Bengals beat Ravens to secure home playoff in regular season finale

CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bengals secured a home playoff game next weekend defeating the Baltimore Ravens, 27-16, Sunday afternoon at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. This was the first game the Bengals played since Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field during Monday night’s game.

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Hamlin has been at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center since his collapse Monday. Doctors say he suffered a cardiac arrest on the field and needed both CPR and defibrillation by team doctors.

The Bills said Hamlin is making continued progress in his recovery but remains in critical condition, in a post on the team’s social media account.

Hamlin was posted on his social media accounts rooting on this team as the Bills defeated the New England Patriots, 35-23, Sunday in Orchard Park, New York.

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The Bengals forced four Ravens’ turnovers, 2 interceptions and 2 fumble recoveries, which led to 21 first half points.

Evan McPherson’s 34-yard field goal gave Cincinnati a 3-0 lead with 5:01 left in the first quarter. Jesse Bates intercepted Anthony Brown’s pass and set up a Joe Mixon one-yard touchdown run to increase it to 10-0 after one quarter.

On the first play of the second quarter, Brown’s pass was off the hands of Damarcus Robinson and picked off by Mike Hilton. Three plays later, Burrow found Ja’Marr Chase for a 26-yard touchdown pass to extend the advantage to 17-0.

Baltimore drove 76-yards on 10 plays and Kenyan Drake capped it with a four-yard touchdown run to cut it to 17-7 with 1:57 left until halftime. Drue Chrisman’s 56-yard punt pinned the Ravens to their five-yard line. Trey Hendrickson forced a fumble from Brown and Joseph Ossai recovered in the end zone for a Bengals touchdown and they led, 24-7, at halftime.

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Each team was kept out of the end zone in the second half as Cincinnati got a 26-yard field goal by McPherson in the third quarter by Justin Tucker made three field goals.

Bengal quarterback Joe Burrow went 25 of 42 for 215 yards and a touchdown. Ja’Marr Chase caught eight passes for 88 yards and a score. The defense sacked Brown four times.

The Ravens were without starting quarterback Lamar Jackson and back-up quarterback Tyler Huntley due to injuries.

Cincinnati ends the season with a 12-4 record while Baltimore concludes the regular season with a 10-7 record.

The Bengals win guarantees them a home playoff game next weekend.

Cincinnati’s likely playoff opponent next weekend will be Baltimore. The official announcement will be made later.

We will let you who and when the Bengals playoff game will be.

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