Joe Burrow passed for 261 yards and two touchdowns in his first appearance since Week 2 and the Cincinnati Bengals forced five turnovers while stunning the host Baltimore Ravens 32-14 on Thursday night.
Burrow missed nine games with a turf toe injury that required surgery but was in top form in the AFC North battle. He completed 24 of 46 passes as the Bengals (4-8) snapped a four-game losing streak and won for just the second time in 10 games.
Cincinnati’s Tanner Hudson and Andrei Iosivas caught touchdown passes while Ja’Marr Chase had seven receptions for 110 yards. Evan McPherson kicked a career-high six field goals, Cedric Johnson recovered two fumbles and Demetrius Knight Jr. made a key fourth-quarter interception.
Lamar Jackson completed 17 of 32 passes for 246 yards and one interception while losing two fumbles for the Ravens (6-6), who had a five-game winning streak halted. Baltimore’s Derrick Henry and Keaton Mitchell each rushed for a score.
Cincinnati led by five at halftime before Hudson made a stellar 14-yard scoring catch as the Bengals took a 19-7 advantage with 7:22 remaining in the third quarter.
Baltimore responded with an 18-yard scoring run by Mitchell to get back within five with 3:59 left in the third.
Cincinnati answered with Burrow’s 29-yard touchdown pass to Iosivas to make it 26-14 with 15 seconds left in the period.
Baltimore committed its fourth turnover on its next drive. Jackson’s pass was deflected by Myles Murphy, and Knight picked it off at the Cincinnati 8-yard line and returned it 39 yards.
McPherson added a 52-yard field goal to give the Bengals a 15-point lead with 9:25 to play.
Cincinnati forced turnover No. 5 when Jalen Davis knocked the ball loose from Zay Flowers and DJ Turner II recovered with 4:12 to play. That set up McPherson’s 41-yarder with 1:06 left.
McPherson kicked a 31-yard field goal in the opening quarter and added boots of 42, 24 and 33 in the second as the Bengals led 12-7 at halftime. Cincinnati recovered three Baltimore lost fumbles in the half.
Henry scored on a 28-yard run in the first quarter for the Ravens. The scamper allowed him to pass legendary Jim Brown (12,312) for 12th place on the all-time career rushing list. Henry rushed for 60 yards overall and has 12,354 career yards.
Baltimore led 7-6 when Jackson teamed up with Isaiah Likely on a 43-yard pass play. However, Jordan Battle knocked the ball out of Likely’s hands at the 1, and the ball went out of the end zone for a Cincinnati touchback with 8:22 left in the half.
