CINCINNATI — Kicker Justin Tucker made a 24-yard field goal late in overtime and the Baltimore Ravens beat the Bengals, 41-38, in a thriller for their third straight win.

It didn’t come without plenty of late drama.

Baltimore needed Tucker’s heroics in regulation, as the veteran nailed a 56-yard attempt with 1:35 left to tie the game at 38. In the extra session, with the Ravens in Bengals territory, quarterback Lamar Jackson bobbled and then fumbled a shotgun snap that Cincinnati recovered at Baltimore’s 38-yard line. But three plays later, Bengals kicker Evan McPherson’s attempt to win the game sailed wide left from 53 yards.

The Ravens took advantage of their new life. On their next play, running back Derrick Henry (15 carries, 92 yards, TD) raced 51 yards down the left sideline before being dragged down at Cincinnati’s 6-yard line. Tucker won it one play later, giving the Ravens (3-2) their third straight victory over the Bengals and dropping their AFC North rival to 1-4.

It was the Ravens’ most unlikely victory over the season after they twice rallied from 10-point deficits.

In a wild and entertaining back-and-forth shootout between Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and Jackson, the former shredded Baltimore’s leaky secondary with a career-high five touchdown passes (and one ill-timed interception) and completed 30-of-39 passes for 392 yards in both team’s first divisional game. Wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase (10 catches, 193 yards) and Tee Higgins (9 catches, 83 yards) each caught a pair of touchdown passes.

But Jackson, the two-time and reigning NFL Most Valuable Player, kept leading the Ravens back.

He completed 26-of-42 passes for 348 yards with four touchdowns while running 12 times for 55 yards. He put together several key drives in crunch time, including one that went 34 yards in eight plays to set up Tucker’s long game-tying kick inside the final two minutes.

Still, it looked like the Ravens would never get the chance.

Baltimore’s defense couldn’t stop Cincinnati, which racked up 442 total yards and time and again connected on big plays and consistently converted on third downs when needed.

After staking Cincinnati to a 17-14 halftime lead, the former No. 1 overall pick annihilated Baltimore’s defense over the final 30 minutes, throwing for 235 second-half yards and three touchdowns on the Bengals’ first three possessions of the second half.

It started when they converted three third downs on the opening possession of the third quarter, highlighted by a 39-yard bomb to Andrei Iosivas from the Ravens’ 41-yard line as the receiver beat cornerback Nate Wiggins and safety Marcus Williams to the corner. Four plays later, Burrow found Higgins wide-open in the end zone for an easy 5-yard score.

The Ravens answered right back, with Jackson hitting Zay Flowers on a short pass that went for 15 yards, then connected with tight end Charlie Kolar for a 55-yard gain before former Ravens safety Geno Stone eventually dragged him down at the 4.

Two plays later, Jackson lofted the ball to tight end Isaiah Likely in the back corner of the end zone to again cut it to a three-point game.

But there was no stopping the Bengals, who drove 70 yards on 12 plays with Burrow hitting running back Chase Brown on a short pass to the left for a 4-yard touchdown.

Again, Jackson and the Ravens responded. Baltimore went 92 yards in 10 plays with Jackson leading the Ravens to another touchdown as he hit Kolar again, this time from 2 yards out.

Cincinnati wasted little time answering, however. On its next possession, Burrow threw a short pass to Burrow, who raced 70 yards down the right side for another score that made it 38-28 with 8:54 to go.

Jackson’s heroics were on full display on their next drive. After dropping the snap, he scooped up the ball, stiff-armed Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard twice while running to his right, and before reaching the sideline threw across his body and found Likely in the end zone for a 6-yard touchdown pass.

The Ravens’ defense finally stiffened, however, with cornerback Marlon Humphrey intercepting Burrow’s attempted pass to Chase on second-and-15 at the Ravens’ 27 to give Baltimore the ball back with 3:02 left, setting the stage for the wild ending.

Week 6

Commanders at Ravens

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

TV: CBS

Line: Ravens by 7

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