There was hope that lightning wouldn't strike the franchise twice in two weeks. For a while, things went pretty well. Baltimore Ravens fans had reason to feel good about their team's chances when Tyler Loop connected on his second field goal right before halftime. That gave Baltimore a 13-0 lead over the Cincinnati Bengals. The Ravens were dominating time of possession. They moved the ball and kept Joe Burrow and Cincinnati's offense from finding any rhythm.

Baltimore had controlled the ball for 22:20 in the first half, compared with just 7:40 for the Bengals. Unfortunately for Baltimore, football games aren't decided after 30 minutes. The Bengals came out of halftime looking like a different team, while the Ravens fell apart on both sides of the ball.

Cincinnati erased a 13-point deficit on its first two third-quarter drives. They then scored touchdowns on five straight drives, turning a promising afternoon for Baltimore into a demoralizing loss.

The result drops the Ravens to 4-3 overall and 0-2 in the AFC North. After showing signs of defensive improvement in recent weeks, Baltimore seems to be back at square one. They now face tough questions about their ability to finish games, protect leads, and compete with their divisional rivals. The first half had plenty to like, but the second half overshadowed nearly all of it.

What went right

What went wrong

The downright ugly

The second half could hardly have started worse for Baltimore's defense. After holding Burrow to six completions on 12 attempts for 43 yards before halftime, the Ravens watched him complete six consecutive passes for 59 yards on Cincinnati's opening third-quarter drive. The nine-play possession lasted 5:36 and ended with a six-yard touchdown pass to Mike Gesicki, immediately cutting into Baltimore's lead and changing the atmosphere inside M&T Bank Stadium.

That drive was only the beginning. Burrow finished the second half with 16 completions on 18 attempts for 249 yards and four touchdowns. He picked apart a defense that had looked far more effective before halftime. Cincinnati scored touchdowns on five consecutive drives, turning a 13-point deficit into a commanding lead and leaving Baltimore without an answer.

The Ravens had shown signs of defensive progress in recent weeks, and their first-half performance suggested that improvement might continue against a dangerous divisional opponent. Instead, they surrendered 28 consecutive points over roughly a quarter and a half. Chase eventually beat Wiggins for another devastating touchdown, and Baltimore's deficit became too much to overcome.

Baltimore's earlier decision to go for it on fourth down instead of taking the field goal also deserves scrutiny. In hindsight, taking the points and playing with a lead may have been the wiser choice, but Cincinnati's onslaught makes you wonder if it would have mattered. The failed conversion didn't cause everything that followed, but it represented a missed opportunity to protect the lead at a crucial moment.

There were other concerns, too. Roquan Smith left with a knee injury and didn't return, while Derrick Henry repeatedly struggled to find room to run. The latter finished with 45 yards on 17 carries. Neither issue alone explains the loss, but both added to a difficult afternoon in which Baltimore couldn't consistently win the individual battles that matter most.

Perhaps the most telling detail came once the outcome was no longer in doubt: A Ravens Super Bowl hero, Joe Flacco, entered the game for Cincinnati in garbage time. The Ravens had spent the first half controlling the game, only to watch the Bengals put it away so thoroughly that their starting quarterback could take a seat.

Baltimore's problem wasn't simply losing a close divisional game. It led by 13, controlled possession, and limited one of the NFL's most dangerous quarterbacks before halftime. The inability to sustain that performance after the break makes this defeat especially concerning, especially with the Ravens now 0-2 against AFC North opponents.

What's next for the Ravens?

Baltimore has little time to dwell on the collapse, with a road matchup against the Buffalo Bills scheduled for next Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. The Ravens will need to regroup quickly, address their second-half defensive breakdowns, and find ways to keep their offense productive when opponents adjust.

The loss to Cincinnati shrinks the margin for error, but the immediate challenge is straightforward: Baltimore must turn its promising stretches into four-quarter performances. Until the Ravens demonstrate they can protect a lead and finish games, their early success will continue to feel less meaningful than it should.