnover on downs.
It wasn’t the only fourth-down stand Cincinnati delivered, either. The Bengals have become a nightmare on those snaps, and Joe Goodberry on X highlighted how extreme the numbers have been so far this season: opposing offenses are 1 for 7 on fourth down attempts against Cincinnati.
Opposing offenses are a combined 1 for 7 on Fourth Down attempts against the Bengals this season.
- Goodberry (@JoeGoodberry) October 25, 2026
There’s a clear reason for that success. The middle of this defense has been wiping out inside runs, with Dexter Lawrence and Jonathan Allen repeatedly stuffing plays before they can get going.
When an offense reaches fourth and one or fourth and two, the temptation is obvious: trust the line, keep the drive alive, and try to muscle through. Against this front, though, that plan has been hard to execute.
That’s what made Baltimore’s miss so striking. An offense with Derrick Henry could not finish a fourth-and-short situation, and the Bengals deserve plenty of credit for that stop.
And if Cincinnati keeps producing moments like that, it could become a major edge down the stretch. In tight AFC North games and in the postseason, one failed fourth-down try can flip everything.
Against the Ravens, it stopped Baltimore’s momentum cold and handed Joe Burrow and the offense a chance to push the lead to eight. It was a turning point, and it may not be the last time this defense delivers one.
In Other News...
Burrow And Bengals Special Teams Just Made Rare Team History
Joe Burrow keeps adding to a Bengals rsum that already looks like one of the most decorated in team history, and his latest weekly honor only reinforces how steady he has been for Cincinnati. After the Week 7 win over Baltimore, Burrow was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for a performance that included 22 completions on 30 attempts, 292 yards and four touchdowns.
Special teams got its own share of recognition, too, with Ryan Rehkow taking AFC Special Teams Player of the Week after a strong punting day against the Ravens. Rehkow averaged 46 yards on four punts, and every one of them pinned Baltimore inside its 20-yard line, a detail that gives Cincinnati another encouraging sign as the unit continues to show up in big moments. [Read more 🡒]
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Bengals Trade Deadline Debate Comes Down To Two Roster Priorities
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There are other names in the mix, too, with the evaluation stretching beyond one position and into how much flexibility the Bengals actually have to make a meaningful move. Zach Baun has been mentioned as a value option from Philadelphia, though his contract and cap hit could make any deal trickier than it sounds, and that is part of the broader debate here: the Bengals may know what they need, but the market is not exactly making the choice easy. [Read more 🡒]