(Sports Network) - The only thing stouter than the Guinness draft at the local bar - where many football fans had to venture to catch the NFL Network - was Cincinnati's defense.

Or was that Baltimore's? It was tough to distinguish the two units after a cold late November night on the Riverfront.

And that's a good thing. If Cincinnati can mimic Baltimore's ferocity until season's end, these Bengals could be a dangerous bunch.

"We played good, sound football," said rookie cornerback Johnathan Joseph, speaking wise beyond his years. "That's the way they play their game. They keep the game close and let their defense win it and our defense did the job tonight along with our offense."

Actually, the offense converted just one big play before being beaten and battered in the backyard divisional prize fight, but that's a story for further down the page.

The headlines lie in a much-maligned - and rightfully so for much of the season - unit that has improved over the last three weeks.

Three weeks ago, San Diego piled 42 second-half points on a unit with many holes. Now, turning the clocks forward, Cincinnati has allowed its lowest back-to-back scoring games since allowing 10 total points on December 12 and 19, 1993.

"I think guys have a lot more resolve now on defense," said linebacker Caleb Miller, who has maintained his high level of play as his defensive compatriots have slowly started to join him. "I think everyone has realized what it takes. Whenever anybody asks me and Landon (Johnson), we just say, 'We do what we're told.' You do that, execute a good game plan, and the other team isn't going to score."

Baltimore managed just a late fourth-quarter touchdown in a 13-7 defeat, moving the Bengals within two games in the division with four left.

CARSON TO T.J. AND THAT'S ALL FOLKS

Carson Palmer watched film of Bart Scott's hit. He watched clips of a Ravens defense turning Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger into a rag doll for 60 minutes. He saw the same physical domination spouted about after fellow division rival Pittsburgh had its Super Bowl rings handed to it in a 27-0 drubbing.

Palmer watched all of this under the stark reality that his offensive line wasn't in pristine condition.

Confident and cool, the signal-caller still went to work Thursday night and came away relatively clean with a victory in his pocket.

The big play came with Palmer standing behind an offensive line featuring four backups. And flea-flickers, well, let's just say they take longer than a three-step drop.

The line held its ground, Baltimore all-world safety Ed Reed bit on the handoff, and by the time the ball was back in Palmer's hands, T.J. Houshmandzadeh was running free down the field.

Houshmandzadeh went in motion on the play, faked like he was about to block Reed on the handoff to Kenny Watson, then sprinted down the field.

"You watch us play and 95 percent of the time I go in motion, I'm blocking the safety," Houshmandzadeh said. "So you know I might as well get a touchdown out of it every now and then."

The 40-yard TD connection gave the Bengals a 13-0 edge early in the third quarter, a lead they would sit on to the finish line.

It was the group up front that made it possible.

When center Eric Ghiaciuc went down with a knee injury, head coach Marvin Lewis had a decision. He couldn't move left guard Eric Steinbach to center because two fellow guards, Levi Jones and Bobbie Williams were already injured.

So, Ben Wilkerson, with all of three NFL snaps under his belt, became the last line of defense between a straight-rushing linebacker and the prized franchise quarterback.

Yet despite all of the injuries, Palmer was sacked just twice against the hard-charging Baltimore defense.

"Our first priority was to protect No. 9," veteran offensive lineman Willie Anderson said of Palmer. "We know they've got a great run defense, but we just wanted to make sure that the quarterback didn't get hit."

Palmer heaped the praise on his protectors after the contest.

"The way that those guys have been getting knocked out, and new guys have been filtering in and playing different positions, it doesn't worry me at all," Palmer said. "Those guys have been making plays and coming in. Ben wasn't shaken at all. He played at LSU. He's played a lot of big games. He played in the National Championship game. This was nothing for him to come in and just make some plays."

FROM LEWIS' LIPS TO OUR EARS

"I think it's just important that when guys have an opportunity to play, they play well. And make sure you take care of your job and what you've got to do first and go from there. And I think that's important."

My Take: Cincinnati has been more accountable in the last several games, and the culture of the club looks more positive than it did earlier in the season. The Bengals' backups have done a remarkable job all season long, whether it is the patchwork offensive line or a defensive back like Ethan Kilmer.

"We're going to keep playing, push harder, coach harder, coach better, play better and try to never have those extremes that you guys go through, the ups and downs."

My Take: With Oakland on the horizon, another victory puts Cincinnati on the inside looking up in the AFC playoff picture. Lewis sounds determined and his players seem to be responding at the right time.

QUICK HITS

-- Houshmandzadeh had 10 catches for 106 yards and a score in the victory. He also scored, while racking up 66 receiving yards, in the first meeting with Baltimore this season.

"I thought we hit first," Houshmandzadeh said. "It was a jab. It was no overhand right. There was no left hook. They can take a punch."

-- Rudi Johnson only managed 47 yards on 16 carries, but the bruising running back is not alone. Last week's victim was Willie Parker, who only mustered 22 yards on 10 carries. The week prior to that, Atlanta's Warrick Dunn finished with just 52 yards on the ground. The message: Baltimore's rush defense is really good.

--Dexter Jackson isn't Larry Brown. He didn't garner a huge contract on the heels of a Super Bowl MVP to just sit on his laurels and collect a paycheck. Jackson continued on the road to recovery from an ankle injury in playing his most impressive game of the season, finishing with eight solo tackles to lead the team.

"He doesn't care what you think. He'll start a fight with guys to get them going," said defensive tackle John Thornton. "He's the most vocal guy (on the field), a guy that gets you fired up and tells you what to do. It's hard for a guy who plays on the line to do that because you don't see what's going on behind you like a linebacker or safety."

UP NEXT: VISIT FROM RAIDER NATION

Don't say that too loud? Raider Nation has shrunk to the greater Oakland area following another disappointing season.

Oakland (2-10) will make its first-ever trip to Paul Brown Stadium on Sunday, and its first visit to Cincinnati since 1995.

The last meeting was a 2003 contest in Oakland, a game Cincinnati let slip away, 23-20.