BALTIMORE -- The Cincinnati Bengals have taken control of the AFC North after a thrilling and emotional win in Baltimore on Sunday.
We have come to expect Bengals' games to come down to the final seconds for a decided outcome and Sunday was no different.
The Bengals were down by four with less than 30 seconds to play when Carson Palmer hit Andre Caldwell for a 20-yard touchdown. It would be the second time in three games the two have hooked up for a game-winning score.
The Ravens looked deep but Leon Hall picked off the Joe Flacco pass to ice it for the Bengals.
In the first quarter, Brad St. Louis had another bad snap and a Shayne Graham field goal was blocked.
The Ravens looked to take advantage, but Bengals defensive back Johnathan Joseph ended the threat with an interception in the end zone.
In the second, Carson Palmer was picked off by future hall of fame safety Ed Reed who raced 52 yards for a touchdown to make it 7-0 Baltimore.
The Bengals managed to get some points from the foot of Graham after Palmer and Chris Henry connected for a 74-yard pass. Graham drilled a 32-yard field goal to cut the Ravens lead to 7-3.
Just before the half, the Bengals looked to add another score. Palmer hit Chad Ochocinco for a big gain, but Reed punched the ball loose and Baltimore recovered.
In the third, the Bengals took a 10-7 lead after an impressive 28-yard touchdown run from Cedric Benson.
The Ravens took the lead in the fourth quarter. Several Bengal defenders missed tackles on Ray Rice who stayed on his feet and ran 48 yards for the touchdown. That made it 14-10 Ravens.
The Bengals threatened again late in the game. With under two minutes to play, the Bengals faced 4th and 1. Palmer converted by running for the first down, the second time in two weeks he's used his feet to keep a drive alive.
The Bengals continued to move down the field. The Ravens defense helped the Bengals by committing several crucial penalties down the stretch. That gave Palmer and the offense more opportunities which eventually led to the game-winning score.
Palmer looked calm and collected once again late in the game when the team needed him to be. He completed 18 of 31 passes on the day for 271 yards and one touchdown.
Cincinnati ran the ball effectively opening holes for Cedric Benson who rushed 27 times for 120 yards. It was the first time in three seasons the Ravens had allowed 100 yards rushing.
After a tough loss in the season opener to the Denver Broncos, the Bengals have won four straight, three of which were in the division.
Cincinnati's defense did an excellent job in stopping one of the league's top offenses. They, along with the rest of the team, had more to play for than first place in the AFC North. Defensive Coordinator Mike Zimmer's wife, Vikki, who was popular with the players, passed away suddenly on Thursday.
Zimmer made the trip with two of his children, son Adam and daughter Corrie. He was also accompanied by his father Bill, a longtime coaching figure in Illinois.
The Bengals are now 4-1 on the season and one tipped pass away from being undefeated. The Ravens are now 3-2 as are the Pittsburgh Steelers who defeated the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
The Bengals will try and improve to 5-1 next week when they host the Houston Texans at Paul Brown Stadium.
