The Sunday Night Football matchup of Super Wild Card Weekend was an AFC North slugfest as the Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Baltimore Ravens for the second game in a row.
A Logan Wilson forced fumble led to a 98-yard game-clinching touchdown return by Sam Hubbard to give Cincy a 31-24 lead.
Sam Hubbard takes the fumble 98 yards for the TD ‼️
📺: #BALvsCIN on NBC
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/hNJJJGqxGF pic.twitter.com/PoVImXrfpz— NFL (@NFL) January 16, 2023
This was a tight game from the get-go as each team scored a touchdown and a field goal a piece to lead to a 10-9 Ravens lead at halftime due to a missed extra point by Bengals kicker Evan McPherson.
The close score never faded as the third quarter would produce a touchdown for each team, starting with a one-yard rush by Joe Burrow and a successful two-point conversion attempt on a pass from Burrow to Tee Higgins. The Ravens would answer back on a 41-yard dime from Tyler Huntley to Demarcus Robinson.
As previously stated, the final quarter would produce just one score, which was by Ohio-born and raised big man Sam Hubbard on a 98-yard fumble return. It’s crazy to think that such a significant moment would end the contest, but with that said, the Ravens did fight until the end as the game ended on a hail-mary attempt with Huntley’s pass landing just shy of wide receiver James Roche II’s hands while he was in the endzone.
Ravens were SO CLOSE to completing the Hail Mary 😨
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/suzRAkWGUa
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 16, 2023
Some key contributors to mention in this one were the QB1’s as Joe Burrow finished the win with 209 yards passing along with a passing touchdown and rushing touchdown. As for Huntley, the former Utah star threw two touchdowns and added 226 passing yards and 54 yards on the ground. Besides Robinson’s receiving touchdown, J.K. Dobbins also caught a touchdown; speaking of Dobbins, the halfback totaled 105 yards in the contest.
For the Bengals, Ja’Marr Chase was the recipient of Burrow’s lone TD pass, and the second-year wideout also added nine catches for 84 yards.
On the defense, the main standouts in this one were Logan Wilson and Sam Hubbard due to their game-winning play but also Tyus Bowser of Baltimore; Bowser hit Burrow three times and sacked him once while also adding a tackle for loss.
All in all, this was a very hard-fought showdown between division foes.
The Ravens will now determine whether or not to give upcoming free agent Lamar Jackson a contract extension. In contrast, the Bengals will travel to Buffalo for a divisional-round showdown against the Bills on Sunday, January 22, at 3:00pm ET.
Let us know what you think about the Bengals eliminating the Ravens by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sending us a tweet at @celebsecrets.
