BALTIMORE — Lamar Jackson tossed two touchdown passes to lead the Baltimore Ravens to a 34-20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night in a key AFC North Division game.
As if the loss wasn't already painful enough, Joe Burrow made an early exit in the second quarter with a hand injury.
Baltimore had its share of injury problems during the game as well. During their opening drive, tight end Mark Andrews left the game after injuring his ankle when Cincinnati lineback Logan Wilson tackled Andrews with a "hip-drop" tackle from behind. Initially thought to be a sprain, it appears Andrews' injury will sideline him for the rest of the season.
Then later in the quarter, Jackson needed to to be checked in the team's injury tent for an ankle injury, but remained in the game.
Cincinnati took the lead in the second quarter, as Burrow led the Bengals on a 12-play, 82-yard drive, that was capped off with a four yard touchdown pass to Joe Mixon. But Burrow showed visible pain after completing the pass and wasn't able to return.
Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor told the media afterwards that Burrow's injury looked like a sprain, and it's not clear what his availability is moving forward.
However, the Ravens answered when Jackson's pass over the middle bounced off linebacker Germaine Pratt and right to receiver the hands of Nelson Agholor, who caught the ball in stride and dashed into the end zone for a 37-yard touchdown.
Jackson then threw a 10-yard scoring pass to Rashod Bateman with 23 seconds left in the half to give Baltimore a 21-10 lead at the break.
With Burrow sidelined for the second half, Jake Browning was forced into action. The 27-year-old backup had only played in one NFL game prior to last night. Browning managed to guide the Bengals to a field goal on their opening drive of the second half.
But that was all he could manage until he threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Ja'Marr Chase with 1:08 left in the game.
Browning finished the game 8 of 14 for 68 yards.
Jackson completed 16 of 26 passes for 264 yards. Gus Edwards rand for 62 yards and had two touchdown runs — both for three yards.
The Ravens (8-3) now have a hold on the top spot in the AFC North, as they completed a head-to-head sweep of Cincinnati (5-5) and moved to 2 1/2 games ahead of the last-place Bengals.
The Bengals will host Pittsburgh on Nov. 26.
Cincinnati 3 7 3 7 — 20
Baltimore 7 14 6 7 — 34
First Quarter BAL—G. Edwards 3 run (J. Tucker kick), 10:02. CIN—E. McPherson 50 field goal, 7:32. Second Quarter
CIN—J. Mixon 4 pass from J. Burrow (E. McPherson kick), 5:49.
BAL—N. Agholor 37 pass from L. Jackson (J. Tucker kick), 2:20.
BAL—R. Bateman 10 pass from L. Jackson (J. Tucker kick), 0:23.
Third Quarter
CIN—E. McPherson 26 field goal, 9:56.
BAL—J. Tucker 25 field goal, 4:02.
BAL—J. Tucker 47 field goal, 0:26.
Fourth Quarter
BAL—G. Edwards 3 run (J. Tucker kick), 4:49.
CIN—J. Chase 2 pass from J. Browning (E. McPherson kick), 1:08.
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