Ravens defense sends a message by shutting out Cincinnati. Tavius Robinson's return was key

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OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Tavius Robinson pressured the quarterback, Kyle Van Noy intercepted the pass — and after a careful handoff, Alohi Gilman returned the ball all the way to the end zone.

Baltimore's final touchdown was a true team effort by a defense that delivered a performance the Ravens sorely needed.

Baltimore became the first team to shut out Cincinnati since Joe Burrow was drafted, beating the Bengals 24-0 on Sunday. The oppressively cold conditions made catching the ball an adventure, and the Ravens' defense allowed only 4.2 yards per play despite being on the field for almost two-thirds of the game.

“I think we kind of said it at the start of this week, like, ‘It’s do or die,’” Robinson said.

Baltimore (7-7) was a game behind Pittsburgh in the AFC North before Sunday's win. The Steelers faced Miami on Monday night.

Robinson played for the first time since Week 6, returning from a broken foot to give a boost to Baltimore's pass rush. Cincinnati's first drive of the game took 8:20 off the clock, but Robinson sacked Burrow for a 15-yard loss to push the Bengals out of field-goal range.

“T-Rob is probably one of the best guys around, and it’s like a guy you would want to marry your sister, just off the field,” linebacker Roquan Smith said. “And then on the field, the guy’s one of the hardest workers I know. He never complains, always shows up to work, day in and day out, never says, ‘Why me? Why me?’ He just took it as an opportunity. He just came out and just showed who he is.”

After a slow start, Baltimore's offense started doing what most teams have done against Cincinnati's defense. Lamar Jackson threw two touchdown passes near the end of the first half, and although the Ravens didn't have any more offensive TDs after that, they finished the game with 189 yards rushing.

With Baltimore up 17-0 in the fourth quarter, Burrow's pass was intercepted by Van Noy, who handed off to the speedier Gilman, who went 84 yards for the touchdown that capped the team's most complete performance of the season.

This is now two straight games the Ravens have been able to get their running game going. Jackson, Derrick Henry and Keaton Mitchell combined to average over 9 yards per run against the Bengals.

Running back Rasheen Ali didn't have any carries, but he scored the game's first points from 30 yards out on a well-executed screen pass.

Jackson was sacked four times while attempting only 12 passes, which is too many negative plays.

“I’d like us to just find a way to stay on the field more. Part of that is the defense scored in the fourth quarter — if we are just being honest about it,” coach John Harbaugh said Monday. “The defense scores, and they’re back on the field. That was bookended by two long Bengals drives. They had the long drive all the way down to the red zone, and we get the touchdown on defense. Then they decide that they’re going to try to run the game out, at that point.”

Robinson wasn't the only Baltimore player who had a big game on defense. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey has battled through some injury problems this year and came up with an interception in the second quarter.

“It was just a really good week of practice. The message was, ‘Hey, we have to practice well. We have to practice well,’” Humphrey said. “But I feel like guys really took it to heart, and it kind of did get a little contagious.”

The tight ends weren't a big factor in the passing game. Mark Andrews caught two passes for 18 yards, and Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar weren't targeted at all.

Linebacker Teddye Buchanan tore an ACL and will miss the rest of the season.

Out of Baltimore's 40 offensive plays, eight of them went for over 20 yards.

The Ravens face a three-game gauntlet to finish the regular season — home against AFC East-leading New England, at Green Bay and at Pittsburgh.

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