Lamar Jackson’s Late Heroics Lead Ravens to Thrilling 35-34 Victory Over Bengals

Lamar Jackson’s dominance over the Cincinnati Bengals continued in thrilling fashion on Thursday night. His 5-yard touchdown pass to Rashod Bateman with just 1:49 left in the game sealed a 35-34 win for the Baltimore Ravens, giving Jackson a career record of 10-1 against the Bengals.

The Ravens’ defense held firm in the closing moments, forcing Bengals QB Joe Burrow into an incomplete pass on a two-point conversion attempt with 38 seconds remaining, ensuring Jackson’s 12th career game-winning drive. This victory marked Jackson’s second game-winning drive of the season against Cincinnati, following their 41-38 overtime win last month.

Jackson shook off a slow start, completing 15 of 19 passes for 219 yards and three touchdowns in the second half alone. The Ravens put up 28 points after halftime — the highest second-half total by any team this season.

With this win, the Ravens (7-3) remain tied for the lead in the AFC North with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Baltimore Ravens (7-3)

Quarterback Breakdown: Lamar Jackson was electric in the fourth quarter, completing 11 of 13 passes for 197 yards and three touchdowns. His performance in the fourth quarter was second only to Jordan Love’s 202 yards in Week 4. Jackson’s passing success outside the pocket has been exceptional this season, with nine touchdown passes in such situations, four more than any other quarterback.

Notable Stat: Tylan Wallace’s first career touchdown catch could not have come at a better time. Down 21-14, Wallace caught a short pass from Jackson and turned it into an 84-yard touchdown, with 78 of those yards coming after the catch. It was the second-highest YACOE (yards after catch over expected) for a reception since 2018.

Concern: The Ravens’ pass defense struggled again, especially after losing All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton to an ankle injury. The secondary allowed two long touchdown passes of 67 and 70 yards to Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase. Baltimore has now given up a league-high 28 completions of 25 or more yards this season.

Surprising Performance: Justin Tucker’s rare missed extra point in the fourth quarter broke his 75-straight streak. While Tucker had been consistent in recent games, his miss left the Ravens in a precarious position late in the contest.

Next Game: at Steelers (1 p.m. ET, Nov. 17)

Cincinnati Bengals (4-6)

Notable Stat: Ja’Marr Chase had another standout night with his sixth career game of at least 150 receiving yards and a touchdown. Chase’s performance puts him in elite company; only Randy Moss and Justin Jefferson had more games with that stat line under the age of 25.

Pivotal Play: The momentum turned when Marlon Humphrey forced a fumble from Bengals running back Chase Brown midway through the third quarter. The Ravens recovered and went on to score, sparking a 21-point surge that allowed Baltimore to take control. The turnover highlighted Cincinnati’s struggles to establish the run, which hindered their overall game plan.

Quarterback Breakdown: Joe Burrow had a solid night, throwing for 428 yards and four touchdowns despite facing pressure and being without Tee Higgins. Burrow’s chemistry with Chase was on display, including a 70-yard fourth-quarter touchdown that briefly stalled the Ravens’ momentum. Burrow shined after Hamilton exited the game, completing 15 of 21 passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns after the Ravens’ safety went down.

Next Game: at Chargers (8:20 p.m. ET, Nov. 17)