Ravens Lose 13–0 Halftime Lead in 35–13 Defeat to Bengals
Baltimore had the start it wanted and almost none of the finish it needed. The Ravens surrendered a 13-point halftime lead and lost 35–13 to the Cincinnati Bengals at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday, October 25th, falling to 4–3 overall and 0–2 against AFC North opponents.
Zay Flowers supplied an early touchdown, Tyler Huntley finished with a career-high 298 passing yards, and Baltimore controlled possession before halftime. Cincinnati answered with five consecutive second-half touchdowns while the Ravens failed to score after the break. A promising home performance became a second straight divisional defeat.
Flowers delivers the early spark
Huntley found Flowers on a screen that became a 48-yard touchdown with 13:36 remaining in the first quarter. Devontez Walker, Roger Rosengarten and John Simpson helped clear the route with blocks, and Flowers turned the opening possession into a quick advantage. Tyler Loop added the extra point.
Baltimore continued moving the ball in the second quarter, but two long possessions ended with field goals rather than touchdowns. Loop converted from 34 and 24 yards, extending the lead to 13–0. The 34-yarder followed an 18-play, 78-yard march that consumed 11 minutes, Baltimore’s longest drive of the season by both plays and time.
The Ravens’ official recap describes how thoroughly the first half belonged to Baltimore: a 258–59 advantage in yards, eight third-down conversions in 11 attempts and 22:20 of possession. Cincinnati managed only two first downs. The missed opportunity was the margin; that level of control had produced a two-score lead, leaving the Bengals within reach.
The lead disappears in the third quarter
Joe Burrow changed the game immediately after halftime. Cincinnati went 66 yards in nine plays, finishing with his six-yard touchdown pass to Mike Gesicki at 9:24. Evan McPherson’s extra point reduced Baltimore’s lead to 13–7.
The Ravens could not answer. Cincinnati’s next scoring possession covered 47 yards and ended with Burrow’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Tee Higgins at 4:33. The extra point put Baltimore behind 14–13. After keeping the Bengals off the scoreboard for two quarters, the Ravens had lost the lead before the third quarter ended.
Fourth-down failure becomes the turning point
Baltimore still had a chance to reclaim control at the start of the fourth quarter. Facing fourth-and-2 at Cincinnati’s 12, Huntley looked for rookie tight end Josh Cuevas on a crossing route. The pass fell incomplete, and the Ravens came away without points.
Cincinnati converted that stop into an extended touchdown drive. Samaje Perine finished it with a one-yard run at 11:17, leaving Baltimore down 21–13 after the extra point. The Ravens remained one score away, but another possession ended with a punt after Boye Mafe brought down Huntley on third down.
Burrow then connected with Ja’Marr Chase for a two-yard touchdown at 7:29. On Baltimore’s next offensive play, Demetrius Knight Jr. intercepted Huntley and returned the ball to the Ravens’ 24. Burrow’s 16-yard scoring pass to Drew Sample at 6:28 completed Cincinnati’s scoring, pushing the deficit to 35–13.
A later fourth-and-1 attempt at Cincinnati’s 48 also failed when Huntley was stopped without a gain. By then, Baltimore’s path back had narrowed to almost nothing. The Ravens never found a second-half scoring response.
The numbers behind Baltimore’s loss
Huntley completed 23 of 34 passes for 298 yards, one touchdown and one interception while taking four sacks. Flowers caught eight passes for 137 yards and Baltimore’s only touchdown. Derrick Henry finished with 45 yards on 17 carries, leaving the Ravens without their usual sustained rushing production.
Burrow completed 22 of 30 passes for 292 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. Higgins led Cincinnati with six catches for 148 yards; Chase added five catches for 62. All four of Burrow’s scoring throws came after halftime.
The scoring sequence mattered more than the final yardage. Baltimore repeatedly reached threatening territory without finishing drives, while Cincinnati turned its second-half opportunities into touchdowns. The Ravens had three possessions inside the Bengals’ 15-yard line that yielded only six points. Pre-snap mistakes also interrupted the early rhythm, including four false starts in the first half.
Buffalo awaits
Baltimore travels to Buffalo next Sunday, November 1st, for a 1 p.m. kickoff. Lamar Jackson’s availability remains a key question after his third consecutive absence; a return should not be treated as confirmed until the team provides an update.
For the Ravens, the immediate task is broader than the quarterback decision. They need to finish scoring opportunities, sustain offense after halftime and prevent defensive stops from turning into prolonged second-half scoring runs. Sunday showed how quickly early control can disappear when those pieces stop working together.
Review the official game center for the full scoring summary and statistics. Follow PowerPage Sports for continued Ravens coverage.
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