Playing in the first Monday Night Football game of the 2012 NFL season, the Baltimore Ravens demolished the Cincinnati Bengals with a 44-13 home victory at M&T Bank Stadium late Monday evening.
For the first game of the season, it's hard to ask for a better start when it comes to the upcoming 2012 Baltimore Ravens schedule. The team supported Star quarterback Joe Flacco well as he threw for 299 yards and two touchdowns while running back Ray Rice ran for two touchdowns and safety Ed Reed ran a 34-yard interception return for a game-sealing T.D.
The Ravens not only won on Monday night, but also became only the 5th NFL team in history to score more than 40 points in their opening game of the season.
The prospect of victory wasn't a sure bet for the whole game last night, though. After jumping out to a 17-3 lead early in the game, the Ravens slipped midway through as the Bengals crept up to a 17-13 by mid-way into the third quarter of Monday night's game.
Ed Reed's 34-yard interception return to a touchdown worked as a late third quarter catalyst to launch the Ravens into victory. The return now gives Reed 1,497 career yards on interception returns, surpassing former teammate Ron Woodson's record of 1,483 yards.
