Jackson leads rally, and Ravens stop 2-point attempt to hold off Bengals 35-34

BALTIMORE (AP) — Facing his largest deficit in three years, Lamar Jackson led Baltimore back with another dazzling display.

He danced along the sideline on one scramble, turning a potential 20-yard loss into a 10-yard gain. He left his feet while throwing the winning touchdown pass, finding Rashod Bateman in the end zone with a flick of a wrist and a follow through that looked almost like a basketball player's.

Jackson threw three fourth-quarter touchdown passes, and the Ravens stopped Cincinnati on a 2-point conversion with 38 seconds remaining to hold off the Bengals 35-34 on Thursday night. The Ravens rallied from a 21-7 third-quarter deficit, overcoming a huge game from Cincinnati receiver Ja'Marr Chase.

“It starts with Lamar, and oftentimes it ends with Lamar,” Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said. “But in between Lamar and Lamar, there's a lot of great players out there that are surrounding him. I think that's kind of where our offense is at right now.”

Baltimore had 231 of its 389 total yards in the fourth quarter.

Chase finished with 11 catches for 264 yards and three touchdowns, including a 5-yarder in the final minute to bring the Bengals (4-6) within one. Cincinnati — which lost to Baltimore in overtime last month — decided to go for 2 and the lead, and Joe Burrow's pass for Tanner Hudson sailed high.

“We had our opportunity,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. “We got down there, went for two and just didn’t work out for us. This team is going to continue to put us in good positions, and there’s going to be a point in the season where that turns.”

The 14-point deficit was the largest for Baltimore (7-3) since the finale of the 2022 regular season at Cincinnati — a game Jackson missed because of an injury. The last time the Ravens trailed by 14 with Jackson on the field was exactly three years earlier. On Nov. 7, 2021, Baltimore rallied from a 24-10 deficit to beat Minnesota 34-31.

Cincinnati actually had the ball while up 14 in the third, but a fumble by Chase Brown gave the Ravens a short field, and a nifty scramble along the sideline by Jackson set up Derrick Henry’s 1-yard touchdown run. With the ball at the 11, Jackson dropped back and retreated all the way to the 30 before outrunning a couple rushers to the sideline, turning upfield and managing to stay in bounds all the way to the 1.

“Just trying to make something happen. That's all that was,” Jackson said. “I was going to throw the ball away, but when I turned I had room.”

In the fourth, Tylan Wallace turned a short pass into an 84-yard touchdown, barely staying inbounds himself as a couple of Cincinnati defenders failed to stop him. Justin Tucker missed the extra point, but the Ravens were within one.

Cincinnati drove into Baltimore territory, but on both third-and-2 and fourth-and-2, Burrow threw incomplete deep. Jackson gave the Ravens the lead with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Mark Andrews, and then the two-time MVP-winning quarterback ran himself for a 2-point conversion.

Chase beat Baltimore deep for a 70-yard touchdown that tied the game at 28 with 5:37 to play, but the Ravens answered with Jackson's 5-yard scoring toss to Rashod Bateman with 1:49 remaining to go ahead 35-28.

Jackson threw for 290 yards and four touchdowns. Burrow threw for 428 yards and four TDs.

The Ravens lost All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton to an ankle injury late in the first half.

Cincinnati scored on a 1-yard touchdown run by Brown on the game’s first drive. The Ravens thought they’d stopped the Bengals on fourth down near the goal line, but a holding call on cornerback Brandon Stephens gave Cincinnati a new set of downs.

Baltimore also burned two timeouts on that first drive, one on an unsuccessful challenge.

Jackson threw a 6-yard scoring pass to Nelson Agholor in the second, but the Bengals took the lead on a 3-yard touchdown pass from Burrow to Tanner Hudson shortly after Hamilton’s injury.

The Ravens got back to around midfield at the end of the half, but by then they were out of timeouts and the clock ran out on them.

Burrow threw a 67-yard touchdown pass to Chase early in the third.

Chase had 457 yards receiving in two games against the Ravens this season, an NFL record for one player against another team.

“Honestly man it’s just two great football teams going at it,” Chase said. “Every time we play Baltimore it’s a dog fight, the game’s always close to the end.”

Jackson's kneel-down on the game's final play knocked the Ravens back to 99 yards rushing. The Ravens had run for at least 100 in 42 straight games, one shy of the NFL record.

The Bengals needed a big game from Chase because receiver Tee Higgins was out with a quad injury. ... Harbaugh said Hamilton has a sprained ankle and the injury isn't too serious.

Bengals: At the Los Angeles Chargers on Nov. 17.

Ravens: At Pittsburgh on Nov. 17.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry scores a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton (81) reaches for an incomplete pass as Baltimore Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens (21) defends during the second half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) embrace after an NFL football game, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, in Baltimore. The Ravens won 35-34. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews (89) catches a pass against Cincinnati Bengals safety Jordan Battle (27) during the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase celebrates after scoring a 67-yard touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson passes the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews (89) scores a touchdown past Cincinnati Bengals safety Geno Stone (22) during the second half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Odafe Oweh, left, pressures Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) as he passes the ball during the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tanner Hudson (87) misses a two-point conversion as Baltimore Ravens safety Ar'Darius Washington (29) defends and Baltimore Ravens safety Marcus Williams (32) looks on during the second half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) catches a touchdown pass over Baltimore Ravens cornerback Nate Wiggins (2) and safety Ar'Darius Washington (29) during the second half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, in Baltimore. The Ravens won 35-34. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman (7) catches a pass for a touchdown past Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt (29) and safety Geno Stone (22) during the second half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow pauses on the field after an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, in Baltimore. The Ravens won 35-34. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) walks from the field after an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, in Baltimore. The Ravens won 35-34. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tanner Hudson (87) scores a touchdown as Baltimore Ravens cornerback Arthur Maulet (10), linebacker Trenton Simpson (23), and cornerback Marlon Humphrey (44) look on during the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, in Baltimore. Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) celebrates. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tanner Hudson (87) celebrates scoring a touchdown with tight end Mike Gesicki (88) as Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey (44) walks right during the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Tylan Wallace (16) runs for an 84-yard touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) is pressures by Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Myles Murphy (99) during the second half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson scores a two-point conversion during the second half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Nearly 200 absentee ballots somehow went uncounted in Wisconsin's liberal capital after the Nov. 5 election, prompting state election officials to launch an investigation Thursday into whether the city clerk broke the law.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission voted unanimously to investigate whether Madison City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl failed to comply with state law or abused her discretion. Commission members said they were concerned the clerk's office didn't inform them of the problem until late December, almost a month and a half after the election. Commission Chair Ann Jacobs certified Wisconsin's election results on Nov. 29.

Witzel-Behl's office said in a statement that the number of uncounted votes didn't affect the outcome of any race or referendum on the ballots. But Jacobs said the oversight was “so egregious” that the commission must determine what happened and how it can be prevented as spring elections approach.

“We are the final canvassers," Jacobs said. “We are the final arbiters of votes in the state of Wisconsin and we need to know why those ballots weren't included anywhere.”

Witzel-Behl said in an email to The Associated Press that her office looks forward to working with the commission to determine what happened and how to prevent the same issues in future elections.

It’s another misstep for Witzel-Behl, who announced in September that her office mistakenly sent out up to 2,000 duplicate absentee ballots. She blamed it on a data processing error.

According to election commission documents, the commission learned of the uncounted ballots on Dec. 18, when Witzel-Behl's staff told the commission that they recorded more absentee ballots as received than ballots counted in three city wards.

The commission asked Witzel-Behl to provide a detailed statement, which she did two days later. The memo stated that on Nov. 12, the clerk’s office discovered 67 unprocessed ballots for Ward 65 and one unprocessed ballot for Ward 68 in a courier bag found in a vote tabulating machine.

The memo also stated that her office was reconciling ballots for Ward 56 on Dec. 3 when 125 unprocessed ballots were discovered in a sealed courier bag. Reconciliation is a post-election process in which officials account for every ballot created. That work begins immediately after an election. Clerks have 45 days to complete it.

The memo does not offer any explanation, saying only that the clerk's office planned “to debrief these incidents and implement better processes.”

The clerk's office issued a statement on Dec. 26 saying it had informed the elections commission and would send an apology letter to each affected voter.

Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway released her own statement the same day saying the clerk's office didn't tell her staff about the problem until Dec. 20. She said her office plans to review the city's election procedures.

“While the discovery of these unprocessed absentee ballots did not impact the results of any election or referendum, a discrepancy of this magnitude is unacceptable,” the mayor said in the statement.

Wisconsin is a perennial battleground state in presidential elections. Republican Donald Trump won the state this past November on his way to reclaiming the White House, beating Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris by about 29,000 votes.

Madison and surrounding Dane County are well-known liberal strongholds. Harris won 75% of the vote in the county in November.

This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Madison City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl's last name.

FILE - Election workers process ballots for the 2024 General Election, Nov. 5, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)