BALTIMORE — Quarterback Joe Burrow had a career day. Rookie wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase made history … again.
And as a result, the Cincinnati Bengals have a share of the AFC North lead, following a 41-17 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. The win snapped a five-game losing streak to their division rivals and ended the Ravens’ run of five straight victories this season.
“We’ve just got tough, resilient guys that don’t back down under pressure,” Burrow said. “(Baltimore) puts the most pressure on you of any team that I’ve played in the league. We really responded today.”
Burrow was 23-of-38 passing for a career-high 416 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. The bulk of those receiving yards went to Chase, who had eight catches for 201 yards and a touchdown, setting the NFL record for most receiving yards by any player in his first seven games, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
The win pushed the Bengals (5-2) into a tie with the Ravens (5-2) at the top of the division. Cincinnati also picked up its first victory over Baltimore since 2018.
“It’s a different team,” Bengals third-year coach Zac Taylor said. “We’re allowed to build and improve, and we just have a different mentality right now.”
Cincinnati scored 28 unanswered points in the second half after falling behind 17-13 with 13:20 left in the third quarter, including an 82-yard touchdown pass from Burrow to Chase, the longest of the rookie’s season.
The Bengals’ 41-point outburst was the first time Baltimore had allowed that many points at home since a 2013 loss to the New England Patriots, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. And per the Elias Sports Bureau, the Ravens became the third team ever to allow three 400-yard passers in the first seven games of the season.
“You have to come out and play your best every week, and we did not play our best,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said when asked generally about shutting down the opposing passing game. “Far from it, really, in any phase, and that’s on us. That’s it. That’s what happened.”
Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson was also under pressure from Cincinnati’s defense. He was sacked five times, which is tied for the most in his career. Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard registered 2.5 of those on Sunday.
Jackson was 15-of-31 passing for 257 yards and one touchdown. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Jackson completed only four of his 12 pass attempts when under pressure. Jackson and the Baltimore starters were benched in the fourth quarter as hopes of a win disappeared.
“He was trying to protect us, stuff like that,” Jackson said of Harbaugh. “So, I was cool with it. It’s definitely tough. We hate losing. We don’t want to see the score tilted like that.”
With the rest of the results on Sunday still outstanding, Cincinnati clinched at least a share of the best record in the AFC heading into next week’s road game against the New York Jets (1-6).
Taylor warned against easing up following Cincinnati’s second division on the road in as many attempts this season.
“We have no right to get complacent,” Taylor said. “There are so many things we can’t let slide.”
But in the aftermath of the win, the Bengals players articulated just how important Sunday’s win was for a franchise that has struggled the last couple of seasons and not made the playoffs since 2015.
Perhaps Bengals safety Jessie Bates III said it best as he walked into the locker room.
“If you ain’t believing yet,” Bates said, “you better start.”