by Sports Xchange

--LB Keith Rivers is week-to-week after injuring his right calf during the second half of Sunday's game.

--DE Michael Johnson, who was drafted in the third round this year, got his first NFL sack during the fourth quarter.

--OT Andre Smith was a healthy inactive Sunday, but coach Marvin Lewis is happy with his progress. When asked why Smith didn't make the game-day lineup, Lewis said: "He doesn't play guard."

--CB Johnathan Joseph has four interceptions this year, with all of them coming against AFC North teams.

REPORT CARD VS. RAVENS

PASSING OFFENSE: B -- Carson Palmer was 20 of 33 for 224 yards and a touchdown. There were a couple of passes off target during the second half, and the offense was inconsistent after the three scoring drives, which will be the focus of improvement going into the week. Chad Ochocinco (five catches, 66 yards) had two nice circus catches near the sideline, and Laveranues Coles (six catches, 72 yards) looks as if he is more comfortable in this offense. The bad things were drops in the second half and ball-security issues for Ochocinco.

RUSHING OFFENSE: A-minus -- Anytime a running back can get back-to-back 100-yard games against the Ravens, as Cedric Benson has done, it is a great achievement. Benson (117 yards, 34 carries) is the first back to have two straight 100-yard games against Baltimore since Ricky Williams (2002-03) and the first since Jerome Bettis in 1997 to do it in the same season. (Bettis also did it in 1996). Brian Leonard returned to the lineup and converted two key third downs, while both backs did a nice job blocking in pass protection.

PASS DEFENSE: A-minus -- The defensive line was able to get consistent pressure on Baltimore QB Joe Flacco, forcing four sacks and also not allowing much downfield. Only four passes were completed to receivers. Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph continue to get better, recording an interception apiece and not allowing anything deep until it was too late. Baltimore's Derrick Mason was targeted 13 times and had only three receptions. Besides the interception, Joseph also had four tackles and five passes defensed. Both safeties also had great games. Chinedum Ndukwe also had a team-high six tackles, including half a sack, a tackle for loss, a quarterback hit and two passes defended, while Chris Crocker had five stops.

RUSH DEFENSE: A-minus -- Tank Johnson and Domata Peko clamped down on Ray Rice, while the linebackers didn't allow Rice to get outside. They were also disciplined in sticking to their running routes. The Bengals had four tackles for loss and didn't allow Rice to get most of his yards until the fourth quarter, when the Bengals were up by 17 points.

SPECIAL TEAMS: C-plus -- Andre Caldwell continues to struggle on kick returns, and the coverage units are struggling, too. Kyries Hebert made a nice save on a Kevin Huber punt, pinning the ball on the Ravens 1.

COACHING: A-minus -- Mike Zimmer had another solid game plan to bottle up Baltimore's offense, while secondary coach Kevin Coyle continues to do a nice job with his unit. Off the bye week, Marvin Lewis and his staff took stock of the season to date and made the right changes while also keeping the team focused on the task at hand.