BALTIMORE (AP) — An uncharacteristic performance by the Baltimore Ravens defense was offset by an uncommonly effective outing by Joe Flacco and the team’s oft-criticized offense.

Flacco threw for 270 yards and two touchdowns, rookie Torrey Smith had six catches for 165 yards, and Baltimore moved into first place in the AFC North with a nerve-racking 31-24 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

Playing without middle linebacker Ray Lewis for the first time in 58 games, the Ravens (7-3) nearly blew a 17-point lead in the final 14 minutes, yielded 483 yards and let rookie quarterback Andy Dalton throw for 373.

But Baltimore got 104 yards rushing and two touchdowns from Ray Rice , and the defense made big plays when it counted most. After Rice was stuffed on a third-and-1 with just over two minutes left, he remained confident.

“I just looked at the clock and I said, `Our defense will get it done,”‘ he recalled. “That’s the faith I have in our guys.”

Even without Lewis, who watched from the sideline after being placed on the inactive list with a toe injury. The Ravens’ spiritual leader and leading tackler saw his unit pick off three passes and turn in a game-saving goal-line stand in the final minute.

Down 31-24, Cincinnati reached the Baltimore 7 before Terrell Suggs collared Dalton, who was called for intentional grounding. On fourth-and-goal, Dalton was sacked by Pernell McPhee .

The Bengals (6-4) needed seven points because on the previous series, an apparent 9-yard touchdown pass from Dalton to Jermaine Gresham was overturned by a replay that determined the receiver didn’t hold onto the ball at the end of a juggling catch. The Bengals settled for a field goal with 5:32 remaining.

“When the receiver went to the ground, he had the ball in his right hand,” referee Ron Winter said. “The ball touched the ground and his hand came off the ball.”

Baltimore is locked in a first-place tie with Pittsburgh in the AFC North, but the Ravens own the tiebreaker by virtue of their two wins over the Steelers.

“No. 1 in the division, that’s huge,” Suggs said. “Now we’re the master of our destiny.”

The Ravens won in part because of Smith, whose 165 yards were third-most by a receiver in Ravens history. He might have had more if Adam Jones didn’t grab hold of Smith’s long dreadlocks at the end of a 28-yard completion in the second quarter.

Jones was initially flagged for a horse-collar tackle, but officials corrected themselves and did not mark off any yardage because it’s legal to tackle a runner by pulling his hair.

Even though it wasn’t a banner day for the Baltimore defense, its three interceptions set up two touchdowns.

“Whenever we can get turnovers, it definitely makes everybody’s job easier,” cornerback Cary Williams said. “It’s just being able to capitalize on opportunities, and we did that today.”

Dalton went 24 for 45 with a touchdown. Cincinnati was without standout rookie wide receiver A.J. Green, who hurt his right knee a week earlier in a loss to Pittsburgh.

But the Bengals gave Baltimore all it could handle.

“We’ve won six games to this point and we’ll win some more,” coach Marvin Lewis said. “We’ve just got to circle the wagons, lick our wounds and go.”

One week earlier, the Bengals came up short in rallying from a 14-0 deficit against Pittsburgh. It was more of the same against the Ravens.

“It comes down to the fourth quarter. That’s how every game’s been for us,” Dalton said. “We’ve got to start faster. We can’t wait around until the end of the game to pick it up, come out and get back in it. It’s definitely going to be a focus for us.”

Baltimore took a 24-14 lead on a 2-yard run by Rice late in the third quarter. The score came after Ravens rookie cornerback Jimmy Smith picked off a pass and returned it 16 yards before fumbling. The loose ball was recovered at the Cincinnati 2 by teammate Brendon Ayanbadejo in a pile that included Winter.

The Bengals’ following possession ended with an interception by Lardarius Webb . On the next play, Torrey Smith split the Bengals’ two-deep zone and caught a 38-yard touchdown pass in the back of the end zone to make it 31-14.

The Bengals responded with a five-play, 80-yard drive capped by a 49-yard touchdown pass from Dalton to Andre Caldwell , who slipped behind Jimmy Smith down the right sideline.

But the Ravens held on, rebounding after a 22-17 loss at Seattle last week. Baltimore has won 12 straight following a defeat.

“It’s good to bounce back,” Suggs said, “but let’s not take any more steps back.”

The Bengals punted six times in the first half, two short of their season high for an entire game. Cincinnati’s offense managed only 143 yards before halftime, 47 of those on one play.

On the Bengals’ second possession, wide receiver Jerome Simpson made a juggling catch for a 47-yard gain to set up a 7-yard touchdown run by Cedric Benson .

The Ravens didn’t get past midfield until early in the second quarter, following a 15-yard punt by Kevin Huber . Starting at its 45, Baltimore picked up a first down before Flacco tossed a short pass to Anquan Boldin , who ran the final 20 yards for a 35-yard touchdown.

BALTIMORE, MD (AP) – An uncharacteristic performance by the
Baltimore Ravens defense was offset by an uncommonly effective
outing by Joe Flacco and the team’s oft-criticized offense.
      Flacco threw for 270 yards and two touchdowns, rookie Torrey
Smith had six catches for 165 yards, and Baltimore moved into first
place in the AFC North with a nerve-racking 31-24 victory over the
Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
      Playing without middle linebacker Ray Lewis for the first time
in 58 games, the Ravens (7-3) nearly blew a 17-point lead in the
final 14 minutes, yielded 483 yards and let rookie quarterback Andy
Dalton throw for 373.
      But Baltimore got 104 yards rushing and two touchdowns from Ray
Rice, and the defense made big plays when it counted most. After
Rice was stuffed on a third-and-1 with just over two minutes left,
he remained confident.
      “I just looked at the clock and I said, `Our defense will get
it done,”‘ he recalled. “That’s the faith I have in our guys.”
      Even without Lewis, who watched from the sideline after being
placed on the inactive list with a toe injury. The Ravens’
spiritual leader and leading tackler saw his unit pick off three
passes and turn in a game-saving goal-line stand in the final
minute.
      Down 31-24, Cincinnati reached the Baltimore 7 before Terrell
Suggs collared Dalton, who was called for intentional grounding. On
fourth-and-goal, Dalton was sacked by Pernell McPhee.
      The Bengals (6-4) needed seven points because on the previous
series, an apparent 9-yard touchdown pass from Dalton to Jermaine
Gresham was overturned by a replay that determined the receiver
didn’t hold onto the ball at the end of a juggling catch. The
Bengals settled for a field goal with 5:32 remaining.
      “When the receiver went to the ground, he had the ball in his
right hand,” referee Ron Winter said. “The ball touched the
ground and his hand came off the ball.”
      Baltimore is locked in a first-place tie with Pittsburgh in the
AFC North, but the Ravens own the tiebreaker by virtue of their two
wins over the Steelers.
      “No. 1 in the division, that’s huge,” Suggs said. “Now we’re
the master of our destiny.”
      The Ravens won in part because of Smith, whose 165 yards were
third-most by a receiver in Ravens history. He might have had more
if Adam Jones didn’t grab hold of Smith’s long dreadlocks at the
end of a 28-yard completion in the second quarter.
      Jones was initially flagged for a horse-collar tackle, but
officials corrected themselves and did not mark off any yardage
because it’s legal to tackle a runner by pulling his hair.
      Even though it wasn’t a banner day for the Baltimore defense,
its three interceptions set up two touchdowns.
      “Whenever we can get turnovers, it definitely makes everybody’s
job easier,” cornerback Cary Williams said. “It’s just being able
to capitalize on opportunities, and we did that today.”
      Dalton went 24 for 45 with a touchdown. Cincinnati was without
standout rookie wide receiver A.J. Green, who hurt his right knee a
week earlier in a loss to Pittsburgh.
      But the Bengals gave Baltimore all it could handle.
      “We’ve won six games to this point and we’ll win some more,”
coach Marvin Lewis said. “We’ve just got to circle the wagons,
lick our wounds and go.”
      One week earlier, the Bengals came up short in rallying from a
14-0 deficit against Pittsburgh. It was more of the same against
the Ravens.
      “It comes down to the fourth quarter. That’s how every game’s
been for us,” Dalton said. “We’ve got to start faster. We can’t
wait around until the end of the game to pick it up, come out and
get back in it. It’s definitely going to be a focus for us.”
      Baltimore took a 24-14 lead on a 2-yard run by Rice late in the
third quarter. The score came after Ravens rookie cornerback Jimmy
Smith picked off a pass and returned it 16 yards before fumbling.
The loose ball was recovered at the Cincinnati 2 by teammate
Brendon Ayanbadejo in a pile that included Winter.
      The Bengals’ following possession ended with an interception by
Lardarius Webb. On the next play, Torrey Smith split the Bengals’
two-deep zone and caught a 38-yard touchdown pass in the back of
the end zone to make it 31-14.
      The Bengals responded with a five-play, 80-yard drive capped by
a 49-yard touchdown pass from Dalton to Andre Caldwell, who slipped
behind Jimmy Smith down the right sideline.
      But the Ravens held on, rebounding after a 22-17 loss at Seattle
last week. Baltimore has won 12 straight following a defeat.
      “It’s good to bounce back,” Suggs said, “but let’s not take
any more steps back.”
      The Bengals punted six times in the first half, two short of
their season high for an entire game. Cincinnati’s offense managed
only 143 yards before halftime, 47 of those on one play.
      On the Bengals’ second possession, wide receiver Jerome Simpson
made a juggling catch for a 47-yard gain to set up a 7-yard
touchdown run by Cedric Benson.
      The Ravens didn’t get past midfield until early in the second
quarter, following a 15-yard punt by Kevin Huber. Starting at its
45, Baltimore picked up a first down before Flacco tossed a short
pass to Anquan Boldin, who ran the final 20 yards for a 35-yard
touchdown.
      NOTES: Former Ravens kicker Matt Stover was inducted into the
team’s Ring of Honor during a halftime ceremony. … Ravens LB
Jarret Johnson made his 74th consecutive start, breaking the
franchise record previously held by Michael McCrary and Jamie
Sharper. … Baltimore has won seven straight at home and 15 of 16.

All those stirring comebacks and down-to-the-wire finishes won’t mean a thing if the Cincinnati Bengals can’t find a way to play a complete game against a tough opponent.

They didn’t do it against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, absorbing a 31-24 defeat and squandering an opportunity to move into a first-place tie in the AFC North.

Instead, the Bengals were again left wondering what went wrong. One week after rallying from a 14-0 deficit before losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati came up short in an effort to climb out of a 17-point hole against Baltimore.

And now, the Bengals (6-4) are in third place behind the Steelers (7-3) and Ravens (7-3).

“In my mind, we’re better than those teams,” tight end Jermaine Gresham said. “They’re great teams and everything, but I think big mistakes killed (us) in some areas. We just have to get better. We will get better.”

The need to play a full 60 minutes against elite competition was a constant refrain in a quiet Cincinnati dressing room, where players lamented their inability to compensate for untimely mistakes and voiced a sense that they could perform at a higher level.

“It comes down to the fourth quarter,” said rookie quarterback Andy Dalton, whose would-be game-tying drive stalled at the Baltimore 17. “That’s how every game’s been for us. We’ve got to start faster. We can’t wait around until the end of the game to pick it up, come out and get back in it. It’s definitely going to be a focus for us.”

Bengals defensive tackle Domata Peko added, “We played a good game today, but we didn’t finish. Usually, we finish. We need to finish.”

Joe Flacco threw for 270 yards and two touchdowns, rookie Torrey Smith had six catches for 165 yards, and the Ravens won despite playing without injured middle linebacker Ray Lewis, who was inactive with a toe injury.

Baltimore yielded 483 yards and let Dalton throw for 373, but the defense picked off three passes made big plays when it counted most. After Ravens running back Ray Rice was stuffed on a third-and-1 with just over two minutes left, he remained confident.

“I just looked at the clock and I said, ‘Our defense will get it done,’” he recalled. “That’s the faith I have in our guys.”

Down 31-24, Cincinnati reached the Baltimore 7 before Terrell Suggs collared Dalton, who was called for intentional grounding. On fourth-and-goal, Dalton was sacked by Pernell McPhee.

The Bengals needed seven points because on the previous series, an apparent 9-yard touchdown pass from Dalton to Jermaine Gresham was overturned by a replay that determined the receiver didn’t hold onto the ball at the end of a juggling catch. Cincinnati settled for a field goal with 5:32 remaining.

“When the receiver went to the ground, he had the ball in his right hand,” referee Ron Winter said. “The ball touched the ground and his hand came off the ball.”

Baltimore is locked in a first-place tie with Pittsburgh in the AFC North, but the Ravens own the tiebreaker by virtue of their two wins over the Steelers.

“No. 1 in the division, that’s huge,” Suggs said. “Now we’re the master of our destiny.”

Dalton went 24 for 45 with a touchdown. Cincinnati was without standout rookie wide receiver A.J. Green, who hurt his right knee last week.

But the Bengals gave Baltimore all it could handle.

“We’ve won six games to this point and we’ll win some more,” coach Marvin Lewis said. “We’ve just got to circle the wagons, lick our wounds and go.”

Baltimore took a 24-14 lead on a 2-yard run by Rice late in the third quarter. The score came after Ravens rookie cornerback Jimmy Smith picked off a pass and returned it 16 yards before fumbling. The loose ball was recovered at the Cincinnati 2 by teammate Brendon Ayanbadejo in a pile that included Winter.

The Bengals’ following possession ended with an interception by Lardarius Webb. On the next play, Torrey Smith split Cincinnati’s two-deep zone and caught a 38-yard touchdown pass in the back of the end zone to make it 31-14.

Dalton responded with a five-play, 80-yard drive capped by a 49-yard touchdown pass to Andre Caldwell, who slipped behind Jimmy Smith down the right sideline.

The Bengals punted six times in the first half, two short of their season high for an entire game. Cincinnati’s offense managed only 143 yards before halftime, 47 of those on one play.

On the Bengals’ second possession, Jerome Simpson made a juggling catch for a 47-yard gain to set up a 7-yard touchdown run by Cedric Benson.

The Ravens didn’t get past midfield until early in the second quarter, following a 15-yard punt by Kevin Huber. Starting at its 45, Baltimore picked up a first down before Flacco tossed a short pass to Anquan Boldin, who ran the final 20 yards for a 35-yard touchdown.

NOTES: Former Ravens kicker Matt Stover was inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor during a halftime ceremony. … Ravens LB Jarret Johnson made his 74th consecutive start, breaking the franchise record previously held by Michael McCrary and Jamie Sharper. … Baltimore has won seven straight at home and 15 of 16. … Cincinnati has lost two straight following a five-game winning streak.

BALTIMORE (AP) — An uncharacteristic performance by the Baltimore Ravens defense was offset by an uncommonly effective outing by Joe Flacco and the team’s oft-criticized offense.

Flacco threw for 270 yards and two touchdowns, rookie Torrey Smith had six catches for 165 yards, and Baltimore moved into first place in the AFC North with a nerve-racking 31-24 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

Playing without middle linebacker Ray Lewis for the first time in 58 games, the Ravens (7-3) nearly blew a 17-point lead in the final 14 minutes, yielded 483 yards and let rookie quarterback Andy Dalton throw for 373.

But Baltimore got 104 yards rushing and two touchdowns from Ray Rice, and the defense made big plays when it counted most. After Rice was stuffed on a third-and-1 with just over two minutes left, he remained confident.

“I just looked at the clock and I said, ‘Our defense will get it done,’” he recalled. “That’s the faith I have in our guys.”

Even without Lewis, who watched from the sideline after being placed on the inactive list with a toe injury. The Ravens’ spiritual leader and leading tackler saw his unit pick off three passes and turn in a game-saving goal-line stand in the final minute.

Down 31-24, Cincinnati reached the Baltimore 7 before Terrell Suggs collared Dalton, who was called for intentional grounding. On fourth-and-goal, Dalton was sacked by Pernell McPhee.

The Bengals (6-4) needed seven points because on the previous series, an apparent 9-yard touchdown pass from Dalton to Jermaine Gresham was overturned by a replay that determined the receiver didn’t hold onto the ball at the end of a juggling catch. The Bengals settled for a field goal with 5:32 remaining.

“When the receiver went to the ground, he had the ball in his right hand,” referee Ron Winter said. “The ball touched the ground and his hand came off the ball.”

Baltimore is locked in a first-place tie with Pittsburgh in the AFC North, but the Ravens own the tiebreaker by virtue of their two wins over the Steelers.

“No. 1 in the division, that’s huge,” Suggs said. “Now we’re the master of our destiny.”

The Ravens won in part because of Smith, whose 165 yards were third-most by a receiver in Ravens history. He might have had more if Adam Jones didn’t grab hold of Smith’s long dreadlocks at the end of a 28-yard completion in the second quarter.

Jones was initially flagged for a horse-collar tackle, but officials corrected themselves and did not mark off any yardage because it’s legal to tackle a runner by pulling his hair.

Even though it wasn’t a banner day for the Baltimore defense, its three interceptions set up two touchdowns.

“Whenever we can get turnovers, it definitely makes everybody’s job easier,” cornerback Cary Williams said. “It’s just being able to capitalize on opportunities, and we did that today.”

Dalton went 24 for 45 with a touchdown. Cincinnati was without standout rookie wide receiver A.J. Green, who hurt his right knee a week earlier in a loss to Pittsburgh.

But the Bengals gave Baltimore all it could handle.

“We’ve won six games to this point and we’ll win some more,” coach Marvin Lewis said. “We’ve just got to circle the wagons, lick our wounds and go.”

One week earlier, the Bengals came up short in rallying from a 14-0 deficit against Pittsburgh. It was more of the same against the Ravens.

“It comes down to the fourth quarter. That’s how every game’s been for us,” Dalton said. “We’ve got to start faster. We can’t wait around until the end of the game to pick it up, come out and get back in it. It’s definitely going to be a focus for us.”

Baltimore took a 24-14 lead on a 2-yard run by Rice late in the third quarter. The score came after Ravens rookie cornerback Jimmy Smith picked off a pass and returned it 16 yards before fumbling. The loose ball was recovered at the Cincinnati 2 by teammate Brendon Ayanbadejo in a pile that included Winter.

The Bengals’ following possession ended with an interception by Lardarius Webb. On the next play, Torrey Smith split the Bengals’ two-deep zone and caught a 38-yard touchdown pass in the back of the end zone to make it 31-14.

The Bengals responded with a five-play, 80-yard drive capped by a 49-yard touchdown pass from Dalton to Andre Caldwell, who slipped behind Jimmy Smith down the right sideline.

But the Ravens held on, rebounding after a 22-17 loss at Seattle last week. Baltimore has won 12 straight following a defeat.

“It’s good to bounce back,” Suggs said, “but let’s not take any more steps back.”

The Bengals punted six times in the first half, two short of their season high for an entire game. Cincinnati’s offense managed only 143 yards before halftime, 47 of those on one play.

On the Bengals’ second possession, wide receiver Jerome Simpson made a juggling catch for a 47-yard gain to set up a 7-yard touchdown run by Cedric Benson.

The Ravens didn’t get past midfield until early in the second quarter, following a 15-yard punt by Kevin Huber. Starting at its 45, Baltimore picked up a first down before Flacco tossed a short pass to Anquan Boldin, who ran the final 20 yards for a 35-yard touchdown.

NOTES: Former Ravens kicker Matt Stover was inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor during a halftime ceremony. … Ravens LB Jarret Johnson made his 74th consecutive start, breaking the franchise record previously held by Michael McCrary and Jamie Sharper. … Baltimore has won seven straight at home and 15 of 16.

Playing without middle linebacker Ray Lewis for the first time in 58 games, the Ravens (7-3) nearly blew a 17-point lead in the final 14 minutes, yielded 483 yards and let rookie quarterback Andy Dalton throw for 373.

But Baltimore got 104 yards rushing and two touchdowns from Ray Rice, and the defense made big plays when it counted most. After Rice was stuffed on a third-and-1 with just over two minutes left, he remained confident.

“I just looked at the clock and I said, ‘Our defense will get it done,’” he recalled. “That’s the faith I have in our guys.”

Even without Lewis, who watched from the sideline after being placed on the inactive list with a toe injury. The Ravens’ spiritual leader and leading tackler saw his unit pick off three passes and turn in a game-saving goal-line stand in the final minute.

Down 31-24, Cincinnati reached the Baltimore 7 before Terrell Suggs collared Dalton, who was called for intentional grounding. On fourth-and-goal, Dalton was sacked by Pernell McPhee.

The Bengals (6-4) needed seven points because on the previous series, an apparent 9-yard touchdown pass from Dalton to Jermaine Gresham was overturned by a replay that determined the receiver didn’t hold onto the ball at the end of a juggling catch. The Bengals settled for a field goal with 5:32 remaining.

“When the receiver went to the ground, he had the ball in his right hand,” referee Ron Winter said. “The ball touched the ground and his hand came off the ball.”

Baltimore is locked in a first-place tie with Pittsburgh in the AFC North, but the Ravens own the tiebreaker by virtue of their two wins over the Steelers.

“No. 1 in the division, that’s huge,” Suggs said. “Now we’re the master of our destiny.”

Even though it wasn’t a banner day for the defense, the three interceptions set up two touchdowns.

“Whenever we can get turnovers, it definitely makes everybody’s job easier,” cornerback Cary Williams said. “It’s just being able to capitalize on opportunities, and we did that today.”

Dalton went 24 for 45 with a touchdown. Cincinnati was without standout rookie wide receiver A.J. Green, who hurt his right knee a week earlier in a loss to Pittsburgh.

But the Bengals gave Baltimore all it could handle.

“We’ve won six games to this point and we’ll win some more,” coach Marvin Lewis said. “We’ve just got to circle the wagons, lick our wounds and go.”

One week earlier, the Bengals came up short in rallying from a 14-0 deficit against Pittsburgh. It was more of the same against the Ravens.

“It comes down to the fourth quarter. That’s how every game’s been for us,” Dalton said. “We’ve got to start faster. We can’t wait around until the end of the game to pick it up, come out and get back in it. It’s definitely going to be a focus for us.”

Baltimore took a 24-14 lead on a 2-yard run by Rice late in the third quarter. The score came after Ravens rookie cornerback Jimmy Smith picked off a pass and returned it 16 yards before fumbling. The loose ball was recovered at the Cincinnati 2 by teammate Brendon Ayanbadejo in a pile that included Winter.

The Bengals’ following possession ended with an interception by Lardarius Webb. On the next play, Torrey Smith split the Bengals’ two-deep zone and caught a 38-yard touchdown pass in the back of the end zone to make it 31-14.

The Bengals responded with a five-play, 80-yard drive capped by a 49-yard touchdown pass from Dalton to Andre Caldwell, who slipped behind Jimmy Smith down the right sideline.

But the Ravens held on, rebounding after a 22-17 loss at Seattle last week. Baltimore has won 12 straight following a defeat.

“It’s good to bounce back,” Suggs said, “but let’s not take any more steps back.”

The Bengals punted six times in the first half, two short of their season high for an entire game. Cincinnati’s offense managed only 143 yards before halftime, 47 of those on one play.

On the Bengals’ second possession, wide receiver Jerome Simpson made a juggling catch for a 47-yard gain to set up a 7-yard touchdown run by Cedric Benson.

The Ravens didn’t get past midfield until early in the second quarter, following a 15-yard punt by Kevin Huber. Starting at its 45, Baltimore picked up a first down before Flacco tossed a short pass to Anquan Boldin, who ran the final 20 yards for a 35-yard touchdown.

NOTES: Former Ravens kicker Matt Stover was inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor during a halftime ceremony. … Ravens LB Jarret Johnson made his 74th consecutive start, breaking the franchise record previously held by Michael McCrary and Jamie Sharper. … Baltimore has won seven straight at home and 15 of 16.

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