As the Pittsburgh Steelers came up short on the road to the Indianapolis Colts in a 27-24 loss, marking the first loss of the season, the Cincinnati Bengals were busy on the road against the Carolina Panthers getting their first win of the season, 34-24.
Then, in Las Vegas, the Cleveland Browns dropped their third game of the season, falling to the Raiders by a score of 20-16, while the Baltimore Ravens trounced the Buffalo Bills on Sunday Night Football, 35-10.
A largely uneventful day in the AFC North overall, one that won’t change the standings around.
AFC NORTH STANDINGS, WEEK 4
1. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1)
2. Baltimore Ravens (2-2)
3. Cleveland Browns (1-3)
4. Cincinnati Bengals (1-3)
In Charlotte, the Bengals needed a get-right game and got one again a familiar face in former quarterback Andy Dalton.
After falling to 0-3 following a Monday Night Football loss to the Washington Commanders, the Bengals started fast and never looked back on a short week. Cincinnati jumped out to a 7-0 lead after one quarter of play thanks to a 5-yard rushing touchdown from Chase Brown, and later held a 21-14 lead at the half after a 63-yard touchdown from Joe Burrow to Ja’Marr Chase, and a 1-yard touchdown from Zack Moss.
Coming out of the half, the Bengals added on to the lead as Brown capped off the second-half drive with a 1-yard touchdown for his second of the game, capping off a drive in which he had a 20-yard run. The two teams then traded punts before the Bengals then forced a turnover on downs on the Panthers, leading to a field goal drive from the Bengals for a 31-14 lead.
The Panthers answered quickly as Dalton found former Steelers’ receiver Diontae Johnson for a 21-yard touchdown to make it 31-21 with 53 second left in the third quarter. Then, the Panthers picked off Burrow and added a field goal to make it 31-24, but the Bengals were able to put the game away late, leaning on the run game before kicker Evan McPherson drilled a 46-yard field goal to cap off the scoring and give the Bengals their first win of the season.
In the win, Burrow threw for 232 yards, two touchdowns and one interception on 22-of-31 passing, while Chase finished with three receptions for 85 yards and a score. Tee Higgins chipped in with six receptions for 60 yards, while Chase Brown finished with 15 carries for 80 yards and two scores.
Sitting at 1-3 on the season, the Bengals will host the Ravens Sunday at 1 p.m. in an AFC North tilt.
In Las Vegas, the Browns really struggled against a depleted Raiders team missing Maxx Crosby and Davante Adams and fell to 1-3 on the season.
Things started off well for the Browns as they marched 70 yards in 15 plays, aided by a roughing the passer penalty on the Raiders. The Browns capped off the drive with a 1-yard touchdown pass from Deshaun Watson to tight end Blake Whiteheart for a 7-0 lead.
Cleveland then forced a quick 3-0 on the Raiders, answering with a 56-yard Dustin Hopkins field goal to make it 10-0 in the first quarter.
After that though, it was all Raiders.
Las Vegas responded with an 11-play, 70-yard touchdown drive as wide receiver Tre Tucker had two 14-yard catches and capped off the drive with a 3-yard rushing touchdown to make it 10-7.
Then, after a three-and-out from Cleveland, Las Vegas added a field goal to make it 10-10 at the half.
Coming out of the break, the Raiders then added a field goal, going 55 yards in eight plays. On the very next Cleveland drive, Watson was picked off on a pass intended for Amari Cooper as the ball hit Cooper in the chest and bounced into the air for the interception.
The Raiders took advantage, leading to an 18-yard touchdown on an end around from DJ Turner, making it a 20-10 game in the blink of an eye.
The Browns looked like they were in trouble after that, punting the ball away a few plays later, but the Browns’ defense struck to get them back into the game as Raiders running back Zamir White fumbled leading to a 25-yard touchdown return for Cleveland safety Rodney McLeod, making it a 20-16 game after a missed extra point from Hopkins.
After that, the two teams traded punt after punt until the Browns had a late shot, driving all the way to the Las Vegas 9-yard line before Watson was sacked on fourth down by Charles Snowden, giving the Raiders the win.
In the loss, Watson threw for 176 yards, one touchdown and one interception on 24-of-32 passing, while Jerome Ford rushed 10 times for 58 yards. Jerry Jeudy was the leading receiver for Cleveland with six receptions for 72 yards. Myles Garrett added two sacks for Cleveland.
Sitting at 1-3 on the season, the Browns travel to Washington in Week 5 to take on the red-hot Commanders at 1 p.m.
Then, on Sunday Night Football in Baltimore, the Ravens battled against the Buffalo Bills and got off to a fast start, thanks to Derrick Henry.
The star running back took his first touch of the night and raced home 87 yards for the game’s opening score, going untouched on the play, being exactly what the Ravens were hoping they were getting when they signed him in free agency.
The Bills answered with a field goal to make it 7-3, but Baltimore went right down the field again, marching 70 yards in nine plays as Lamar Jackson found Henry for a 5-yard touchdown out of the backfield and a 14-3 lead. The second touchdown drive was aided by a 15-yard personal foul penalty on the Bills.
Baltimore then made it 21-3 as Jackson hit running back Justice Hill on a 19-yard touchdown pass. The Ravens then had a chance to add on late in the first half, but Jackson fumbled the ball and the two teams went into the half with Baltimore in front, 21-3.
In the second half, the Bills got back into the game thanks to an absurd Josh Allen play.
Allen rolled right and was nearly out of bounds before uncorking a 52-yard throw on the move to wide receiver Khalil Shakir, setting up a 6-yard rushing touchdown from running back Ty Johnson, making it a 21-10 game.
The Ravens responded in the blink of an eye though as Lamar Jackson punched in a 9-yard rushing touchdown to make it 28-10, and then Patrick Ricard recovered a Henry fumble in the end zone to make it 35-10
That score held up to the end of the game as the Ravens and Bills put in backups to play out the final stretch.
In the win, Jackson threw for 156 yards and two touchdowns, while Henry rushed for 199 yards and a score. Justice Hill was the Ravens’ leading receiver with six receptions for 78 yards and a score.
Baltimore moves to 2-2 on the season and will take on the Bengals on the road in Week 5.
