Ravens put it all together, keep playoff hopes alive with 24-0 win over Bengals

Brian Wacker, The Baltimore Sun on Dec 14, 2025

Published in Football

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CINCINNATI — In the coldest game in Ravens’ history and with the season hanging in the balance, Baltimore finally heated up on both sides of the ball Sunday afternoon.

An icy chill danced off the banks of the Ohio River and down through Paycor Stadium, the actual temperature at kickoff 10 degrees with a feels-like of minus-1, surpassing the frigid 2013 “Mile High Miracle” playoff game in Denver. There was no need for divine intervention this time.

Behind a defense that held the Bengals to 298 total yards, including just 225 yards passing from quarterback Joe Burrow, who was also intercepted twice, and an offense that finally found a once-familiar form with a string of chunk plays, the Ravens coasted to a 24-0 win over Cincinnati. It was Baltimore’s first shutout since 2018 against the Tennessee Titans.

The victory also ended a two-game losing streak for Baltimore (7-7) after embarrassing losses in two straight division games. More importantly, it keeps playoff hopes alive with the Ravens just a half-game behind the AFC North-leading Steelers, who will play the Dolphins on Monday night in Pittsburgh.

And even if the weather didn’t feel good, the victory had to.

Lamar Jackson completed 8 of just 12 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns, while Derrick Henry got rolling in the second half, battering the Bengals for 100 yards rushing on 11 carries. Keaton Mitchell added 66 rushing yards on eight touches.

The Ravens also avoided being swept by the Bengals (4-10) in the regular season for the first time 2021 — coincidentally also the last time Baltimore missed the playoffs — and avoided dropping three straight games to division opponents for the first time in Jackson’s tenure. The two-time NFL Most Valuable Player also remained perfect at Paycor Stadium, where he came in with a 4-0 mark and 15-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

On Sunday and unlike during a Thanksgiving night debacle in Baltimore two weeks ago in which the Ravens turned the ball over a season-high five times, the offense got rolling in the second quarter and never looked back.

Jackson scrambled up the middle for 14 yards. Then he hit DeAndre Hopkins for a 32-yard gain. Three plays later, Baltimore cashed in. Seeing Cincinnati was blitzing, Jackson appeared to check out of a play and dumped a short pass off to wide-open running back Rasheen Ali, who raced untouched up the right sideline for a 30-yard score and the first touchdown of his career.

Jackson and center Tyler Linderbaum celebrated the play afterward.

On their next possession and in the final minute of the first half, left tackle Ronnie Stanley took umbrage with a Bengals defender and was flagged for unnecessary roughness as things started to get chippy between the two teams. But the penalty was offset by defensive holding and was only a momentary hiccup.

Flowers made a spectacular adjustment, twisting to secure a pass up the right sideline for 26 yards. Then Jackson scrambled for a dozen more yards. Three plays later, Jackson found Andrews for 14 yards and then hit Flowers in stride with a 28-yard dart to the back left corner of the end zone for a 14-0 lead.

Tyler Loop then tacked on a 27-yard field goal in the third quarter, while the defense continued to zero in on Burrow and the Bengals’ offense.

Burrow was sacked three times, including once by outside linebacker Tavius Robinson, who returned after suffering a broken foot in Week 6. He was also intercepted first by cornerback Marlon Humphrey, who caught the ball at Baltimore’s 14-yard line as it bounced off receiver Ja’Marr Chase’s hands in the second quarter to end a scoring threat. Then, Kyle Van Noy sealed the victory with a fourth-quarter interception that he quickly handed to safety Alohi Gilman, who raced 84 yards untouched down the right sideline for a touchdown that ended Cincinnati’s faint playoff hopes.

Baltimore had its moments, too — most notably when Jackson’s pass to Flowers in the middle of the second quarter went through the receiver’s hands and was intercepted by Jordan Battle. But Cincinnati went three-and-out, and the Bengals threatened only once more the rest of the game.

The Ravens will now return home to face the New England Patriots next Sunday night in what again will be another crucial game.

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