BALTIMORE _ A quick look at the Bengals' 32-14 win over the Ravens on Thanksgiving Night, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh's first loss of his career in 10 Thursday night home games.
Player of the Game
Yes, Evan McPherson had a career-high six field goals, defensive end Joseph Ossai had his first two-sack game of his career, defensive end Cedric Johnson had his first two career fumble recoveries, and wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase had his fifth 100-yard game against the Ravens.
But, this is why Joe Burrow came back to play this year after sitting out 75 days with turf toe.
The Bengals' first win here since 2021. Their second win over Lamar Jackson in 12 starts. Burrow's second against him. Two touchdown passes on the money in the second half of a first half he said he had to knock off rust.
"There's no better feeling than that," Burrow said after hitting 24 of 46 for 261 yards. "Putting in work for a long time and going out and it paying off. There's no feeling like going out with a group of guys who work really hard to go try and win games and going out and putting on a good performance winning that game."
Not vintage Burrow. But he outclassed the two-time MVP Jackson, 83.7-65.4 in passer rating. And no turnovers. Jackson three.
Ja'Marr Checks Off Bucket List
What hasn't Chase done in this sport?
After his seven catches for 110 yards, he feasted on NBC's turkey and after growing up watching the winning team doing that on Thanksgiving, Chase said it was a bucket list moment.
"It was not that bad. If I'm being honest, it was not that bad," Chase said. "All of my life, I've been watching that game on Thanksgiving. I would see players make the crazy face after they bite it, because it was not good, but it wasn't that bad. Maybe I'm hungry, so who knows."
Burrow, ever the meticulous eater, didn't partake.
"I don't know who cooked it," he said.
Joey Mobile
Head coach Zac Taylor said he knew Burrow was back early when her left the pocket and found Chase on some obligatory 9-1 off-script huge third downs.
"I was a little more mobile than I expected to be," said Burrow, who is wearing a steel plate in his cleat. "We've got a good system on the sideline changing shoes and doing what I need to do to stay fresh."
More Money Mac
A week after hitting a team-record 63-yarder, McPherson drilled a career-high six field goals on all six attempts. He's the second one in his family to ever do it.
"My little brother did it a weeks ago and I thought that was impressive," said McPherson of the little Money Mac at Auburn. "I told him, 'You must be tired.' And I'm tired."
Ossai Comes Up Huge
Ossai had two massive sacks in the half. The first one, working a stunt, he came loose inside the Ravens 5, popped the ball out of Jackson's arms into the hands of the other edge, second-year man Cedric Johnson at the 2.
Then, late in the first half on third down, his second sack knocked the Ravens out of field-goal range. Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley went to pick up blitzing safety Jordan Battle and Ossai was unblocked and finished.
"Everybody has to do their job on that one," Ossai said.
Game Changer
The Bengals defense took two Ravens' long touchdowns off the board in the first half. Alert play took what should have been a 21-9 Ravens lead into the Bengals' 12-7 halftime lead.
It looked as if Jackson had hooked up with tight end Isaiah Likely for a catch-and-run 43-yard touchdown over the middle of the field past Battle. But Battle didn't give up on it and chased down Likely at the goal line, where he ripped out of his hands and became the Bengals' ball when it went out of bounds.
"Game changer," said edge Myles Murphy.
Then, on the first play after the two-minute warning, Jackson connected on a 36-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Zay Flowers that was waved off when Flowers was called for pushing cornerback DJ Turner II.
Murphy was a game changer when he batted a pass for a pick by rookie linebacker Demetrius Knight.
"We had Zero blitz on," Murphy said, "and that gave me a straight path the quarterback."
The five turnovers were the second most in the seven years of the Zac Taylor era.