AFC NORTH Reed learns a lesson in Ravens' win over Bengals

BALTIMORE (AP) -- For the young Baltimore Ravens, this season is all about learning and improving.
Ed Reed received a lesson he won't soon forget Sunday in Baltimore's 38-27 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Reed, the Ravens' top draft pick, had an outstanding game. He intercepted two passes, had four tackles and made a key block on Lamont Brightful's pivotal 95-yard punt return.
But he also made a rookie mistake that he may never be able to push into the back of his mind. Even if he does, his teammates will always be there to remind him, and he won't be able to watch a blooper reel without seeing his gaffe.
After his first interception, Reed was within a couple of strides of his first NFL touchdown when he prematurely celebrated the moment by foolishly holding the ball out in front of him.
Touchback
T.J. Houshmandzadeh swatted the ball from Reed's outstretched arm at the 8, and Peter Warrick recovered in the end zone for a touchback to keep the score 7-7.
"Like a kid in the candy store with no money. You see the candy but you just can't get it," Reed said. "I won't make the same mistake twice."
He showed that he'd already learned from his blunder later in the game, tucking the ball in after his second interception. The turnover set up Jamal Lewis' second touchdown, a 3-yard run that made it 38-20 with 6:14 remaining.
"I'm already getting it from my teammates," Reed said, "but I made up for it."
Brightful and Adalius Thomas made sure that Reed's bone-headed play wouldn't prove costly. Brightful set a team record with his 95-yard punt return, and Thomas scored on a 25-yard interception return.
Lewis ran for 135 yards as the Ravens (4-5) snapped a two-game losing streak and denied Cincinnati a second straight victory following last week's rout of expansion Houston.
Long kickoff return
Brandon Bennett ran a kickoff back 94 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter -- the Bengals' first score in Baltimore since 1998. There were plenty more points to follow, but Cincinnati (1-8) lost its sixth straight on the road against the Ravens.
"On the road, in order to win, you can't turn the ball over four times," said Jon Kitna, who threw three interceptions.
Kitna went 28-for-42 for 272 yards and two touchdowns, and Corey Dillon ran for 102 yards. But the Bengals are now assured a 12th straight non-winning season.
"We're going to win our share," Bengals coach Dick LeBeau said. "We had too many turnovers. Jon's been playing really good, and he feels really bad about that."
Baltimore quarterback Jeff Blake went 16-for-24 for 183 yards and a touchdown against his former team. He was 0-2 since taking over as the starter for the injured Chris Redman.