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Saturday 15 September 2018
Andy Dalton throws 4 TDs,

Bengals beat Ravens 34-23

By JOE KAY thing near him during the The Ravens had their streak
AP Sports Writer Bengals' early surge. Green of five straight Thursday
CINCINNATI (AP) — Andy finished with five catches night wins snapped. The
Dalton kept the Ravens for 69 yards. Bengals are 6-14 in prime-
out of the playoffs last year "It just happened to fall that time games since Dalton's
by throwing a long touch- way," Green said. "We were rookie season of 2011 — 0-5
down pass. He sent them clicking on all cylinders. We on Sunday night, 2-5 on
to another loss on Thurs- were in a groove." Monday night, 4-3 on Thurs-
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton throws in the first day night by throwing four The Ravens switched up day night and 0-1 on Satur-
half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, more, getting the best of a their coverage on Green day night.
Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018, in Cincinnati.
Associated Press defense that has bedeviled but couldn't stop him in the SEEING GREEN
him for much of his career. opening half. Green is the fourth Bengals
Dalton threw four touch- "We did all that and he still receiver to catch three
down passes in the first half made some great plays," TD passes in a half, joining
— three to A.J. Green — coach John Harbaugh Marvin Jones (2013), Chad
and the Cincinnati Bengals said. Johnson (2003) and Isaac
held on for a 34-23 victory Dalton's 14-yard touch- Curtis (1973).
over Baltimore that made down throw to Boyd made FAST START
them the early leaders in it 28-7 late in the first half. The Bengals are 2-0 for the
the AFC North. Joe Flacco was sharp in an first time since 2015, when
Dalton knocked the Ra- opening 47-3 win over the they won the division, and
vens (1-1) out of postsea- Bills, but couldn't do any- for only the fifth time dur-
son contention last sea- thing against Cincinnati un- ing coach Marvin Lewis'
son by throwing a 49-yard til the Bengals led by three 16 seasons. They're the first
touchdown pass to Tyler touchdowns. Flacco threw team to score at least 34
Boyd in the closing sec- a pair of touchdown pass- points in each of their first
onds of the final game in es , including a 21-yarder two games since the 2013
Baltimore. On Thursday, he to John Brown that cut it to Broncos, who reached the
carved up a defense that 28-23 with 9:35 left. Super Bowl, according to
has more often gotten the "You better bounce back ESPN Stats & Info.
upper hand in their rivalry, quick on a Thursday night FAN ON FIELD
leading Cincinnati (2-0) to and we didn't do it quick A young man in a black
an early 21-point lead . enough tonight," Flacco shirt ran onto the field in the
"We came out hot," Dalton said. closing minutes undetect-
said. "That's exactly how we Flacco fumbled with 2:42 ed until he got near Dalton.
wanted to start the game. to go — Shawn Williams The fan was grabbed by
That's a big one — puts us stripped the ball from be- security.
2-0 to start the year and hind — setting up a field INJURIES
gives us a leg up in the divi- goal by Randy Bullock that Ravens: LB C.J. Mosley left
sion." closed it out. Flacco fin- in the first quarter with a
Heading into the game, ished 32 of 55 for 376 yards bruised knee. Harbaugh
Dalton had thrown more with two touchdowns, two said an exam found no lig-
interceptions (17) than interceptions and four ament damage, but Mos-
touchdowns (15) against sacks. ley could be sidelined for a
the Ravens, including a "We were coming in waves while.
four-interception game at all night," rookie defensive Bengals: Preston Brown
Paul Brown Stadium last end Sam Hubbard said. was inactive with an in-
season. Dalton finished 24 "Whoever was fresh was jured right ankle, leaving
of 42 for 265 yards, throw- going out and making Cincinnati without two
ing four touchdown passes plays." top linebackers. Vontaze
for the fifth time in his ca- GLORY DAYS Burfict is suspended for
reer. The Bengals honored their the first four games for vio-
Green set the tone with 1988 Super Bowl team at lating the NFL's policy on
touchdown catches of halftime, their last team to performance-enhancing
4, 28 and 7 yards on con- go deep into the playoffs. substances. ... DE Michael
secutive possessions, a ca- They haven't won a play- Johnson hurt his left knee in
reer high . Upset that he off game since the 1990 the first quarter and didn't
fumbled twice during a 34- season, the sixth-longest return. ... Rookie C Billy Price
23 win at Indianapolis on drought in NFL history. hurt his right ankle in the first
Sunday, he caught every- PRIME-TIME PLAYERS quarter and didn't return.q