The Baltimore Ravens made a statement on Sunday. Amid a two-game losing streak, they came out and completely dominated the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 15. With the win, the Ravens keep the pressure on the Pittsburgh Steelers for first place in the AFC North, while simultaneously eliminating the Bengals from the AFC playoff picture.
Outside of one turnover, Baltimore played nearly a perfect game. The offense finally woke up and made some noise, and the defense played its best game of the season.
Defensive Coordinator Zach Orr’s unit has been the lead catalyst in the team’s revival from that 1-5 hole they once faced. On Sunday afternoon, they pitched a shutout, penning the perfect end to Cincinnati's playoff hopes. It was also the first time quarterback Joe Burrow had been shut out in his NFL career.
Ravens’ defense shuts down Joe Burrow
On several occasions, the Bengals’ offense was moving swiftly down the field. However, Baltimore’s defense buckled down when it mattered most, using a combination of forced turnovers and sacks to keep Burrow and company out of the end zone.
Burrow finished the game, completing 25 of 39 passes for 225 yards. He obviously had zero touchdowns and threw two interceptions, both in Baltimore territory. One of those also resulted in six points the other way. He was sacked three times and was clearly uncomfortable against the Ravens’ relentless pressure.
Baltimore held Burrow to a 58.2 passer rating on the day. It was the second-worst output in that category of his career. His season debut in 2023 against the Cleveland Browns, where he posted a 52.2 passer rating, remains the worst game by far.
Following the outing, Burrow did not hold back on how he felt about his performance against the Ravens.
“When your quarterback plays like that, your team is not going to have a chance to win,” Burrow said. “I'm obviously disappointed in my play today, so I have to be better.”
This elite performance comes at the perfect time for Baltimore. Their easiest route to the postseason is by winning out, and this divisional win undoubtedly gives the group a ton of momentum moving forward. If the defense can keep it up, and the offense continues to awake from it's slumber, they should be a tough team to beat in the coming weeks.