The Cincinnati Bengals made a mess of the first half against the Baltimore Ravens, then flipped the script so completely that the final 35-13 score barely feels like the same game.
For two quarters, Joe Burrow and the offense looked uncomfortable and out of sync. For the next two, they carved up Baltimore and piled on 28 unanswered points, turning a rough start into a runaway AFC North win in Week 7.
The early stretch was ugly. Cincinnati fell behind 10-0 in the second quarter, and Burrow had only 19 yards on 3-of-9 passing at that point.
Even with the offense at full strength, nothing clicked. The Bengals also gave away chances, punting twice between the 45-yard lines while Zac Taylor played it too conservatively.
Baltimore made them pay for the slow start with an explosive opening touchdown, and Cincinnati’s alignment left it vulnerable before Demetrius Knight and Jordan Battle couldn’t finish the job. By halftime, the Ravens had a 258-59 edge in yards and owned a 12-3 advantage in first downs.
Then the Bengals woke up.
Burrow hit two quick touchdowns to grab the lead, and the offense finally started to breathe with shorter throws and more involvement from the tight ends. That rhythm carried through the rest of the night. In the second half across four straight scoring drives, Burrow went 16-of-18 for 249 yards, four touchdowns and a 158.3 quarterback rating.
There was one more setback when fan favorite tight end Erick All was injured in the third quarter and headed to the locker room.
The defense settled in too. After being spun around early, Cincinnati adjusted against a backup quarterback and took away what Baltimore wanted through the air. The run defense tightened as well, holding Derrick Henry under three yards per carry.
The biggest number from the night is simple: 28 straight points after halftime.
That turnaround is the standard and the warning wrapped into one. The Bengals can’t keep putting themselves in a hole with slow starts. But if this is the worst version they can produce - on the road, coming out of a bye, against an AFC North opponent - then they can live with the result.
The challenge now is making the second-half formula last for four quarters.
Cincinnati returns home in Week 8 to face the Tennessee Titans before heading overseas to Madrid in Week 9 on November 8.
In Other News...
Bengals Have One Awkward Roster Decision Before Ravens Showdown
The Bengals head into their showdown with the Ravens in unusually good shape on the injury front, with no one carrying an injury designation into game day. Baltimore, meanwhile, will again be without Lamar Jackson, who is set to miss a third straight game with an ankle sprain, leaving Tyler Huntley to handle the quarterback duties in a matchup that still carries plenty of AFC North weight.
That leaves Cincinnati with one of the quieter but still important pregame questions: who gets left out of the active roster picture. A few of the newer and deeper reserves are in the mix as possible scratches, with recent signee Jack Kiser among the names worth watching as the Bengals sort through the final cutdown for this one. Backup offensive line depth is also part of the equation, and with the roster otherwise healthy, those decisions are where the only real pregame suspense seems to be. [Read more 🡒]
Tee Higgins Gives Bengals A Needed Boost Entering Ravens Showdown
Tee Higgins gave the Bengals exactly the sort of midseason lift they needed last week, pushing through an adductor injury and taking the field in the win over the Miami Dolphins. He handled 69.2 percent of the snaps in that game, and his presence mattered for an offense that can look very different when one of its top targets is unavailable.
Heading into Week 7 against Baltimore, Higgins is no longer listed on the injury report and has been a full participant in practice. For Cincinnati, that sets up a healthier receiving corps at an important point in the schedule, with Higgins already up to 27 catches for 423 yards and a touchdown this season as the Bengals prepare for a rivalry game that rarely comes without pressure. [Read more 🡒]
Bengals Get A Huge Week 7 Opportunity They Cannot Waste
The Bengals head into Week 7 coming off their bye with a chance to reset their season in one of the AFC Norths most familiar pressure points. A trip to Baltimore on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on CBS is the kind of divisional test that can quickly change the mood around a team, especially one that needed the extra week to regroup and get ready for a stretch that can shape the rest of the fall.
Cincinnati also arrives with some encouraging health news, which matters when the margins in a division game are usually slim. The Ravens are waiting, the stage is set, and the Bengals have an opportunity they can ill afford to let slip if they want to leave October with real momentum. [Read more 🡒]