Baltimore sacks Burrow 7 times

BALTIMORE » The Baltimore Ravens have grown accustomed to winning with a strong running game and the remarkable skill of versatile quarterback Lamar Jackson.

They took a different approach against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, carving out a 27- 3 victory with the kind of defensive performance that once defined the franchise.

The Ravens sacked Joe Burrow seven times, forced the Bengals rookie into a pair of turnovers and effectively stuffed Cincinnati’s running game in meticulous fashion.

Baltimore’s stout effort was punctuated by Patrick Queen’s 52- yard fumble return in the fourth quarter. It was the first NFL touchdown for Queen, who played with Burrow last year for national champion LSU.

Burrow was the No. 1 overall pick and Queen was No. 28. Now both are starters, and Queen is flourishing at middle linebacker, the position once manned by Hall of Fame member Ray Lewis.

“I knew when I got drafted and Joe got drafted that we were going to be seeing each other twice a year,” Queen said. “So it’s the start of a great rivalry, and I’m glad I got the first win out of it.”

Jackson wasn’t particularly sharp, but it didn’t really matter. The 2019 NFL MVP went 19 for 37 for 180 yards and two touchdowns with an interception.

Mark Andrews and Marquise Brown caught touchdown passes for Baltimore ( 4- 1), which matched the best start in franchise history.

“You start with the defense,” coach John Harbaugh said. “The defense played lights out the whole game, and that was fun to watch.”

The last time the Ravens opened 4- 1 was 2012, when they ended up winning the Super Bowl.

Burrow entered with three straight 300- yard passing games — a record for a rookie. In this one, he looked every bit like a first- year player going up against a skilled unit intent upon ending that streak.