Week 7 · 2026
Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins Turn Baltimore’s Fast Start Into a Bengals Surge
Cincinnati Bengals 35 at Baltimore Ravens 13
Baltimore Jumps Ahead
Baltimore’s home crowd saw a fast start that looked hard to stop. Tyler Huntley threw a short pass to Zay Flowers, who broke free for a 48-yard touchdown. The Ravens then forced Cincinnati to punt on its first two drives, while Tyler Loop kicked field goals from 34 and 24 yards. That gave Baltimore a 13-0 lead at halftime. Flowers stayed the team’s biggest spark, catching eight passes for 137 yards. Yet Cincinnati’s defense slowed Derrick Henry, holding him to 45 yards on 17 runs. Huntley passed for 298 yards, but the Ravens reached inside Cincinnati’s 20-yard line three times without scoring a touchdown. Those missed chances left the door open.
Burrow Opens the Door
Joe Burrow pushed through that opening as soon as the second half began. He led Cincinnati 66 yards, moving the ball to Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Erick All. Then Burrow found Mike Gesicki for a 6-yard touchdown, cutting Baltimore’s lead to 13-7. Cincinnati’s defense followed with a three-and-out, stopping Baltimore before it gained a first down. Higgins then became Burrow’s top target. He caught passes of 19 and 10 yards before pulling in a 13-yard touchdown. Late in the third quarter, the Bengals had turned a 13-point deficit into a 14-13 lead.
Higgins Fuels the Finish
The fourth quarter began with another big connection. Burrow hit Higgins deep for 44 yards, and Samaje Perine scored from 1 yard out soon after. Cincinnati now led 21-13, but Baltimore still had time to respond. Instead, a Bengals linebacker intercepted a pass meant for Flowers. The interception gave Burrow a short field, and he quickly threw a 2-yard touchdown to Chase. Higgins later made another long catch to set up the offense near the goal line, and Burrow finished the surge with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Drew Sample. Cincinnati won 35-13 after scoring 35 straight points. Burrow passed for 292 yards and four touchdowns without an interception, while Higgins made six catches for 148 yards. The victory moved Cincinnati to 4-2 and showed how quickly a game can change when a team finishes its chances.