CINCINNATI -- A few thoughts on the Cincinnati Bengals' 27-24 win over the Baltimore Ravens at Paul Brown Stadium:
What it means: More than anything, the Bengals' win shows that Andy Dalton may be a better quarterback than many want to give him credit for. With the fourth-year signal-caller leading a winning, 80-yard drive in the final three minutes, the Bengals walked away with a meaningful win after arguably their longest and most trying week this season. Dalton was the hero with his 1-yard touchdown dive with 57 seconds remaining, but he also was the hero for completing a pair of clutch third-down passes on the drive to receivers Mohamed Sanu and Greg Little. The big drive came after Dalton had thrown an interception and fumbled on the two previous series. With the win, the Bengals put their three consecutive winless weeks behind them. They're now 4-2-1.
Stock watch: One week after getting shut out, Cincinnati's offense was significantly better against the Ravens. Dalton was sharp Sunday, completing 21 passes for 266 yards on 28 attempts. He also converted his share of short-yardage plays, including a third down on a QB sneak on the third play of the game. That first-down pickup was the first of eight on third down.
Atkins is finally back: Geno Atkins looked like the player he was before tearing his ACL a year ago this coming Friday. In pass-rush situations, he was all over the Ravens' offensive line. He was aggressive, pushing past blocks and applying intense pressure on quarterback Joe Flacco. Some of Atkins' best pressures this season came in this game. He had a sack of Flacco to go along with his four tackles, two of which were for loss.
Game ball: There are two logical options to go with here, Dalton and Sanu. One could make a case for Sanu, considering how, without his 53-yard reception on a third-and-10, the Bengals wouldn't have even been in position for Dalton to score the winning touchdown just inside the final minute. We're going with Dalton here because he had the two touchdown runs and an efficient day from a passing standpoint.
What's next? The Bengals are back in action next Sunday when they host the Jaguars in the second game of this three-game home stretch. It'll be the first time Jacksonville has visited Cincinnati since 2008, when the Bengals won 21-19. The Jaguars lead the all-time season series 11-8, but the Bengals have won the past three meetings.
