On Sunday, the Ravens defeated the Bengals in a 24-0 shutout victory that eliminated Cincinnati from the postseason and kept Baltimore in contention for the AFC North title. Here are some instant reactions from the Baltimore Beatdown staff. Comment with yours!

You probably didn’t expect the Ravens, in their wildest dreams to give Joe Burrow his first shutout since joining the NFL. They did it, and added seven more points. Zach Orr, the defensive coordinator, deserves praise for a game plan that put a lot of pressure on Joe Burrow while motivating his team. There were a few stumbles and bumps on the offense, but they were fewer and smaller than usual. Monken, who (mostly), relied on the running against a bad defensive unit, leaned heavily on Lamar Jackson, who is improving each week. The Ravens finally showed their potential. Nikhil Mehta

In the last two years, it’s difficult to recall a Ravens defense that has performed better. Zach Orr’s defense shut down a Bengals offensive force in a game that was a must-win. The pass rush was the best of the year, leading to several big turnovers. One of them included the amazing interception by Kyle Van Noy that Alohi Gillman used for a 95 yard TD. The Ravens offense showed some flashes, but again, a strange play call thwarted a bigger scoring output. The Ravens have made a good start, but will need to step it up when the New England Patriots come to town for another game that could decide their fate. – Stephen Bopst

What a game! The Ravens played the most complete match of the season. It is not a joke that the Bengals were shut out by Joe Burrow’s team. Lamar Jackson was a great passer, the three running backs all had touches and were impressive, Zay Flower had 68 yard on only three catches. The offense was actually functional outside of the first quarter.

The defense was outstanding. Zero points, two interceptions, and three sacks. If their last drive is any indication, the Ravens took the will of the Bengals. This was the perfect win to get back on track after losing back-to back division games. – Zach Canter

It’s like a breath fresh air. With a stellar performance, the defense turned the clock back and shut out Joe Burrow’s Bengals offense who have been a constant source of frustration in the past. Alohi Gilman played well, as did Dre’Mont Jones and Travis Jones. Kyle Van Noy deserves credit for his shrewd handoff of Gilman to the pick-six.

The formula for offense was easy. RUN. THE. BALL. Todd Monken, after overcoming a shaky beginning, realized that this was the key. He unleashed Derrick Henry to stretch out a Bengals’ defense. Lamar Jackson played his best since returning from an injury and the Ravens won a key game to get back up to.500. The Dolphins should stay hot to help them against the Steelers on Sunday night. Mark Myers

With their season at stake, the Ravens couldn’t have responded any better. Zach Orr deserves credit for his defense’s performance, even though the offense played a part. Joe Burrow faced constant pressure from Baltimore’s passing rush throughout the entire game. The secondary was able to effectively contain the passing game, while also rallying to tackle in order to prevent yards after catch. In today’s NFL, it’s hard to emphasize how impressive it is to shut out a team with Joe Burrow & Ja’Marr chase. Lamar Jackson looked as good on offense as they had in months. The Ravens will be able to make some noise in the AFC playoffs if they can rely on their running game and defense as the temperature drops. Dustin Cox