It happened again. You wake up, reach for your phone with one eye open, and desperately try to find out who won game last night football without accidentally seeing a spoiler that ruins the condensed replay you were planning to watch over coffee. But let’s be real—last night wasn't just another box score. It was one of those games where the stats tell a complete lie about how the actual four quarters played out on the turf.
If you were looking for a defensive masterclass, you were probably disappointed. If you wanted chaos? You got it in spades.
The Baltimore Ravens managed to edge out the Cincinnati Bengals in a 35-34 thriller that basically redefined what "stress" feels like for a fan base in 2026. It’s the kind of game that makes you wonder if NFL defenses even practice anymore, or if they’ve all just collectively decided that trying to tackle Lamar Jackson is a lost cause.
The Numbers Behind Who Won Game Last Night Football
Lamar Jackson is doing things right now that shouldn't be legal in a competitive sports league. He finished the night with four passing touchdowns. Zero interceptions. That sounds clean, right? It wasn't. For the first two quarters, the Ravens looked like they were running through waist-deep mud. The Bengals, led by Joe Burrow—who honestly deserves a public apology from his offensive line—were carving things up. Burrow threw for 428 yards. Read that again. Over four hundred yards and four touchdowns, and he still walked off the field with an "L" next to his name.
Why? Because the Bengals' defense turned into a sieve at the exact moment they needed a stop.
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Ja'Marr Chase was a literal video game character last night. 264 receiving yards. Three touchdowns. If you had him on your fantasy team, you’re probably insufferable in the group chat right now, and honestly, you have every right to be. But individual brilliance doesn't always translate to the win column. When people ask who won game last night football, the answer is technically the Ravens, but the real winner was anyone who isn't a fan of either team and just enjoyed the pure, unadulterated carnage of a high-scoring AFC North rivalry.
Why the Fourth Quarter Changed Everything
The Bengals had a chance. They scored late to make it 35-34. Zac Taylor, in a move that people will be debating at sports bars for the next three weeks, decided to go for two. He wanted the win right then and there. No overtime. No coin flip. Just one play from the two-yard line to put the dagger in Baltimore.
The pass went incomplete.
There was contact. A lot of it. Depending on which side of the Ohio River you live on, it was either a blatant missed holding call or "just football." The referees kept the yellow flags in their pockets, the whistle blew, and that was that. Game over. Baltimore escapes.
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Breaking Down the Ravens' Offensive Surge
It’s weird to say a team that won "struggled," but Baltimore’s rhythm was off for a huge chunk of the game. Derrick Henry was held relatively in check compared to his usual "human bulldozer" standards, though he still found the end zone because, well, he’s Derrick Henry.
What really shifted the momentum was the Ravens' ability to exploit the Bengals' secondary fatigue. In the second half, Tylan Wallace turned a simple sideline catch into an 84-yard sprint that looked like something out of a track meet. That single play flipped the energy in the stadium. It felt like the air just went out of the Bengals' sideline.
We see this a lot in Thursday night games or short-week matchups. Players get leg-weary. Form tackles turn into arm tackles. Arm tackles turn into 80-yard touchdowns.
The Joe Burrow Problem
It’s getting hard to watch Burrow play this well and lose. He’s currently operating at a level that mirrors his 2021 Super Bowl run, yet the Bengals are sitting in a hole that’s getting deeper by the week. Last night’s loss puts them in a position where the playoffs aren't just a challenge—they're a statistical mountain.
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When you look at who won game last night football, you have to look at the "how." Cincinnati lost because they couldn't protect a lead, and they couldn't stop the big play. It doesn't matter if you score 34 points if your defense is giving up touchdowns in bunches during the final ten minutes.
The Playoff Implications
This win cements Baltimore as the primary threat to the Chiefs in the AFC. They have the tiebreakers. They have the momentum. They have a quarterback who is playing like he wants a third MVP trophy on his mantle.
For the rest of the league, last night was a warning. If you can't score 40, you might not be able to beat the Ravens right now. Their defense is vulnerable—clearly—but their offense is a runaway freight train.
What You Should Do Next
If you missed the live broadcast, don't just look at the highlights of the touchdowns. Go back and watch the final five minutes of the third quarter. That’s where the game was actually won. Watch the body language of the Bengals' defensive front. They were gassed.
Key Takeaways for Your Week:
- Check your fantasy waivers: If Tylan Wallace is sitting there and you need a deep-league flyer, his chemistry with Lamar is clearly growing.
- Betting lines: Keep an eye on the "Over" for Ravens games moving forward. Their secondary is giving up way too many yards to ignore, but their offense can match anyone point-for-point.
- Watch the injury reports: Both teams came out of last night looking banged up. Short weeks are brutal, and the fallout from a high-intensity game like this usually shows up in the Friday practice reports for next week.
The AFC North is a meat grinder. Last night proved that no lead is safe and no stat line is big enough to guarantee a victory. Baltimore stays atop the hill, while Cincinnati is left wondering what else they possibly could have done to change the outcome.