Advertisement

Cincinnati Bengals beat Baltimore Ravens

By Todd Karpovich, The Sports Xchange
Cincinatti Bengal wide receiver A.J. Green make a reception in the end zone for the final go-ahead touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at M&M Bank Stadium on September 27, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. .The Bengals won the game 28-24. Photo by Pete Marovich/UPI
1 of 24 | Cincinatti Bengal wide receiver A.J. Green make a reception in the end zone for the final go-ahead touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at M&M Bank Stadium on September 27, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. .The Bengals won the game 28-24. Photo by Pete Marovich/UPI | License Photo

BALTIMORE, Sept. 27 -- Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton found wide receiver A.J. Green with a go-ahead 7-yard touchdown in a wild fourth quarter as the Bengals kept the Baltimore Ravens winless with a 28-24 victory Sunday.

Baltimore lost its distinction as the only existing NFL franchise that has never started 0-3. The undefeated Bengals have won four straight against the Ravens and sit atop the AFC North.

Advertisement

Green caught 10 passes for 227 yards with two touchdowns. Dalton shook off a costly turnover and completed 20 of 32 pass attempts for 383 yards with three touchdowns and an interception.

Trailing 14-0 in the third quarter, the Ravens found life when quarterback Joe Flacco found wide receiver Steve Smith for a 50-yard touchdown on a fourth-and-5. After forcing the Bengals to punt, the Ravens cut the margin to 14-10 on a 21-yard field goal by Justin Tucker with 13:27 left in the game.

Baltimore's defense then came up with a huge play. After linebacker Elvis Dumervil stripped Dalton, fellow linebacker C.J. Mosley picked up the loose ball and ran 41 yards for the score with 6:49 left.

Advertisement

On the ensuing drive, Dalton hit Green for an 80-yard touchdown pass to retake the lead, 21-17. Flacco responded with a 16-yard strike to Smith and the Ravens were back on top.

The Bengals, however, had another answer as Dalton drove them the length of the field and found Green for the game-winning score with just over two minutes left.

Smith tied a Ravens' franchise record with 13 receptions for 186 yards and two touchdowns. Flacco completed 32 of 49 passes for 362 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.

The Bengals have already put themselves in solid position for the postseason as 75 percent of teams that started 3-0 have made the playoffs from 1990-2014.

Cincinnati took a 7-0 lead on a 7-yard sneak by Dalton on its first possession. The Bengals were helped by three defensive penalties, including a pass interference penalty by Ravens safety Will Hill III that put the ball on the 12.

After Flacco was intercepted by cornerback Adam Jones, the Bengals made them pay as Dalton hit wide receiver Marvin Jones for a 16-yard touchdown with just under seven minutes left in the second quarter.

Advertisement

The Ravens finally caught a break near the end of the half. On a fourth-and-goal, Dalton found tight end Tyler Eifert for an apparent 2-yard score, but the play was ruled incomplete after a review.

NOTES: Ravens tackle James Hurst, a second-year player, got his seventh career start in place of the injured Eugene Monroe (concussion). ... Bengals defensive tackle Pat Sims (hip) was ruled after sustaining an injury Week 2 against the Chargers. As a result, Brandon Thompson was active for the first time this season. ... Baltimore defensive end Chris Canty (calf) did not play, allowing Lawrence Guy to start in his place. ... Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton suffered his first sack and interception of the season.

Latest Headlines