Bengals earn their stripes in sweep of Ravens

CINCINNATI | Done with all the drama, the Bengals are grinding their way into the playoff conversation.

Cedric Benson topped 100 yards again Sunday and the Bengals scored on their first three possessions, setting up a 17-7 victory over Baltimore that kept surprising Cincinnati atop the AFC North and undefeated against division foes.

With a win next Sunday in Pittsburgh, the Bengals (6-2) would be in a good position to make the playoffs for only the second time in the past 19 years. They won the division in 2005 with a team that still had a lot to learn.

“We’re much more mature,” said quarterback Carson Palmer, who improved to 8-3 career against the Ravens. “We’re a better team. We were a good team back then; we were kind of young and dumb. This team has more guys that understand how rare this opportunity is.”

Cincinnati would be in control of the division with a win at Pittsburgh (5-2), which plays Denver on Monday night. The Bengals are 4-0 in division games, including a two-game sweep of the Ravens (4-4).

“That’s pretty cool,” receiver Chad Ochocinco said. “I like being in the driver’s seat. Today was a statement game. I want every game to be a statement game.”

The Ravens have frittered away every advantage they gained by starting the season 3-0. There’s been a lot of self-destruction involved - dropped passes, missed kicks and penalties galore.

“We’re not in a great spot,” said Joe Flacco, who was frustrated all afternoon and threw a pair of interceptions. “We’re in a tough spot.”

They’ve been at their worst against the Bengals, who took advantage of three Ravens penalties to pull off a last-minute touchdown in Baltimore on Oct. 11, a 17-14 victory that gained national notice. By sweeping the series, Cincinnati suggested it has staying power.

“We’re not surprised. We’re really not,” safety Chris Crocker said. “Everyone on the outside is, ‘Oh, the Bengals got another one, but they’ll fall apart any time.’ ”

They were solid throughout Sunday.

Benson was coming off the best game of his career: 189 yards against his former Bears team, a dominating performance that sent Cincinnati into its bye on an upbeat note. Refreshed by a weekend off, he was at it again, running for 117 yards and a touchdown.

Up 17-0 at halftime, it was a matter of holding on. The Bengals did, with a lot of help from the self-destructive Ravens, who had 80 yards in penalties and missed a field goal. Their last chance slipped away when Flacco was sacked on three consecutive plays.

Last season, the Ravens went 11-5 and made the playoffs as a wild card, losing to Pittsburgh in the AFC title game. By losing four of their last five, they’ve made themselves long shots to win the division.

“None of us played well,” defensive end Trevor Pryce said. “They had [solid] techniques and played physical. And they are a physical team - don’t let anybody tell you they aren’t.”

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