Ravens Collect on Returns

Rookies Chad Williams and Ron Johnson scored touchdowns on returns, and a Baltimore Raven defense missing Ray Lewis held on at the end in a 27-23 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

The Ravens (6-6) opened the season with 19 first-year players on the roster, the fallout from salary-cap problems that gutted a Super Bowl team. Injuries to Lewis and others dropped them out of contention at midseason.

Heading down the stretch, the newcomers are reviving the playoff talk.

“The older guys are doing the big things, and the younger guys are trying to figure out where we fit in,” said Johnson, a fourth-round pick. “You never want to give up on the playoffs. You never want to lose that hope.”

Williams stepped in front of Corey Dillon and intercepted Jon Kitna’s pass, returning it 98 yards with 19 seconds left in the first half, slipping through the quarterback’s desperate attempt at a tackle.

“I was just being patient,” Williams said.

“When I made the pick, I wasn’t thinking 98 yards; I was just looking at Kitna. I didn’t know how far 98 yards was.”

Williams also blocked Nick Harris’ punt early in the fourth quarter, deflecting the ball to Johnson on one bounce. He ran 22 yards unchallenged for the touchdown.