Burrow Returns as Bengals Punish Ravens’ Costly Turnovers
What a night it turned out to be in Baltimore. The storyline going in was already dramatic enough — Joe Burrow finally returning to the field after being sidelined since Week 2 with that stubborn turf toe injury. But what unfolded felt even bigger, especially with how the Cincinnati Bengals capitalized on nearly every mistake the Ravens made in a 32-14 victory.
Right from the start, Burrow’s presence seemed to change the entire tempo for Cincinnati. Even though the offense wasn’t putting up eye-popping numbers early on, there was this clear sense of rhythm and control that had been missing for weeks. Bengals coach Zac Taylor even admitted afterward that, statistically, it wasn’t the flashiest performance — but the confidence flowing through Burrow was obvious.
And realistically, he didn’t need to be perfect. Baltimore made sure of that.
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The Ravens turned the ball over five times — yes, five — all on passing plays. Three came from Lamar Jackson himself: two fumbles and an interception. The other two were costly drops by Isaiah Likely and Zay Flowers, both losing the ball while trying to make plays after the catch. The mistakes just piled up, especially in that first half, and it felt like Baltimore could never regain its footing.
Even with all that chaos, Cincinnati only took a 12-7 lead into halftime. But once the third quarter opened, you could feel the shift. Burrow began placing the ball exactly where he wanted it, and the payoff came quickly. Tanner Hudson hauled in a stunning one-handed catch for a 14-yard touchdown, stretching the Bengals’ lead. The Ravens briefly responded with an 18-yard touchdown run from Keaton Mitchell, but Cincinnati answered right back. A 29-yard strike from Burrow to Andrei Iosivas made it 26-14, and from there, Baltimore just couldn’t keep up.
Jackson’s night ended on another sour note when a deflected pass was intercepted deep in Bengals territory. His frustration was written all over his comments afterward — turnovers were the story, and he knew it.
Meanwhile, Ja’Marr Chase quietly built a strong night of his own with 110 yards on seven catches. And the Bengals’ defense, which had struggled most of the season, delivered its most complete performance so far, holding Baltimore to its lowest point total of the year.
There were milestone moments sprinkled in — DeAndre Hopkins grabbing his 1,000th career catch, Mark Andrews setting a franchise receptions record, and Derrick Henry climbing up the all-time rushing list — but none of it changed the outcome.
In the end, Burrow’s return brought a sense of balance back to Cincinnati, and even if their playoff chances remain slim, this win felt like a reminder of what the Bengals can look like when their leader is on the field and the team is playing complementary football.
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