Bengals No Patsy but Still Lose

Jeff Blake stunned the NFL’s top-ranked defense early and then again late, but the Baltimore Ravens pulled out the victory anyway.

Matt Stover kicked a 50-yard field goal as time ran out Sunday, giving the Ravens a 34-31 victory over the surprising Cincinnati Bengals.

The Ravens (4-6) watched in disbelief as their defense got shredded early and then failed to hold a 17-point lead, giving Cincinnati a chance to go ahead in the closing minutes.

A goal-line stand forced the Bengals (1-10) to settle for a tying field goal, and a clutch drive led by a limping Tony Banks set up Stover’s winning kick.

“This is the first game where our defense didn’t play well,” said Rod Woodson, who got his 50th career interception. “They had the momentum and they were running with it. We were lucky to hold them with the goal-line stand because we didn’t play well.”

Blake threw three touchdown passes against a defense that had allowed only two touchdowns in its last three games, and Craig Yeast ran a punt back 86 yards to put the Bengals in position for an improbable victory by a team that has struggled on offense most of the season.

“Sometimes things work, sometimes they don’t,” Coach Bruce Coslet said. “Occasionally we do something right, but we still fell short.”

One yard short.

After Ray Lewis was called for interference, setting up a first-and-goal, the Ravens stopped Clif Groce for no gain and dropped Corey Dillon for a yard loss. Woodson then jarred the ball loose from Tony McGee at the back of the end zone, forcing Cincinnati to settle for Doug Pelfrey’s tying 19-yard field goal with 1:50 left. That was enough time for the Ravens and Stover.