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Skidding Bengals to clash with Ravens

Nov 11, 2007 - 11:52 AM Cincinnati (2-6) at Baltimore (4-4) Sunday 4:05 pm EST

BALTIMORE (Ticker) -- A potential showdown for division supremacy has evolved into a battle for survival.

The Cincinnati Bengals face a must-win situation when they visit the Baltimore Ravens in an AFC North clash on Sunday.

Both teams have lost two straight games but the Bengals cannot afford another defeat to keep their faint postseason hopes alive.

Stuck in the AFC North basement, little has gone right for Cincinnati since beating Baltimore, 27-20, in the season opener.

The Bengals have lost six of their last seven games, plagued by a defense that has been shredded for a league-high 244 points and a surprisingly inefficient offense.

Cincinnati may have reached its nadir last weekend, watching the Buffalo Bills score 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to post a 33-21 victory. It was Buffalo's highest point total of the season - and just the second time it surpassed 20 points.

"We're just not a good football team and it's frustrating," Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer said. "There's nothing more you can say about it."

Adding to Cincinnati's woes was a violent hit suffered by standout wide receiver Chad Johnson in the final minutes of Sunday's game.

Johnson, who ranks second in the NFL in receiving yards (97.4 per game), was carted off the field on a stretcher after receiving a hit over the middle by Bills safety Donte Whitner.

However, his injury was not as serious as initially feared and he may be able to play Sunday.

The Ravens, meanwhile, are coming off a wretched performance in Monday night's 35-7 loss to the division-leading Pittsburgh Steelers.

Despite coming off a bye week, Baltimore fell behind, 35-0, in the first half.

"Just an unfortunate night," Ravens coach Brian Billick said. "Try not to dwell on it and get ready for the next one. You have days like that. You saw the game. You can't do things like that."

Quarterback Steve McNair, who has suffered through an injury-plagued campaign, completed 13-of-22 passes for just 62 yards. It was the fewest yards in the history of the league by a quarterback with at least 13 completions.

Running back Willis McGahee was one of the few bright spots, rushing for 50 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries but was knocked out of the game with 6:59 to play with a concussion.

The fourth-leading rusher in the AFC, McGahee appeared to take a knee to the helmet while pass blocking.