Baltimore vs. Cincinatti
Tucker and Timely Defense Help Top Bengals, Get Back on Top of Division
Since 2013 the Bengals have had the Ravens’ number. Baltimore brought an end to that skid on Sunday and moved back into a tie for first place in the AFC North Division with a 19-14 victory.
“That’s always a tough rivalry, and it’s really good to finally break the string (of losses) against these guys,” head coach John Harbaugh told reporters following the victory. “They’ve gotten us five times in a row. For us to come up with a victory is obviously very satisfying. I thought our team played exceptionally hard, exceptionally physical, and played with poise throughout the course of the game.”
Justin Tucker remained perfect on the season, connecting on four field goals, three from beyond 50 yards in the first half. Dating back to last year, Tucker has now been successful on 34 consecutive attempts.
“We have the best kicker in the world, hands down,” said cornerback Tavon Young. “We have so much confidence in him when he takes the field, no matter where it’s from.”
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Quarterback Joe Flacco threw for 234 yards, one interception, and a touchdown on the game’s opening drive to rookie Breshad Perriman. Outside of that first possession, the offense struggled to find its footing in Bengals’ territory and forced to settle for several long field goal tries.
The Bengals had a chance to tie or take the lead with four minutes remaining and drove inside the red zone. Elvis Dumervil ended that threat by punching the pigskin free from Andy Dalton and the ball took a fortuitous bounce into the hands of Lawrence Guy while he was tangled up with offensive lineman Kevin Zeitler.
“If it ain’t tough, it ain’t the Raven way,” laughed outside linebacker Terrell Suggs. “I really wish we could have got off the field instead of scaring everybody and having Elvis (Dumervil) make a fantastic play. But that’s the Raven Way.”
While Tucker remained the special teams star, punter Sam Koch provided his own standout moment in the game’s closing seconds with one of the more unusual finishes to a contest in team history. Koch fielded the snap with 11 seconds and shuffled back and forth while those remaining moments ticked away. The lack of an all-out punt block by the Bengals and a deliberate scheme by Baltimore’s line to hold defenders allowed Koch to comfortably chew up time. He slowly stepped out of the back of the end zone to provide the 19-14 final score. Since, by rule, a game cannot continue on an offensive penalty as does a defensive one, referees declared the contest over without need for an ensuing kickoff.
“I thought that was one of the most underrated, awesome plays I’ve ever seen,” kicker Justin Tucker said of Koch’s calm decision-making. “The execution was just spot on. You win the game and you close the game out on special teams, I think we all enjoyed that. That was really cool.”
GAME RECAP
The Ravens received the opening kickoff and proceeded to march the length of the field. An 11-play, 75-yard drive was capped by a Joe Flacco to Breshad Perriman touchdown toss, as the rookie made a spectacular grab over the outstretched arms of defender Darqueze Dennard to make it 7-0 4:45 into the contest.
Cincinnati’s first drive resulted in a three-and-out, allowing Baltimore to stretch the lead to 10 on a 52-yard field goal by Justin Tucker. Mike Nugent matched with a three of his own following a 14-play drive that brought the first quarter to a close.
The Bengals regained possession one play later as Flacco’s pass was tipped at the line by Carlos Dunlap and intercepted by Rey Maualuga and returned inside the red zone. No damage was done though as a mistimed snap bounced off the hands of Andy Dalton in the shotgun formation and pounced on by Elvis Dumervil.
Both sides would punt on their next two possessions before Baltimore would add onto its lead with a 57-yard successful field goal attempt by Tucker to make it a 13-3 Ravens lead with 1:45 remaining in the half. Tucker would tack on a third field goal from 50-plus yards out with a 54-yard try as time ran out in the second quarter.
Cincinnati and Baltimore exchanged punts again to open the second half before Dalton found Tyler Eifert on a tight end drag along the back of the end zone for a 3-yard touchdown. Nugent missed wide on the extra point try to keep the score at 16-9 with 4:16 remaining in the third quarter.
The Ravens responded with a time-consuming 12-play drive that chewed seven minutes off the clock. A 4th down conversion from Kenneth Dixon led to another field goal from Tucker, this time from 36 yards out, to extend the advantage to 19-9.
Following a pair of punts, the Bengals were able to make it a one possession ballgame again when Nugent also hit from 36 yards out. The field goal made it 19-12 with six minutes remaining in regulation.
The Ravens only consumed less than two minutes on their ensuing drive, giving possession back to the Bengals with four minutes to go. Dalton and company drove inside the Ravens’ red zone with just over a minute left but Dumervil punched the pigskin free with his right hand. The ball bounced between the legs of offensive lineman Kevin Zeitler and into the soft, waiting hands of Lawrence Guy.
Kenneth Dixon and the offense ate up all but 11 seconds, leading to one of the stranger plays to close a game in franchise history. Punter Sam Koch took the snap and slid side-to-side. Cincinnati’s lack of an all-out punt block allowed him to shuffle and eat up the remaining moments before calmly stepping out the back of his own end zone for a safety as time expired for a 19-14 Baltimore victory.
UP NEXT
Baltimore (6-5) hosts one of the hottest teams in the league next Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium. Miami (7-4) has won it’s last six matchups since beginning the year 1-4, including a dramatic goal line stand against San Francisco in a 31-24 victory.
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