Posted: 8:55 p.m.
The high-powered Ravens offense came into Sunday's game fourth in the NFL in scoring with 28.4 points per game, seventh in yards with 378.7 per game, and third in converting third downs at 48.4 percent.
It left in tatters in the 17-7 loss to the Bengals in which they didn't convert a third down until the ninth opportunity with 2:38 left in the game and finished 1-for-10. And the Ravens had just 180 yards before running back Ray Rice churned out a classic garbage-time 35 yards on the last play of the game on a checkdown pass that underscored just how much Cincinnati dominated the game with the coverage of cornerbacks Leon Hall and Johnthan Joseph, as well as rookie nickel back Morgan Trent.
The 215 total yards, 160 passing yards, and one third-down conversion allowed were season lows for the Bengals defense and the 55 yards rushing was second fewest allowed next to giving the Bears 35 in their previous game.
For the second time in 28 days the Bengals secondary blankented quarterback Joe Flacco's wide receivers. Sunday's longest pass to a wideout was 15 yards to Mark Clayton and No. 1 receiver Derrick Mason went the first half without a catch after getting blanked in Baltimore last month. He caught three balls in the second half for 31 yards. The longest reception of all until's Rice's trip to the curb was a 19-yarder to fullback Le'Ron McClain.
Hall and Joseph each had an interception, tying them for the team lead with four. They're on pace for eight each and the Bengals have never had more than one player with eight picks in a season.
