Bengals thump Ravens

BALTIMORE -- — Joe Burrow threw for a career-high 416 yards and three touchdowns, including a pivotal 82-yarder to rookie Ja’Marr Chase in the third quarter, and the Cincinnati Bengals won their AFC North showdown against the Baltimore Ravens in style, pulling away in the second half for a 41-17 victory Sunday.

The Bengals (5-2) drew even with the Ravens (5-2) atop the division, a sign that Burrow and Chase might be ahead of schedule in turning around this struggling franchise. The former LSU teammates were too much for Baltimore to handle, and Cincinnati’s offense moved the ball pretty easily from the middle of the second quarter on.

Chase had eight catches for 201 yards, easily the most productive performance of his impressive debut season. He broke Speedy Thomas’ franchise rookie record of 177 yards receiving, set in a 1969 game at Denver.

Lamar Jackson threw for 257 yards and ran for 88, but he was sacked five times as the Ravens had their five-game winning streak snapped. Jackson found Marquise Brown for a 39-yard touchdown in the third quarter that put Baltimore up 17-13, but the Ravens’ only lead of the game was brief.

Burrow needed only four plays to put Cincinnati back in front on a 32-yard strike to C.J. Uzomah. After a Baltimore punt, he connected with Chase on his long TD to make it a 10-point lead.

Chase came into the week with a league-best five catches of 40 yards or longer. On this one, he spun past a couple potential tacklers in the middle of the field, and then nobody was going to catch him.

Joe Mixon made it 34-17 with a 21-yard run in the fourth, and Samaje Perine added a 46-yarder.

The Bengals snapped a five-game losing streak against the Ravens. Baltimore’s three most recent wins in the series were by a combined score of 114-19.

The Ravens have started a season 5-1 four times, but never 6-1.