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Bengals capitalize on turnover, sink Ravens

Sep 11, 2007 - 4:47 AM CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- The Baltimore Ravens' defense managed to contain the Cincinnati Bengals, but they couldn't stop their own offense.

The Bengals turned six turnovers into 24 points and held on to beat the Ravens, 27-20, on Monday night in the season opener for both teams.

The game ended, appropriately enough, with a turnover by the Ravens. Facing a 3rd-and-goal at the 2, backup quarterback Kyle Boller drilled a pass into the stomach of tight end Todd Heap.

The ball caromed off Heap's arms and into the air, from where Bengals defensive end Mike Myers made a diving interception in the end zone to seal the outcome.

"It was my first interception," Myers said. "We talked to each other on defense before the play. We didn't want to go to overtime. We kept telling each other to make a play."

Two huge penalties - one to each side - were integral in the final two minutes.

The Ravens (0-1) seemingly had tied it when Boller hit Heap in the back of the end zone on fourth down with 1:54 to play, but Heap was whistled for offensive interference on a questionable call.

"To be called upon to step up in the circumstances he did is tough," Baltimore coach Brian Billick said of Boller, who replaced an injured Steve McNair with 4:42 to play. "To come into the game cold and make crucial plays is hard. It looked to me like he made a couple touchdown passes."

On the ensuing play, Cincinnati's Madieu Williams was flagged for holding, giving the Ravens a first down at the 5-yard line and setting up the dramatic final sequence.

"I showed our guys a statistic this week," Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis said. "The team that won the turnover battle won the last six meetings between us (Baltimore). We knew coming in it would be a hard fought game. It was physical. You need to win that type of game because you put so much into it."

Despite the numerous turnovers, the Ravens went ahead when Ed Reed returned a punt for 63 yards untouched for a 20-19 lead with 12:07 to play. It was the first punt return since 2003 for Reed, who was subbing for the injured B.J. Sams.

The momentum clearly had shifted toward the Ravens, who had completed bottled up the Bengals' high-powered offense, but a curious call by Billick gave Cincinnati (1-0) renewed life.

With Baltimore facing a 3rd-and-1 from its own 35, McNair opted to pass but threw too high for a wide-open Derrick Mason. Bengals defensive end Robert Geathers made a superb diving interception and returned it to the Ravens 22.

"I knew I got under it, It was our focus to make plays and cause turnovers," Geathers said. "We looked each other in the eye and said it's time for each of us to be accountable.

The Bengals needed just two plays to take the lead, with Carson Palmer hitting T.J. Houshmandzadeh on a 7-yard scoring pass. Rudi Johnson ran in for the conversion, extending the lead to 27-20 with 8:48 to play.

Just as the Bengals seemingly has seized control of the game, Johnson fumbled at his own 30 and Reed recovered and returned it to the 24 with 4:42 left.

Boller came in at the point in favor of McNair, who left with a groin injury.

Signed to a one-year contract extension last Thursday, Boller hit a huge 14-yard completion to Mason on 4th-and-3 to the 3-yard line - but the Ravens were unable to get the tying score.

McNair finished 20-of-34 for 203 yards but he threw one interception and lost three fumbles, including one that Landon Johnson returned 34 yards for a touchdown to give the Bengals a 19-10 lead with 8:47 left in the third quarter.

Palmer finished 20-of-32 for 194 yards and two touchdowns passes, including a 39-yarder to Chad Johnson, who had five receptions for 95 yards. Houshmandzadeh added nine catches for 50 yards.

"A win is a win against that team, that defense," Palmer said. "When you don't play great and you don't play your best football, you just say a thankful prayer for being able to get a win. The defense won the game.

"Every time I looked up the crowd got loud and I just figure they got another turnover."

Willis McGahee rushed for 77 yards on 19 carries in his debut with the Ravens, but he was stopped at the 1-yard line on the final sequence.

The Ravens' inability to hold onto the ball was best exemplified by a sequence in the first quarter when they fumbled the ball away three times in five snaps. Baltimore earned the dubious distinction of becoming the first team in nine years to turn the ball over three times in the first quarter.

"It is disappointing to lose a season opener. It was a (heck) of a game. The story is you can't turn the ball over on the road and hope to win," Billick said. "Guys were called on to step up and some played through injury. Our players were dropping right and left. I'm proud of what this team did."

The Bengals failed to capitalize on the first turnover but converted the next two into a 9-0 lead.

Baltimore Pro Bowl linebacker Ray Lewis left the game early in the first quarter with an injury to his right triceps.

The two-time Defensive Player of the Year had his arm taped before returning and leading the team with seven tackles.

After the game, Lewis said he was playing with a torn triceps, telling reporters he heard a pop in the arm.