Ravens Sneak By Very 2007-Looking Bengals

In a battle of which team had the most preseason babel, the Baltimore Ravens bested the Cincinnati Bengals using that same old defense we've all grown to love.

Carson Palmer and the Bengals always bi-polar offense scored just diez points and were outplayed by a rookie quarterback from the University of Delaware who apparently isn't rattled by the National Football League.

Joe Flacco went 15-29 for 129 yards and a touchdown, adding a 38-yard jog for a touchdown that put the Ravens up 17-3 at the end of the third quarter.

"It's just football. It's a lot of fun, though, just like it's always been," said Flacco, the 18th overall pick in the NFL draft. "I think our offense was in control all day. And obviously we had a lot of help from our defense."

The defense they are talking about held that Bengals offense to just seven first downs, 154 total net yards and Palmer to just 99 complete yards passing. It isn't totally clear if the Ravens defense is that good or the Bengals offense is that bad. The one thing that is certain is the Chad Ocho Cinco era is off to smoking start.

Chad Ocho Cinco, forced by the NFL to wear Chad Johnson on his jersey, was held to one catch for 22 yards. He praised the blitz-oriented defense deployed by defensive coordinator Rex Ryan.

"Two thumbs up to him and what they did today. It was unbelievable, and I told him after the game," Ocho Cinco said. "I don't know what they were playing. That's some playground defense."

I bet if I had told you this morning that Flacco would have accumulated more fantasy points than Tom Brady, you would have rolled your eyes and called me an idiot (again).