Bengals at Ravens: Thanksgiving Massacre in Baltimore
By Trinity Barnette
Cincinnati 32—Baltimore 14
Joe Burrow’s return wasn’t just a comeback—it was a statement. On Thanksgiving night in Baltimore, Burrow stepped back onto the field with a carbon fiber plate in his shoe and immediately reminded the AFC North who he is. The Bengals, who had spiraled into a four-game losing streak and were clinging to relevance at 4–8, suddenly looked alive again.
What nobody saw coming? Cincinnati’s defense showing up like they had something personal against Lamar Jackson.
The Bengals forced five turnovers—matching half of their season total in one night—and handed Baltimore a humbling 32–14 loss that knocked the Ravens (6–6) off their AFC North throne. Pittsburgh is back in first, and Cincinnati—somehow, someway—is still technically breathing.
Burrow’s Return: The Offense Finds Air Again
Burrow didn’t look rusty—he looked relieved.
He went 24-of-46 for 261 yards and two touchdowns, shaking off early red-zone issues to completely control the second half. The toe? Managed. He literally swapped cleats on the sideline to stay comfortable—king behavior.
His third quarter was vintage Joey B:
One-handed TD to Tanner Hudson (that left hand catch was insane)
29-yard strike to Andrei Iosivas, who was embarrassingly matched up with Roquan Smith
Once Burrow settled in, the Bengals offense finally looked like an offense again.
But the Real Story—The Defense Went Ferocious Mode
The Bengals entered Thanksgiving:
Dead last in scoring defense
Only 10 takeaways in 11 games
Then they walked into M&T Bank Stadium and ripped the Ravens apart.
All 5 Baltimore turnovers:
Lamar Jackson strip-sack (Ossai) — Bengals recover at BAL 6
Isaiah Likely fumble at the goal line — punched out by Jordan Battle
Lamar Jackson fumble #2 — Bengals recover at BAL 19
Myles Murphy deflection → Demetrius Knight Jr. INT
Jalen Davis rips the ball from Zay Flowers in garbage time
And add in a turnover on downs for good measure.
Joseph Ossai had his best game of the season with two sacks and set the tone from snap one. Knight Jr.’s interception return (39 yards) completely flipped the momentum in the fourth.
Baltimore came in on a five-game win streak. Cincinnati ended it with force.
Lamar Jackson: Hurt, Pressured, and Mistake-Prone
Lamar showed flashes early, but the wheels fell off fast.
17-of-32
246 yards
1 INT
2 lost fumbles
0 TD passes (third straight game)
Between knee, ankle, hamstring and toe issues, Lamar’s mobility hasn’t been the same. And with a broken offensive rhythm, Baltimore kept handing Cincinnati opportunities.
And that Zay Flowers OPI that wiped a 36-yard TD? Yeah. Baltimore fans are still steaming.
Evan McPherson: MVP of Thanksgiving
Six field goals.
31, 42, 24, 33, 52, 41.
Money Mac came to EAT.
Final Thoughts
Cincinnati wasn’t supposed to win this game. They weren’t supposed to dominate it. And the defense sure as hell wasn’t supposed to produce five takeaways.
But they walked into Baltimore on Thanksgiving and cooked.
Burrow is back.
The defense woke up.
And somehow…the Bengals still have a pulse.
We fucking COOKED yesterday.
