Bengals playoff hopes on life support after 19-14 loss to Ravens

BALTIMORE, MD - NOVEMBER 27: Quarterback Andy Dalton #14 of the Cincinnati Bengals passes the ball while under pressure from outside linebacker Terrell Suggs #55 of the Baltimore Ravens in the first quarter at M&T Bank Stadium on November 27, 2016 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

BALTIMORE, MD - NOVEMBER 27: Quarterback Andy Dalton #14 of the Cincinnati Bengals passes the ball while under pressure from outside linebacker Terrell Suggs #55 of the Baltimore Ravens in the first quarter at M&T Bank Stadium on November 27, 2016 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Justin Tucker kicked four field goals, and the Baltimore Ravens curb-stomped the Cincinnati Bengals fading playoff hopes this afternoon at M&T Bank Stadium.

Tucker drilled field goals of 57, 54, 52 and 36 yards, and Elvis Dumervil stopped the final Cincinnati drive at the Baltimore 16 with a strip sack of Andy Dalton with 1:05 remaining to preserve a 19-14 Ravens victory.

The win moves Baltimore (6-5) into a first-place tie with Pittsburgh in the AFC North Division, while the Bengals (3-7-1) fall two and a half games back while running their winless streak to four games.

The Ravens went 75 yards in 11 plays on their opening drive of the game, which ended with Joe Flacco hitting Breshad Perriman for a 14-yard touchdown.

It was the sixth time in the last eight games the Bengals have allowed a touchdown on the opponent’s opening drive.

But the only points the Ravens would get after that would be on Tucker field goals. He hit a 52-yarder on the next drive to push the lead to 10, then boomed kicks of 57 and 54 in the final 96 seconds of the second quarter to send Baltimore into halftime with a 16-3 lead.

Meanwhile Bengals kicker Mike Nugent missed his third consecutive extra point after Andy Dalton hit Tyler Eifert with a 3-yard touchdown in the third quarter.

Cincinnati, which had only failed to score on two of its 31 red-zone trips coming into the game, came away empty twice Sunday.

In addition to Dumervil stripping Dalton in the final minute with Cincinnati down seven, the Bengals botched a snap and lost a fumble at the Baltimore 19 in the second quarter just two plays after Rey Maualuga had intercepted Joe Flacco.

A few minutes later, the Bengals were the beneficiary of a good spot on a third-down reception by James Wright at their own 17. Instead of rushing to the line to prevent Baltimore from challenging the spot, quarterback Andy Dalton called a timeout.

Given extra time to look at the replay, Ravens coach John Harbaugh challenged it and won, forcing the Bengals to punt.

And on the last Ravens drive of the half, Lewis declined a holding penalty on third and 4 after a sack at the Cincinnati 39. That enabled Justin Tucker, who has not missed a field goal this year, to attempt a 57-yarder, which he of course made to up the lead to 13-3 with 1:34 left before halftime.

Tucker added a 54-yarder at the gun going into halftime.

Tucker’s fourth field goal came in the fourth quarter and upped the lead to 19-3.

Nugent added a 36-yard field goal after missing the PAT to get the Bengals within 19-12. Baltimore took an intentional safety on the final play of the game for the 19-14 final.

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