Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Lamar Jackson threw four touchdowns as the Baltimore Ravens completed a thrilling second-half comeback to defeat the Cincinnati Bengals 35-34 in the NFL on Thursday. A month after Baltimore beat the Bengals 41-38 in an instant classic, the two AFC North divisional rivals combined for another high-scoring shootout at the Ravens’ M&T Bank Stadium. Baltimore quarterback Jackson finished with four touchdowns and 290 passing yards from 25-33 attempts, while Bengals counterpart Joe Burrow had four touchdowns and 428 yards with no interceptions.
“It was a video-game type of game,” a relieved Jackson said. “I get tired of them, but it is what it is.” The Bengals looked poised to avenge last month’s defeat after a Chase Brown rushing touchdown was followed by two touchdown passes from Burrow to make it 21-7 to Cincinnati early in the third quarter. But Jackson then seized control of the game, launching a five-play drive to send running back Derrick Henry rumbling into the end zone to make it 21-14 after Justin Tucker’s extra point.
The Bengals were soon in trouble early in the fourth quarter, with Jackson finding Tyler Wallace for an 84-yard touchdown to get the Ravens within one point at 21-20. Another brisk Ravens drive ended with Jackson floating a pass to Mark Andrews to give Baltimore the lead at 26-21. Jackson skipped into the end zone for the two-point conversion, and the game appeared to have swung decisively in Baltimore’s favor.
Yet Burrow and the Bengals were not done. With the first play of the next drive, receiver Ja’Marr Chase took advantage of a blown coverage to sprint clear and gather a pinpoint Burrow pass for a 70-yard touchdown. Evan McPherson’s extra point tied the game, but Baltimore remained unflustered with Jackson marching the Ravens on a 70-yard, 11-play drive before guiding a pass to Rashod Bateman for a touchdown that restored the home team’s lead with less than two minutes remaining.
That set up a nerve-wracking finale as Burrow once again hauled the Bengals back upfield, punishing some jittery Ravens defending before lasering a pass to Chase at the back of the end zone for a touchdown. A kicked extra point would have tied the score and potentially set up overtime, but the Bengals boldly went for a winning two-point conversion. That gambit backfired, though, with Burrow’s pass to tight end Tanner Hudson falling incomplete to effectively end the game.
Baltimore improved to 7-3 with the win and remain second in the AFC North behind leaders Pittsburgh (6-2). The Bengals fell to 4-6 and are third in the division.
© 2024 AFP
