The Baltimore Ravens (12-4) secured the AFC North title and ensured a first bye week in the playoffs with a confident 24-16 victory over divisional rivals the Cincinnati Bengals (9-7).

The Ravens got off to the perfect start, with Ray Rice breaking into the secondary and racing to the end zone for a 70-yard rushing touchdown. Both Billy Cundiff and Mike Nugent then proceeded to exchange field goals and left the Ravens leading by seven points at the end of the first quarter.

Baltimore then made it a two possession game in the second quarter, with Joe Flacco finding tight end Dennis Pitta for a 9-yard touchdown pass, part of a great performance for Pitta who finished with 62 yards on six receptions.

The Bengals cut the deficit back to seven points late in the third quarter however, with running back Bernard Scott going over for a 25-yard rushing touchdown, giving heart to the Cincinnati offense which had been fairly ineffective up to that point.

Despite pulling to within four points of the Ravens with another Nugent field goal, the game wrapped up midway through the fourth quarter when Rice broke off his second big run of the game, registering a 51-yard rushing touchdown, and giving the running back 191 rushing yards on just 24 carries.

Linebacker Terrell Suggs kept up the form which has many tipping him to become Defensive Player of the Year, sacking Andy Dalton as well as forcing a key fumble late in the game, with possession returning to the Ravens.

The Ravens will now enjoy a home match in the second round of the playoffs, and condemn archrivals the Pittsburgh Steelers to have to face the Denver Broncos next weekend.  The Bengals will also appear in the playoffs despite their loss to the Ravens today, and will have to travel to Houston to take on the Texans next week, illustrating the strength of the AFC North as arguably the most competitive division in the N.F.L.

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The Baltimore Ravens (9-3) snapped their habit of losing to teams with a less than .500 record with a comfortable 24-10 victory over A.F.C. North rivals, the Cleveland Browns (4-8). With many Cleveland fans still angry about the relocation of their beloved team to Baltimore during the N.F.L. expansion, this game often takes an even higher meaning for them, and they will be disheartened to have not caused an upset.

The main injury concern before the game surrounded Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis, who continues to suffer from a toe injury, and although sources reported he probably could have played, the Ravens had him rest, ensuring that he is fully healed for the end of the season as well as the playoffs, which are looking more and more favorable for Baltimore.

Although the first quarter was scoreless, the visiting Ravens took the lead halfway through the second quarter with a 6-yard touchdown rush from running back Ray Rice, and Baltimore proceeded to extend the lead to 10 points with a successful field goal from Billy Cundiff.

The Browns cut the deficit back to seven points with a field goal of their own in the third quarter, but could not maintain it for long as the Ravens struck back with a one-yard touchdown from Ricky Williams, the tailback finishing off a 73-yard drive which had taken just three plays.

Baltimore really wrapped the game up when Ladarius Webb returned a punt for a 68-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, and although Cleveland managed to grab a consolation touchdown after a 22-yard pass to tight end Evan Moore, it was too little too late for the home side, who will now be resigned to finishing bottom of the A.F.C. North.

The dominant running game of the Ravens was just too much for the Browns, with Rice rushing for 204 yards on 29 carries, and Williams amassing 76 yards on 16 carries, with both backs registering a touchdown apiece.

With Lewis still out, Baltimore Head Coach John Harbaugh will also be pleased with the performances of inside linebackers Dannell Ellerbe and Jameel McClain, who effectively shut down the running game of Peyton Hillis and Chris Ogbonnaya. They were not the only defensive highlights for the Ravens, as rookie Pernell McPhee continues to impress, sacking Colt McCoy twice during the course of the game, whilst cornerback Jimmy Smith continues to grow into his role in the Ravens defense, collecting another interception in what was a composed performance from Baltimore.

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After a disheartening loss in Jacksonville on Monday, the Baltimore Ravens (5-2) made a comeback as they edged a 30-27 victory over the visiting Arizona Cardinals (1-6) at the M&T Bank Stadium. The Ravens came from a 21-point deficit to win the game, a franchise-record turnaround.

This match-up saw the N.F.L.-leading defense of the Ravens going up against the inconsistent offensive line of the Cardinals, who have already given up 18 sacks so far this season. The game started much as expected, with the linebacker trio of Jarret Johnson, Paul Kruger, and Terrell Suggs all recording sacks on Kevin Kolb early in the first quarter.

The Ravens offense, which had been woeful against the Jaguars six days earlier, appeared equally inept before a home crowd as the Cardinals raced into a surprising 24-6 lead by the end of the second quarter.  With Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco throwing an interception and fumbling in the second quarter, the Cardinals punished the home side, with Beanie Wells recording his seventh rushing touchdown of the season after Darrell Dockett had recovered the ball from Flacco’s fumble.

Patrick Peterson also returned a punt for an 82-yard touchdown, whilst Kolb, looking far more confident in the second quarter, found Earl Doucet for a 10-yard touchdown pass. The Ravens managed to claw back three points with a second field goal after their no-huddle offense seemed to find its rhythm late in the second.

Offensive Coordinator Cam Cameron must have been happy with what he saw at the end of the half, and the Ravens continued to utilize the no-huddle offense, with Flacco finding wide receiver Anquan Boldin for a 37-yard reception.

The Ravens then reduced Arizona’s lead to 11 points when running back Ray Rice went over for a one-yard rushing touchdown, with the inclusion of Haloti Ngata at tight end drawing much of the defensive attention and allowing Rice to jog through a large hole. Baltimore’s defense continued to shine, with Chris Carr and Bernard Pollard both picking up sacks on the increasingly ineffective Kolb.

This took the Ravens to a total of six sacks for the game as they began to establish dominance over the Cardinals offense. This pressure resulted in the Ravens regaining possession, and Flacco and Boldin continued to flourish in the second half. Boldin, a former Cardinal, notched 80 yards on four receptions as Flacco lead his side into the redzone.

Rice then went on to collect two more touchdowns, as the running back saw much more of the ball than he had six days previously in Jacksonville.  The Cardinals did kick a field goal to tie the game up, but with just seconds left on the clock, Billy Cundiff kicked a field goal of his own to earn the win for Baltimore.

After a disappointing first half, Flacco, who passed for 336 yards, and Boldin, who earned 145 yards for seven receptions, were dominant, and will need to maintain their form if they are to emerge victorious over the Steelers next week.

Suggs will also be keen to carry on from where he left off, putting in an excellent defensive performance — registering nine tackles, four assists, and a sack — as he continues to show the kind of leadership required when Ray Lewis decides to call it a day.

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