NFL Week 2 - Ravens @ Bengals
What I’m Excited About
Ravens - Last week the Ravens defensive front did a great job rushing the passer. I’m excited to see more of that this week. The Browns won by putting pressure on Burrow and I hope to see more of the same this week. I love me a good pass rush against a team with a pass attack like Cincinnati. I’m looking forward to seeing Zay Flowers running around the field. I root for rookies and he had a good week one, I hope to see that continue. The Ravens’ passing game might stall, but the ground game that beat the Bengals last week is the strong suit for the Ravens too and I would love to see them keep the ball out of the Bengals’ hands.
Bengals - I am excited to see how they answer last week’s loss. The Ravens and Bengals are a fascinating match-up with strengths and weaknesses matched up against one another. This is a classic struggle and the Bengals are the team that has to answer the call. They are looking at a 0-2 start if they let the Ravens run game take over time of possession. The weather will be clear this weekend so we won’t have to guess which kind of team we will see. The ball will be dry and offenses will have a fair shot at being the best version of themselves.
My Prediction
Ravens 24 - Bengals 21
1st Quarter
-The Ravens open with an impressive march for a Touchdown. The kind of opening statement you want to see when the division driver’s seat is there for the taking. Ravens 7 - Bengals 0
-The Bengals get called for holding in their opening drive and the brief momentum they had is taken away. Burrow gets the ball to his receivers’ hands on a long play, but one foot lands out of bounds and the drive ends in a punt. Not the opening Bengals fans want to see after last week. Not feeling great but not yet worried.
-The Ravens have a nothing special drive. I think they are going to punt the ball away but they go for the 59-yard field goal attempt and miss wide right. Is that the best idea with a Bengals team that isn’t bringing the mustard on offense? Put them deep in their own zone or give them the ball at midfield if you miss the FG. I mean, easy to say after the fact, but even if you make the FG, the long field might be worth more than the 3 points at this part of the game.
-The Bengals go 3 & out and only manage to gain 2 yards with a starting position at midfield. Not looking good for the Bengals if the Ravens’ D gets into a rhythm.
2nd Quarter
-The next drive for Baltimore starts with a great push by the offensive line. There are lots of things to like about the Ravens’ game today. The 1st quarter ends and the new quarter brings a new team, a regressing team. Jackson is bailed out on a 3rd & short by a penalty. The running back was open in the flat and Jackson never saw him. He fumbled the ball, but again, the penalty bailed bailed him out. The offense just sputtered after that and you have to wonder where they went all of a sudden. Punt team onto the field.
-In what could be an early season-defining moment, the Bengals return the punt for a touchdown. The game is now tied, and the Ravens offense is hitting a wall of their own making. This is the chance for the defense to get the ball back in the hands of Joe Burrow and control the pace of this game. Ravens 7 - Bengals 7
-The Ravens answer the punt return with a field goal and get the lead back. The longer the Ravens hold the lead, the longer they can keep the ball on the ground and grind down the clock and the Bengals’ D-Line Ravens 10 - Bengals 7
-The Bengals have an encouraging business-like march down the field that stalls out thanks to good defense in the red zone. Noticeable at this point is the lack of pressure Burrow has been under this half. This game felt like the field was tilted in favor of the Ravens, but has stabilized into a tough divisional grind-it-out game and I’m here for it. Can the Ravens score on the 2 min drill? Ravens 10 - Bengals 10
-The Ravens drive into the red zone then take two holding penalties. Their own worst enemy to end the half they make the field goal to take the lead into the locker room. Ravens 13 - Bengals 10
-This has been a good game so far. It felt like the Ravens could have taken control of this game early, but this is what makes divisional games so difficult. Unless the talent gap is huge, teams just know how to play at the same level. The positives lean slightly in favor of the Ravens but the Bengals being at home means they are a turnover away or a bog offensive play away from taking the momentum and winning this game at home.
3rd Quarter
-The Bengals are on another business-like drive into the red zone. The exact response you want to see from the Bengals. The Ravens have held a tight red zone defense so far this game and this might become a battle of field goals……until……INTERCEPTION!
-The Ravens get the ball back and immediately go for the long ball, which they complete to Flowers in double coverage. Heck of a thrown-and-catch. It takes three more plays and the Bengals look like they will get the stop, but the Ravens score the touchdown and take a 10-point lead. Turnovers are bad and not the Bengals need a game-changing play of their own, but they don’t have the lead and are down my two scores. The hill to climb looms. Ravens 20 - Bengals 10
-The Bengals have another clean drive down the field but this time they get the touchdown. Burrow is not being rushed and if it were not for the interception the drive before, this game would look very different than it does now. Still, the Bengals are down 3 with a full quarter to play. The Bengals are driving easier than the Ravens, this game feels like this game will come down to who makes the last mistake. Ravens 20 - Bengals 17
4th Quarter
-The Ravens dial up the run game and just like last week, the Bengals have a hard time stopping the run. There are eleven and a half minutes left in the game but the Ravens keep holding serve with this 10-point lead. It’s getting to the point where the Bengals aren’t allowed to take their time. They need some quick-strike offense in their next drive. Ravens 27 - Bengals 17
-Does it count as a quick-strike offense if they go 3 & out? The Ravens will get the ball back with their run game working, nine and a half minutes on the clock, and a chance to put this game away with a touchdown.
-The Ravens are in a great position to win this game, but the penalties have been a problem today. The game would be over already if not for ill-timed and drive-busting infractions.
-The Bengals drive and score a touchdown to close the gap to three points. It feels like the Ravens run game will be enough to eat the rest of the clock. Ravens 27 - Bengals 24
-The writing that was on the wall most of the game signed off on the conclusion to this game. The run game and the scrambles by Jackson gave the win to Baltimore.
The Takeaway
The Ravens looked really good on the field today. The passing game hit the big plays it needed to. The run game was dominant in a game where they needed to be the engine. The Ravens got an early lead and the Bengals did not have enough to go up against the Ravens’ defense to catch up and get ahead at the end.
The Ravens now get to play with confidence and a head start going into the middle of the season. This is a comfortable spot for the fans to be. The team is playing well on both sides of the ball. All cylinders may not be firing at full strength but the team, thanks to this quick start.
The Bengals are in a tough spot. Gained under 300 total yards on offense and gave up over 400 on defense. Two losses to division opponents and a defense that has not shown signs of being a 60-minute defense. There may be flashes, but where is the lock down when the offense isn’t clicking? Seeing Burrow on the sideline with the massage gun on his calf every defensive series does not give me the warm and fuzzies either. It is early but the next four games are against the Rams, Titans, Cardinals and Seahawks. After those four games, the Bengals have their bye week. Being at least .500 going into the bye is a must. Looking at the schedule on the other side of the bye, I would go so far to say being 4-2 going into the bye week is the requirement.
CHR;)
