The Baltimore Ravens didn’t need much time to realize Sunday was going to tilt heavily in their favor. After a dominant Week 15 shutout of the Cincinnati Bengals, defensive end Dre’Mont Jones revealed the exact moment he knew the game was firmly in the Ravens' hands.
According to Jones, it happened on the very first snap.
“I felt like play No. 1, that they weren’t ready to play,” Jones said postgame. “It was too cold for them.”
The Ravens backed up that blunt assessment with four quarters of physical dominance that officially ended the Bengals’ playoff hopes.
Baltimore’s 24-0 win at Paycor Stadium was as lopsided as the score suggested. The Ravens’ defense overwhelmed Cincinnati from the opening drive. By game's end, they had sacked Joe Burrow three times and forced multiple turnovers. Those included a stunning 95-yard pick-six that broke the game open. Jones and the defensive front controlled the line of scrimmage. They collapses pockets and snuffed out any rhythm before the Bengals could establish it. By halftime, the tone was unmistakable. Cincinnati was overmatched, uncomfortable, and out of answers.
Offensively, the Ravens complemented that effort with ruthless efficiency. Lamar Jackson threw two touchdowns on just 12 attempts. Meanwhile, Derrick Henry and Keaton Mitchell combined for 166 rushing yards. Baltimore dominated time of possession for more than 39 minutes. They froze the Bengals out both literally and figuratively.
The win lifted Baltimore to 7-7 and kept its AFC North playoff hopes alive. They have endured an uneven 2025 season marked by missed opportunities and flashes of brilliance. For Jones, though, the Week 15 outcome was never in doubt. From the first snap in the cold, he sensed the Bengals weren’t ready. The Ravens made sure they paid for it.
