Joe Burrow, out since Week 2, leads Bengals to win over Ravens in return

Joe Burrow's return to the Cincinnati Bengals couldn't have been better, as he helped lead his team to a victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Thanksgiving night, 32-14, to snap a four-game losing streak.

The Bengals moved to 4-8 on the season, while the Ravens, winners of five straight games entering their home game Thursday night, fell to 6-6 on the year.

Bengals fans have been waiting patiently for their franchise quarterback to return to center, and the wait was worth it. It took a little while for Burrow to get going, but once he found his rhythm with all of his receivers, the old Bengals offense came to the fore in Baltimore.

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It was a field goal affair in the first half, although it was Derrick Henry's 28-yard touchdown on the Ravens' first drive. Lamar Jackson and the Ravens, who have been criticized for looking sluggish and not too explosive despite the winning streak, struggled to take care of the ball that night, resulting in three fumbles in the first half.

Jackson's came on the team's second drive, when he was sacked near the goal line and the Bengals recovered it at the two-yard line. The Ravens defense, however, took over, forcing a turnover despite excellent field position from Burrow and company.

What really hurt the Ravens, however, was a pass to tight end Isaiah Likely, who ran 43 yards and looked like he was going to claw his way into the end zone for a 14-6 lead. But he fumbled just before breaking the plane and went out of the end zone.

THE FLIGHT OF THE BENGALS TEAM WAS DELAYED MORE THAN 5 HOURS BEFORE THE BATTLE AFC NORTH VS RAVENS

The result? No points and a touchback for the Bengals to take control, where they would eventually take a 9-7 lead after Evan McPherson scored his third field goal of the night.

It looked like a 9-7 lead would be the score at halftime, but on the first play of the Ravens' next drive, Jackson failed to keep the ball in his hand after beginning his throwing motion, allowing the Bengals to not only recover the fumble but kick a field goal with 10 seconds left in the quarter.

The second half was when the Bengals began to get going offensively, and it came on their first drive when Burrow went 10 plays and 61 yards, finding tight end Tanner Hudson for a 14-yard touchdown to begin to widen the gap on the scoreboard.

Jackson and the Ravens responded, however, when Keaton Mitchell found a seam and broke for an 18-yard touchdown to make the game 19-14. But the typical AFC North battle between these two rivals means never getting too comfortable, even after a big score.

Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals celebrates a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens during the third quarter of the game at M&T Bank Stadium on November 27, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Andre Iosivas, who was silent in this game at the time, caught a deep pass from Burrow for a 29-yard touchdown that proved to be crucial as the Ravens began to press entering the fourth quarter.

The Bengals defense, however, has been statistically the worst in the NFL in terms of yards allowed (415.8 per game) and points (32.7) entering this game. That meant the Ravens certainly weren't offside with 15 minutes left.

But, once again, retaining the ball was a major problem. Jackson threw an interception at the Cincinnati eight-yard line on a pass intended for Mark Andrews. Then, they fumbled with eight minutes left in the quarter with the score now 29-14.

There was some hope, however, when Bengals running back Samaje Perine fumbled on what should have been the game-sealing drive at the Baltimore 12-yard line. But the Ravens returned the favor five plays later, when Zay Flowers fumbled near midfield as the Ravens desperately tried to drive down the field to make it a one-score game.

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McPherson would score his sixth field goal of the night and cap a much-needed victory for this Bengals team.

In Burrow's return, he was 24 of 46 for 261 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions, while Chase had 110 yards on seven receptions. Chase Brown added 78 yards rushing while catching seven passes for 35 yards.

For the Ravens, Jackson was just 17 of 32 for 246 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. He also had six carries for 27 yards. Henry finished with 60 yards on the ground, while Likely led the way through the air with 95 yards on five grabs.

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