Raven Country

Ravens' Lamar Jackson Tops Joe Burrow In AFC North Battle

This was the best the Baltimore Ravens' quarterback has looked in months on the road.
Henry Brown|
Dec 14, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) meet after the game at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
Dec 14, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) meet after the game at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

In this story:

Baltimore Ravens

Lamar Jackson, for all of the inconsistencies that this troublesome season has fostered, has always had his niche little records.

His 4-0 record in Cincinnati was pretty impressive considering the feistiness of the Bengals throughout the 2020s, but even more so was his spotless record in December football. Regardless of questionable rosters and slow starts, he entered the Bengals rematch with a spotless 15-0 success rate across Weeks 15-18 over the course of his career.

This weekend showdown seemed like a make-or-break situation not only for both teams' late-season records, with Joe Burrow similarly holding an undefeated record in identical situations, but the playoffs in general. These teams and their 16 combined losses have filled out the back end of the playoff hunt solely due to the AFC North's lack of a convincing division favorite, and the Ravens had something to prove after this same team pulled their pants down on Thanksgiving Day.

But Jackson, coming off of several weeks of unimpressive statistics, showed up in Cincinnati like he always has. He earned some sweet revenge over Burrow in outplaying the division rival, fueling a 24-0 victory to knock the Bengals from playoff contention with multiple touchdowns and a return to his familiar uber-efficient brand of quarterbacking.

Jackson's Cincy Comeback

While the 2x MVP has been hung out to dry by his defense in some of the offense's other high-scoring affairs this season, his stoppers were huge in relieving any excess responsibility from Jackson's plate. They bullied Burrow into a tough afternoon with three sacks and two picked passes, the latter of which slammed the door on the Bengals' final meaningful drive with an interception-turned-touchdown.

His Baltimore counterpart, however, converted on just about all of his downfield strikes. Despite throwing just a dozen passes, he amounted to 150 yards through the air thanks to some creative deep balls. Zay Flowers and DeAndre Hopkins kept the chains moving with plays after the catch across Baltimore's momentous second quarter, with Flowers and Rasheen Ali each capitalizing on a Jackson pass for touchdowns of their own.

Flowers wasn't perfect, though, and took a third touchdown from Jackson's line with this missed catch, along with an interception that can be directly attributed to loose hands out of the wide receiver.

The unusually sharp aerial attack was allowed to shine thanks to Baltimore's improved mobility on the ground, which could similarly be credited to Jackson. He scrambled like old to show that he's still got his legs, and kept his running backs eating with 166 yards split between Derrick Henry and Keaton Mitchell.

Baltimore Ravens Quarterback Lamar Jackson
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) throws a pass in the second quarter of the NFL football game between Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Dec. 14, 2025. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This is as close to the version of Jackson as the 7-7 Ravens will need to fully capitalize on their final three weeks of scheduled matchups, with a playoff spot still not out of the question as he waits to see the Pittsburgh Steelers' next move. All he needed was a trip back to familiar territory in Cincinnati, where he improved to 5-0 all-time and 16-0 in the final four weeks of the NFL's regular season slates.

Make sure you bookmark Baltimore Ravens On SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

Published
Henry Brown
HENRY BROWN

Henry covers the Washington Wizards and Baltimore Ravens with prior experience as a sports reporter with The Baltimore Sun, the Capital Gazette and The Lead. A Bowie, MD native, he earned his Journalism degree at the University of Maryland.

Share on XFollow henryjbr_sports
Home/News