CINCINNATI -- Inspired by a visit from Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed, the Baltimore Ravens recorded their first shutout in seven years by beating the Cincinnati Bengals 24-0 on Sunday.
Reed dropped by Friday's practice unannounced and spoke to the players about brotherhood. His message was you need to be close off the field to be close on it.
Two days later, the Ravens produced their first shutout since 2018, when they blanked the Titans in Tennessee.
"It's always great to hear from a Ravens legend," cornerback Marlon Humphrey said. "Maybe we need a Raven to come back every week if we're going to practice like that and play like that."
The Ravens preserved the shutout midway through the fourth quarter on a Reed-like play. After Baltimore outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy intercepted Joe Burrow deep in Ravens territory, Van Noy handed the ball off to safety Alohi Gilman in what was reminiscent of one of Reed's storied laterals. Gilman then returned the turnover 84 yards for the touchdown.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh told Van Noy afterward the defense used to have a "pitch list" that detailed which players could lateral the ball. Reed was among the few who had permission to do so.
"I told Kyle when he came off the field that he was now officially on 'The List,'" Harbaugh said.
Reed's visit came during one of the most physical practices of the year. Humphrey acknowledged that he was sore Saturday because of the intensity of Friday's practice.
"I think we're pissed off we lost to them the first time, I'm not going to lie," Gilman said of the 32-14 loss to the Bengals on Thanksgiving night. "So that's kind of where I came from. But at the end of the day, it's about us. It's about our defense; it's about our team. But it was good to go out there and just put that on tape and let everyone know that we're ready to roll."
In what was the coldest game in the Ravens' 30-year history -- 10 degrees at kickoff with a wind chill of minus-1 degree -- the Baltimore defense was fired up. Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton was videoed telling his fellow defensive backs, "When we beat them, their f---ing season's over with!"
"I felt that [during] play one, that they weren't ready to play," Ravens linebacker Dre'Mont Jones said. "It was too cold for them."
This marked the first time Burrow has been shut out in his 74-game NFL career. The Ravens held Burrow to a 58.2 passer rating, the second lowest of his career, and picked him off twice.
"The defense was playing lights out holding a -- what I feel like -- is a high-powered offense with Joe Burrow," Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson said. "For those guys not to have any points on the board, that's tremendous. Hats off to our defense."
The Ravens (7-7) moved within a half-game of the first-place Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6), who host the Miami Dolphins on Monday night. With three games remaining, Baltimore's playoff chances increased to 48%, according to ESPN Analytics.
After losing two straight home games to Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, Humphrey believed the Ravens knew there was no margin for error.
"I think the message has been clear. It's kind of 'win or die trying,' and with our backs against the wall, some people look at it as a bad thing," Humphrey said. "I think we're kind of looking at as a good thing because you just have to do it, or you don't. There's no more talking. We did well [today], so we just got to kind enjoy this one a little bit and then keep the momentum."
