Bengals hang on against Ravens

What was left of the Bengals held on for a win that hurt so good.

With wounded players shuffling off the field in waves, Cincinnati pulled off the kind of victory last night that could set the tone for a season - that is, assuming no one else gets hurt.

Carson Palmer threw his second touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, and a suspect defense made a goal-line stand in the closing seconds that preserved a 27-20 win over the visiting Baltimore Ravens.

"We know it's going to be a hard-fought game when we play these guys - tough, physical," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. "It's important to win the physical games because you put so much into it."

In a bruising opener matching the last two AFC North champs, the Bengals were the last ones standing. Baltimore had a chance to tie it in the closing seconds with Steve McNair sitting on the bench, out with a strained groin.

Kyle Boller drove the Ravens to the 1-yard line, where a penalty and Baltimore's sixth turnover sealed it. Todd Heap was called for pushing off on his touchdown catch, then had a pass bounce off his shoulder and into the hands of diving lineman Michael Myers with 1:13 to go.

McNair had a hand in four of the Ravens' six turnovers. One pass slipped out of his hand and was returned 34 yards by linebacker Landon Johnson for a TD. His tipped interception set up Palmer's go-ahead touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.

Niners 20, Cardinals 17 - Arnaz Battle scored on a 1-yard end-around with 22 seconds to play as host San Francisco emerged from an awful offensive night with an 86-yard scoring drive to cap a victory over Arizona.

Quarterback Alex Smith had looked terrible on the newly named Bill Walsh Field until leading that near-flawless march in the waning minutes for the 49ers, who beat the Cardinals for the first time in five tries during coach Mike Nolan's tenure.

Smith, beginning his third pro season, finished 15 of 31 for 126 yards - 60 on the final drive.