"Some of our guys may have been surprised by him, but I know all about him," said Bengals linebacker Vincent Rey. "But I know all about him. He's a tough guy, he's got good size and he runs hard. I saw him play when he was at Rutgers and I know he has the ability to be a good back."

Edwards' running style was both decisive and powerful. He hit holes with authority and broke tackles throughout the day, and the Bengals defense did not have an answer.

"To give us that type of a back is very important," Harbaugh said. "He gives us that back that we probably didn't have earlier in the year. We've got four different guys who have different styles. I think that's a plus for us."

Edwards' two most important runs came back-to-back during the third quarter, with Baltimore trailing, 21-13. On second-and-3 from Cincinnati's 11-yard line, Edwards burst through a crease and barreled into the end zone for a touchdown. Then the Ravens went for two points and Edwards delivered again, powering into the end zone behind the left side of the Ravens' offensive line to tie the game at 21.

Baltimore had struggled to run the football before this game, but Jackson and Edwards added a new dimension to the offense. Perhaps Edwards can become the back they've been looking for to lead their rushing attack. If called upon more often, Edwards said he would be ready.

"This was a must-win situation, we wanted to treat it like a playoff game," Edwards said. "With Lamar, they have to respect what he can do. When he hands it off, it takes a lot of pressure off me.