1
Ravens 7 Bengals 0
After a few bland series, the Ravens' offense kicked it up a notch, using trickery to get on the scoreboard. With 2:12 left in the first quarter, rookie quarterback Joe Flacco took the snap, faked a handoff to a running back into the line and gave the ball to wide receiver Derrick Mason on an end-around. Almost immediately, Mason flipped it to wide receiver Mark Clayton heading the other way. After Clayton got around the corner, got a block from Flacco on Bengals linebacker Dhani Jones and made a nice cut around the 10-yard line to reach the end zone on a 42-yard double reverse.
SCORING
RAVENS: Clayton 42 run (Stover kick), 2:12
2
Ravens 10 Bengals 3
Ravens cornerback Chris McAlister, who had an interception in the first quarter, recovered a fumble by Bengals running back Chris Perry at Cincinnati's 40-yard line to set up a 21-yard field goal by Matt Stover. McAlister's interception in the first quarter stopped a Bengals drive and set up the Ravens' first score. After Stover's field goal, the Bengals generated their best drive of the game and moved into field-goal range. Shayne Graham made a 43-yarder to bring the Bengals within a touchdown.
SCORING
RAVENS: FG Stover 21, 1:43
BENGALS: FG Graham 43, :05
3
Ravens 17 Bengals 3
Flacco, who was able to spring Clayton free with a nice block on the 42-yard double reverse in the first quarter, handled this one himself, carrying it in from 38 yards out and diving for the goal line to score with 15 seconds remaining in the quarter. The Ravens' defense dominated much of the third quarter, holding the Bengals to 38 total yards. The Ravens' offense helped out, holding on to the ball for more than 10 minutes of the quarter.
SCORING
RAVENS: Flacco 38 run (Stover kick), :15
4
Ravens 17 Bengals 10
The Ravens were salting away the game, using rookie Ray Rice and second-year fullback Le'Ron McClain to control the clock, when Rice fumbled at the 35-yard line and Bengals cornerback Johnathan Joseph scooped it up. He ran 65 yards for the score, the lone touchdown for the Bengals. After the fumble, McClain rushed for 40 of his 86 yards as the Ravens ran out the clock.
SCORING
BENGALS: Joseph 65 fumble return (Graham kick), 10:15
