By JOE KAY
AP Sports Writer

CINCINNATI(AP) -- Done with all the drama, the Bengals are
grinding their way into the playoff conversation.

Cedric Benson topped 100 yards again on Sunday, and the Bengals
scored on their first three possessions, setting up a 17-7
victory over Baltimore that kept surprising Cincinnati atop the
AFC North and undefeated against division foes.

With a win next Sunday in Pittsburgh, the Bengals (6-2) would be
in position to make the playoffs for only the second time in the
past 19 years. They won the division in 2005 with a team that
still had a lot to learn.

"We're much more mature," said quarterback Carson Palmer, who
improved to 8-3 career against the Ravens. "We're a better team.
We were a good team back then; we were kind of young and dumb.
This team has more guys that understand how rare this
opportunity is."

Cincinnati would be in control of the division with a win at
Pittsburgh (5-2), which plays Denver on Monday night. The
Bengals are 4-0 in division games, including a two-game sweep of
the Ravens (4-4).

"That's pretty cool," receiver Chad Ochocinco said. "I like
being in the driver's seat. Today was a statement game. I want
every game to be a statement game."

The Ravens have frittered away every advantage they gained by
starting the season 3-0. There's been a lot of self-destruction
involved - dropped passes, missed kicks and penalties galore.

"We're not in a great spot," said Joe Flacco, who was frustrated
all afternoon and threw a pair of interceptions. "We're in a
tough spot."

They've been at their worst against the Bengals, who took
advantage of three Ravens penalties to pull off a last-minute
touchdown in Baltimore on Oct. 11, a 17-14 victory that gained
national notice. By sweeping the series, Cincinnati suggested it
has staying power.

"We're not surprised, we're really not," safety Chris Crocker
said. "Everyone on the outside is, 'Oh, the Bengals got another
one, but they'll fall apart any time."'

They were solid throughout on Sunday.

Benson was coming off the best game of his career: 189 yards
against his former Bears team, a dominating performance that
sent Cincinnati into its bye on an upbeat note. Refreshed by a
weekend off, he was at it again, running for 117 yards and a
touchdown.

Up 17-0 at halftime, it was a matter of holding on. The Bengals
did, with a lot of help from the self-destructive Ravens, who
had 80 yards in penalties and missed a field goal. Their last
chance slipped away when Flacco was sacked on three consecutive
plays.

Last season, the Ravens went 11-5 and made the playoffs as a
wild card, losing to Pittsburgh in the AFC title game. By losing
four of their last five, they've made themselves a long shot to
win the division.

"None of us played well," defensive end Trevor Pryce said. "They
had (solid) techniques and played physical. And they are a
physical team - don't let anybody tell you they aren't."

Cincinnati scored on its first three possessions - touchdown,
touchdown, field goal - against a defense that has struggled
against the run lately, a surprising change. The Ravens hadn't
allowed a 100-yard rusher for 39 consecutive games, a streak
that Benson broke by piling up 120 in that win at Baltimore.

Now, the Ravens have allowed a 100-yard rusher in three of the
last four games. They've also hurt themselves on big plays - two
pass interference penalties extended Cincinnati's second
touchdown drive.

That's not all.

Ray Rice's 1-yard touchdown run cut it to 17-7 early in the
fourth quarter, and the Ravens got their chance to make it close
when Ed Reed stripped Chad Ochocinco after a catch at midfield.
Steve Hauschka hooked a 38-yard field goal try with 6:12 left.

In the past, the Bengals would have been the ones
self-destructing.

"They're not like last year, that's clear," Rice said.

NOTES: Ravens DT Haloti Ngata missed his first game because of a
sprained left ankle. Coach John Harbaugh decided to make him
inactive when he had trouble pushing off in pregame warmups. ...
Baltimore's offense has scored 14 points in the two losses to
Cincinnati. ... Bengals WR Chris Henry broke his left forearm in
the second quarter, when he made a catch and was immediately
tackled. He ranks sixth on the team in receiving. ... LB Keith
Rivers strained his right calf in the second half and was on
crutches after the game. He'll go for tests to determine the
severity. ... First-round pick OT Andre Smith practiced last
week but was inactive for Sunday's game.