Baltimore converted two Cincinnati turnovers for touchdowns and Matt Stover kicked four field goals in a 26-20 win. With the AFC North Division lead at stake, the Bengals started off fugly and waited just a little too long in their comeback bid.

Chris Perry fumbled the opening kickoff, giving the Ravens prime field position at the Bengals' 34. Six plays later, the Ravens cashed in on a Jamal Lewis two-yard TD run.

On the Bengals' third play from scrimmage, quarterback Carson Palmer was intercepted by Samari Rolle on an ugly throw. Rolle returned the INT for 25-yards and then alertly lateralled to safety Ed Reed, who ran for 25-yards and a touchdown.

The Ravens were pressuring the Bengals from every angle on their way to a 17-0 led. Palmer was harassed on seemingly every play, often throwing inaccurate, high throws. Then Ravens defensive coordinator, Rex Ryan, surprisingly called the attack off at the end of the second quarter. Palmer took advantage of it on a 9-play 79-yard drive, capped off by a 26-yard touchdown reception by T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

With a one game lead over the Bengals in the North Division, one would think Ravens head coach Brian Billick would go full throttle for the win. The coaches' strategy after going up 17-points looked surprisingly Jim Tressel-like, relying on the D to carry them to victory.

After going to a preventative defensive strategy, the Ravens' offense responded with
a long, methodical drive to start the third quarter, chewing up six minutes en route to a Stover 25-yard field goal, extending the lead to 20-7.

The Bengals gave the ball right back, and McNair ran off another four minutes, leading to another Stover field goal.

The Bengals answered on their next two positions with a Shayne Graham field goal and Rudi Johnson touchdown, pulling to 23-17. But, like a great heavyweight fighter, the Ravens always had a response on this day. McNair led the Ravens' on another long field goal drive, eating up the first third of the fourth quarter, pushing the lead to nine points.