Ravens Fall to Third-Largest Collapse in NFL History

The Baltimore Ravens surrendered a 13-0 halftime lead to lose 35-13 to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. The defeat stands as the third-largest loss in NFL history by a team that led by at least 13 points at halftime. Baltimore has lost 17 games since 2020 in which they held a double-digit lead at some point, the most in the league during that span. All three of their losses this season have occurred in games where they held a double-digit lead.

This marked the second consecutive week the Ravens shut out their opponent in the first half only to go scoreless and lose in the second half. The result leaves Baltimore in last place in their division. The loss was compounded by the fact that their opponents are coached by John Harbaugh and Todd Monken, the two head coaches the Ravens released at the end of last season.

In the other major upsets, the Cleveland Browns secured a 27-24 victory over the Tennessee Titans. Quarterback Deshaun Watson engineered a fourth-quarter game-winning drive to seal the win. This is Watson’s fifth game-winning drive of the season, making him just the third quarterback since 1970 to achieve that feat in each of his team's first five victories. The Browns are currently in first place in their division.

The New York Giants also hold the top spot in the NFC East. They won their Week 7 game with J.J. McCarthy starting at quarterback. The Giants have now won games with three different starting quarterbacks this year: McCarthy, Jameis Winston, and Jaxson Dart. They are the first team since the 2016 New England Patriots to win at least three games with three different starters before November.

The Dallas Cowboys remained one game behind the Giants in the NFC East after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night. The Cowboys earned a high grade for their performance in the win. Meanwhile, the Carolina Panthers received an 'F' grade for their Week 7 play.

The NFL standings reflect several surprises entering the final Sunday of October. The Cleveland Browns and New York Giants lead their respective divisions despite earlier season doubts. The Baltimore Ravens sit at the bottom following their dramatic collapse in Cincinnati. The league's Week 7 grading system highlights these divergent trajectories for the contenders and pretenders.