The weather was frigid, but the Ravens showed plenty of fight.
Baltimore couldn't afford to lose Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals. It didn't matter that the wind chill was 1 degree below zero at kickoff, or that the Bengals had just defeated the Ravens on Thanksgiving.
The Ravens needed this one, and they took it. Their defense never let up on Joe Burrow, and his team never reached the end zone. When Cincinnati still had hope in the final quarter, Kyle Van Noy and Alohi Gilman snuffed it out, combining for an interception and 95-yard defensive touchdown that iced the outcome.
Getting back to .500 and keeping control of their playoff destiny, Baltimore (7-7) defeated Cincinnati, 24-0, to remain very much alive as a threat to capture the AFC North.
Gilman viewed this victory as payback for losing to the Bengals in Baltimore, and this defeat eliminated Cincinnati (4-10) from the playoffs.
"We were pissed off that we lost to them the first time, I'm not going to lie," Gilman said.
The Ravens will enter Week 16 either tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6) or trailing by one game, pending the outcome of Monday night's Steelers-Miami Dolphins game. But the race has come down to the final three games, and the Ravens will win the division if they win out.
Here are my thoughts on the Ravens after they snapped a two-game losing streak:
The entire Ravens defense deserves a game ball.
Shutting out a team led by Burrow is never easy. He had not been shut out as a starter since college, dating all the way back to 2016. But Baltimore took this game to the Bengals' star quarterback, and he was hit, confused, and very frustrated.
It was the Ravens' first shutout since 2018. The defensive dominance started early and never stopped. Outside linebacker Tavius Robinson announced his return to the lineup from a foot injury with an early sack that took Cincinnati out of field goal range. Baltimore had 11 quarterback hits, including five by Dre'Mont Jones and three by Robinson. Roquan Smith was all over the field with 14 tackles, and Marlon Humphrey also had an interception.
Numerous Ravens said the Ravens had the season's most intense week of practice leading up to Sunday's game. Hall of Famer Ed Reed spoke to the team Friday and attended practice, and Humphrey believed that helped set the tone.
"Ed is very unfiltered when he talks," Humphrey said. "It's always great to hear from a Ravens legend. Maybe we need a Raven to come back every week."
This was the kind of swarming defense the Ravens had talked about playing all season. It was impressive and relentless. Even without No. 2 receiver Tee Higgins (concussion), the Bengals have a dangerous offense. If the Ravens keep playing defense like this, they have a chance to beat anyone.
Lamar Jackson looks healthier for the stretch run.
This was an efficient performance by Jackson (8-of-12, 150 yards, two touchdowns, 26 yards rushing), whose stats would have looked better if not for some dropped passes. Meanwhile, he continued to move better than when he first returned from his hamstring injury, and his ability to extend plays paid dividends.
"I believe I told you guys early on in the week I was feeling better," Jackson said. "I guess you had to see it to believe it."
Jackson engineered a masterful two-minute drive just before halftime, taking the Ravens 80 yards in just five plays and taking 42 seconds off the clock. A beautiful 28-yard touchdown pass from Jackson to Zay Flowers gave Baltimore a 14-0 lead before halftime, and the defense took over from there.
Jackson's first touchdown pass was a simple swing pass to Rasheen Ali that he took to the house for a 30-yard scoring play. But Jackson set it up by audibling into another play at the line of scrimmage when he recognized the Bengals would blitz. That left Ali wide open to score the first touchdown of his career.
Jackson admitted he was late arriving for the team plane on Saturday, but not surprisingly, the Ravens didn't leave without him. A healthier Jackson down the stretch would be right on time for the Ravens.
Derrick Henry and the rushing attack could be huge moving forward.
Henry had 100 yards rushing, Keaton Mitchell had 66 yards, and the Ravens' ground game eventually began to break the Bengals' will. That can happen late in the season, when bodies are aching, defenses are worn down, and the weather is colder.
Jackson said it himself â who wants to deal with tackling Henry when the temperature is in single digits? Jackson is asked to do a lot, but he doesn't have to do it all when the Ravens run the football well.
Even with the offense not clicking on all cylinders this season, Baltimore entered the game ranked third in the NFL in rushing. The Ravens have tough opponents in their last three games â New England, Green Bay, and Pittsburgh. But if their running attack continues to cook, it will give them a better chance to finish strong.
Will this victory spark the Ravens to play their best football?
That's a huge question, and the answer will decide if they make the playoffs or not. This was the Ravens' best all-around game this season, considering what was at stake, the weather conditions, and the contributions of so many players.
"It was our best football game of the year," Head Coach John Harbaugh said. "[It was] complementary football in all three phases, coming off our best week of practice."
The Ravens have never stopped believing that they can play much better than they've shown. It's possible that having their backs against the wall could bring out their best.
"Back against the wall, some people look at it as a bad thing, we're kind of looking at it as a good thing," Humphrey said. "No more talking. We've just got to enjoy this one a little bit and then keep the momentum going."
Extra Points:
- Jackson raised his career record to 16-0 as a starter in regular-season games played in Week 15 or later.
- After signing a contract extension this week, defensive tackle Travis Jones registered a sack and has a career-high 2.5 for the season.
- Henry has six 100-yard games this season and had three runs that went for at least 20 yards in the second half.
- The Ravens led at halftime for the first time since Week 9 against the Miami Dolphins.
