Game Recap
Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals
Sunday, November 30, 2008
*Flacco, Ravens carve up Bengals*
CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- The maturation of Joe Flacco and a dominant defense continues to pay dividends for the Baltimore Ravens.
Flacco threw a pair of touchdown passes and the defense turned in a dominant performance to lead the surging Ravens to a 34-3 rout of the hapless Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
Mark Clayton caught a 70-yard scoring pass from Flacco and threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to fellow wideout Derrick Mason in the third quarter to help Baltimore pull away and turn it into a laugher.
The Ravens limited Cincinnati to just six first downs and 155 total yards.
"It was a totally dominating performance by the defense," Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh said. "They took some things away offensively but we found ways. I'm proud of our football team on a very methodical win."
Since a three-game losing streak against the iron of the AFC - Pittsburgh, Tennessee and Indianapolis - the Ravens have reeled off six victories in seven games.
Flacco, who finished 19-of-29 for 280 yards, has 11 touchdown passes and two interceptions in the last seven contests, keeping Baltimore (8-4) one-half game behind Pittsburgh for the AFC North lead.
Clayton had five receptions for 164 yards and Mason added six catches for 91 yards as the Ravens completed a season sweep of the woeful Bengals (1-10-1).
"Today we weren't very good," Cincinnati head coach Marvin Lewis said. "When you get your head kicked in like we did, I'm not going to be happy about anything. Our football team won't have to go through another season like this, nor will our fans. Believe me."
The Bengals were completely manhandled by Baltimore's defense, punting on 11 of their first 12 possessions, going three-and-out eight times.
"Once you get in a groove, you realize what their offense is trying to do," Ravens linebacker Bart Scott said. "Our coaches had us prepared for their tendencies."
After settling for a pair of short field goals by Matt Stover, Flacco finally got the Ravens into the end zone with 4:48 left in the first half, tossing a 4-yard pass to tight end Todd Heap. The touchdown was set up by Clayton's 33-yard reception.
The Ravens broke the game open with two touchdowns in a span of 2:27 of the third quarter.
Clayton, on a reverse, found a wide-open Mason down the right sideline to extend the lead to 20-3. Moments later, Flacco hit Clayton all alone down the right sideline for a 27-3 cushion with 5:53 left in the third quarter. Cornerback Leon Hall was victimized on both plays.
"We didn't practice it much. But I have done it a couple of times," Clayton said of his scoring strike. "It doesn't matter if I catch it of throw it. Just so it puts points on the board."
Ryan Fitzpatrick was shackled by the Ravens, completing 12-of-31 passes for 124 yards.
"It's no secret that we came into this game struggling on offense. It compounds it when playing a defense like this," Fitzpatrick said.
Jordan Palmer finished the game for Cincinnati at quarterback. He threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown by Jim Leonhard.
Baltimore offensive tackle Willie Anderson, who was cut by Cincinnati after training camp in August, returned to Cincinnati for the first time since changing uniforms.
"It was kind of funny. It took me 13 years to get behind a podium. I always wondered where the visiting locker room was. Winning made it fun," Anderson said.
