The Cincinnati Bengals and the Baltimore Ravens once again gave NFL fans a primetime game that came down to the wire, but it was the Ravens that came out victorious. The Bengals ended up with the ball in the final seconds, scored a touchdown, and elected to go for two points to win the game. Unfortunately, the attempt failed, but there were also about three missed calls that should've gone against the Ravens in that one play.
On the broadcast, Terry McAulay noted that the Ravens got away with a defensive holding and roughing the passer on the failed two-point conversion.
If either one of those were called, the Bengals would've been closer to the goal line, and they would've had a better chance to convert the two points. Now, the Bengals are 4-6, and their season looks like it could be over after every loss they take. For the Ravens, they continue to climb up the division and stay close to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are 6-2.
Bengals lose to Ravens after failed two-point conversion
It took the Bengals all that they had to stay with the Ravens, and at one point, they were even up two touchdowns. Joe Burrow threw for 428 yards and four touchdowns, and Ja'Marr Chase had 11 receptions for 264 yards and three touchdowns, but it still wasn't enough. The Bengals are 4-6 and still looking to keep their playoff hopes alive.
“It’s crazy,” Chase said after the game. “I would never in a million years expect to play this well and [Joe Burrow] play this well, and we still have a losing record.”
The Bengals record doesn't reflect how the offense has been clicking, but they're also 0-5 in games this year decided by six points or fewer, which tells a lot about the team.
“This has been the story of our season,” Burrow said.
It was a forced fumble from Marlon Humphrey that ignited the Ravens, after they came out slow. From there, the Ravens couldn't be stopped, and they were able to go home with the a close win.
“I felt like when [Marlon] had forced that fumble, that kind of woke us up,” Lamar Jackson said after the game. “I feel like we were asleep that whole first half – even though we scored once. We were pretty much flat throughout the game.”
The Bengals' margin for error is short now, and every game from this point on has to feel like a must-win.