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Joe Burrows’ return to the Cincinnati Bengals couldn’t have gone better as he helped lead his team to a 32-14 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Thanksgiving night, snapping a four-game losing streak.
The Bengals moved to 4-8 on the season while the Ravens, winners of five straight heading into their home opener Thursday night, fell to 6-6 on the year.
Bengals fans have waited so patiently for their franchise quarterback to return under center, and the wait was worth it. It took Burrow a bit to get going, but once he found his rhythm with all his receivers, vintage Bengals’ offense came out in Baltimore.
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Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals celebrates a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens in the third quarter of the game at M&T Bank Stadium on November 27, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
It was a field goal affair in the first half, albeit Derrick Henry’s 28-yard touchdown run on the Ravens’ opening drive. Lamar Jackson and the Ravens, who have been criticized for looking sluggish and not too explosive despite the winning streak, had trouble taking care of the football on the 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 scooped it up at the two-yard line. However, the Ravens’ defense picked up and forced a turnover on downs despite the excellent field position of Burrow and company.
The one that really hurt the Ravens, though, came on a pass to tight end Isaiah Likely, who ran 43 yards and looked like he was going to fight his way into the end zone for a 14-6 lead. But he fumbled the football just before breaking the plane and it went out of the end zone.
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The result? No points and a touchback for the Bengals to take over, eventually taking a 9-7 lead after Evan McPherson made his third field goal of the night.
It looked like a 9-7 lead would be the score at halftime, but on the very first play of the next Ravens drive, Jackson couldn’t keep the ball in his hands after starting his throwing motion, allowing the Bengals to not only recover the fumble, but also kick a field goal with 10 seconds left in the quarter.
The second half was when the Bengals started to ignite offensively, and it came on their first drive when Burrow went 10 plays and 61 yards and found tight end Tanner Hudson for a 14-yard touchdown to begin widening the gap on the scoreboard.
However, Jackson and the Ravens responded when Keaton Mitchell found a seam and broke off an 18-yard touchdown to make it a 19-14 game. But the quintessential AFC North matchup between these two rivals means you never get too comfortable, even after a big score.
Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals celebrates a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens in 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 decisive as the Ravens began to push in the fourth quarter.
However, the Bengals’ defense has statistically been the worst in the NFL in yards allowed (415.8 per game) and points (32.7) going into this game. That meant the Ravens were definitely not out of it with 15 minutes left.
But again, holding on to the ball was a big problem. Jackson threw an interception at Cincinnati’s eight-yard line on a pass intended for Mark Andrews. They then turned the ball over on downs 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 came back 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 make his sixth field goal of the night and wrap up a much-needed win for this Bengals team.
In Burrows’ return, he was 24-for-46 for 261 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions, while Chase had 110 yards on seven catches. Chase Brown added 78 yards on the ground 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 rushes for 27 yards. Henry finished with 60 yards on the ground, while Likely led the way through the air with 95 yards on five carries.
