The Bengals had no answers for the Ravens' ravenous pass rush on the road as Baltimore rudely welcomed rookie quarterback Joe Burrow to the AFC North in a convincing 27-3 clinic.
Randy Bullock's 38-yard field goal with 32 seconds left avoided the shutout.
Burrow, so good in his first four games, was a prop for the Ravens' array of blitzes as he was sacked seven times, hit 15 times and chased virtually every other time he dropped back to pass. Burrow finished 19 of 30 for 183 yards and a passer rating of 66.4. Running back Joe Mixon had room to get just 59 yards on 24 carries as the Bengals could muster 300 yards fewer than last week with 205.
His offense lost wide receiver A.J. Green with a hamstring issue early the second half and when he left they had thrown at him one time and he had no catches. It was the first time since 2016 he didn't have a catch in a game and that was the day he tore his hamstring against Buffalo. It's only the fourth time he left a game with no catches.
They also suffered a devastating injury when their last healthy and best defensive tackle run stopper went down midway through the third quarter. D.J. Reader, the man the Bengals made the richest nose tackle in NFL history during the offseason, injured his left knee and was carted off.
Another starter, end Sam Hubbard, left with a left elbow injury midway through the fourth quarter.
One third-quarter sequence summed it all up. One series ended on a third-down-sack-and-strip by cornerback Marcus Peters, one of many free runners Burrow faced on the day. The ball slid out of bounds so the Bengals could punt it. Then on the next series, the Ravens lined up two defensive backs to blitz on third down and safety DeShon Elliott ran free to bury Burrow.
That last Ravens score came when the Bengals were driving, but cornerback Marlon Humphrey stripped wide receiver Mike Thomas as he got a first down and Burrow's old college buddy from LSU, rookie linebacker Patrick Queen picked it up and went 52 yards for a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter. Queen had already sacked and stripped Burrow for a fumble in the first half.
The Bengals defense pitched a game good enough to win. After giving up 17 points in the first 15:04, they shut them out for six straight possessions until a Justin Tucker field goal with 2:36 left in the third, but could get no help from their offense.
When Reader went out, the Ravens, realizing the Bengals have been decimated at that spot, then switched out of the pistol formation and went with a power running game to running back Mark Ingram. Ingram obliged with runs of 20 and 14 yards to set up Tucker's 39-yard field goal that made it 20-0.
Except for two first-half runs of 34 and 42 yards, the Bengals held up pretty against that record-setting run game, although they were able to wear them down for 162 yards. Slot cornerback Darius Phillips played well and was all over the place.
View photos of the Cincinnati Bengals in action against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) gives a fist bump to center Trey Hopkins (66) prior to an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow scrambles against the Baltimore Ravens during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Baltimore Ravens linebacker Tyus Bowser, back, records a sack on Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow as he tries a pass during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Baltimore Ravens running back Mark Ingram, center, is hit by Cincinnati Bengals free safety Jessie Bates, left, and cornerback William Jackson during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Carlos Dunlap (96) is able to sack Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) in spite of being blocked by Ravens offensive tackle Orlando Brown (78) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) avoids a tackle by Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Matt Judon (99) while scrambling for yardage during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow works out prior to an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews (89) is tackled by Cincinnati Bengals strong safety Shawn Williams (36) and linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins wears a Crucial Catch headband prior to an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither looks on prior to an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
Cincinnati Bengals punter Kevin Huber wears a hat honoring Crucial Catch prior to an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Cincinnati Bengals cornerback LeShaun Sims wears a face mask to protect against COVID-19 while working out prior to an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow wears a face mask to protect against COVID-19 while working out prior to an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Cincinnati Bengals long snapper Clark Harris (46) and punter Kevin Huber (10) wear Crucial Catch hats prior to an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) warms up before an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)
Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Amani Bledsoe works out prior to an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Ryan Finley works out prior to an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) warms up before an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)
Cincinnati Bengals cornerback LeShaun Sims (38) stretches before an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow works out prior to an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
