CINCINNATI — The Bengals went from being completely outplayed in the first half Sunday to dominating the Baltimore Ravens in the second, scoring 35 unanswered points in a 35-13 victory. The turnaround featured outstanding performances from several Cincinnati players, along with a couple of disappointing ones.
For the first installment of Ohio Sports Hub's new Heroes & Zeros series, we're recognizing three players who helped Cincinnati win and two whose afternoons didn't go nearly as well.
HEROES
Joe Burrow — Quarterback
Burrow's first half was ugly. He completed just six of 12 passes for 43 yards, and Cincinnati went into the locker room without a point. But what happened after halftime was remarkable.
Burrow completed 16 of 18 passes for 249 yards and four touchdowns in the second half, finishing with a perfect 158.3 passer rating over the final two quarters. His touchdown passes went to Mike Gesicki, Tee Higgins, Ja'Marr Chase, and Drew Sample.
The Bengals scored touchdowns on their first five possessions of the second half, with Burrow leading four of those drives through the air and Samaje Perine scoring on a one-yard run. Burrow finished with 292 passing yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions, turning a miserable first half into one of his finest performances of the season.
Ja'Marr Chase — Wide Receiver
Chase finished with five receptions for 62 yards and a touchdown, numbers that wouldn't ordinarily qualify as one of his best performances. But his biggest contribution Sunday came when the Bengals weren't on the field.
After watching Cincinnati's offense accomplish almost nothing in the first half, Chase delivered an angry halftime speech challenging his teammates to step up. He later explained that he was tired of watching the defense carry the team while the offense failed to make plays.
Head coach Zac Taylor praised Chase's leadership, and center Ted Karras confirmed that the receiver had plenty to say during the break. The Bengals responded by scoring touchdowns on five consecutive possessions, with Chase adding a two-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter.
Chase's speech didn't throw a touchdown pass or make a block, but it helped set the tone for a completely different second half. His leadership earns him a spot among this week's Heroes.
Dexter Lawrence II — Defensive Tackle
Lawrence doesn't always produce the kind of statistics that attract attention, but his work against Baltimore was outstanding. The veteran defensive tackle recorded three quarterback pressures and a fourth-quarter sack of Tyler Huntley, helping Cincinnati's defense shut out the Ravens after halftime.
Pro Football Focus gave Lawrence a 90.0 overall grade and a 91.7 pass-rush grade, reflecting how consistently he disrupted Baltimore's offensive line. His sack brought his season total to four.
Lawrence's presence in the middle was also part of a defensive effort that limited Derrick Henry to just 45 rushing yards on 17 carries. Cincinnati's rebuilt defensive front continues to show improvement, and Lawrence is a major reason why.
ZEROS
Shemar Stewart — Defensive End
For Stewart, the disappointment wasn't something he did on the field Sunday. It was the fact that he never got onto the field at all.
Cincinnati made the second-year defensive end a healthy scratch against Baltimore, a troubling development for a player selected 17th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Stewart has struggled to establish himself in the Bengals' defensive rotation, with other players moving ahead of him. Head coach Zac Taylor explained Monday that Stewart missed much of training camp with a knee injury and is making progress, but Cincinnati's defensive line has become deep enough that difficult decisions must be made each week.
That's encouraging for the Bengals' defense, but it doesn't change the concern surrounding Stewart. A first-round pick should be developing into a regular contributor in his second season, not watching from the sideline while his teammates produce one of their best defensive performances of the year.
Stewart still has time to turn things around, but his inability to earn a spot on Sunday's active roster raises legitimate questions about his development.
Dax Hill — Cornerback
Hill had a rough afternoon in coverage, especially during the first half when Baltimore built its 13-0 lead. According to Pro Football Focus, Hill allowed three receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown on five targets.
That included Zay Flowers' 48-yard touchdown on Baltimore's opening possession, a play that immediately put Cincinnati in a hole. Quarterbacks recorded a 143.8 passer rating when targeting Hill, according to PFF.
Flowers finished with eight catches for 137 yards, giving the Bengals' secondary problems throughout the afternoon. Cincinnati recovered defensively after halftime, but Hill's coverage struggles were among the more noticeable individual problems in an otherwise impressive victory.
Honorable Mention: Tee Higgins
Higgins could easily have made the Heroes list after catching six passes for 148 yards and a touchdown. His big second-half receptions were critical to Cincinnati's comeback, especially his great catch on a go route down the sidelines that set up Chase's touchdown catch.
The Bengals had plenty of Heroes on Sunday, which is what happens when a team scores 35 unanswered points to beat a division rival on the road. The challenge now is carrying that second-half performance into a complete game rather than needing another halftime wake-up call.
