(SportsNetwork.com) – Shut out a weekend ago, the Cincinnati Bengals will try
to rebound and keep their club-record home unbeaten streak alive this Sunday
in a big matchup with the AFC North rival Baltimore Ravens at Paul Brown
Stadium.
The Bengals ripped off three straight victories to begin the season —
including a Week 1 road win over the Ravens — but have yet to win following a
Week 4 bye. They have dropped road contests around a 37-37 tie to visiting
Carolina on Oct. 12, falling into third place in the division.
Baltimore has grabbed early control of the AFC North by winning five of six
since its loss to Cincinnati, going a game up on 4-3 Pittsburgh.
The Bengals had won 11 in a row at home before tying the Panthers in a
shootout-like contest, but their offense did nothing a week later against the
Indianapolis Colts. Cincinnati was outgained 506-135 in losing a 27-0 contest.
Without star wide receiver A.J. Green for a second straight week due to a toe
injury, Cincinnati mustered only eight first downs. Andy Dalton threw for just
126 yards on 18-of-38 passing while under heavy pressure for much of the day.
“When you don’t have one of your better players, it’s a difficult thing when
you don’t score points, but you can’t use that as an excuse,” said Bengals
head coach Marvin Lewis. “We didn’t play well enough across the board.”
Tight end Jermaine Gresham came up with a career-best 10 catches for 48 yards
in the lopsided loss, but running back Giovani Bernard was held to a mere 17
yards on seven carries.
“They played well and we didn’t execute. I think that’s what it comes down
to,” said Dalton. “We got beat in every part of it offensively.”
Cincinnati will try to make up ground as it will play three straight at home.
The club has not lost at home since Dec. 9, 2012. The Bengals have won four of
their last five at home over the Ravens as well while also taking three of the
previous four meetings overall.
The Ravens have used a quick-starting offense and sack-heavy defense to win
two in a row. Quarterback Joe Flacco has seven touchdown passes over that
span, throwing five against Tampa Bay on Oct. 12 before hitting Torrey Smith
and Owen Daniels for scoring throws in last Sunday’s 29-7 rout over visiting
Atlanta.
Flacco threw for 258 yards while also getting picked off twice. Smith ended
with 81 yards receiving on three catches and the defense logged five sacks for
a second straight week.
“That’s a hard-fought game and a big win,” Ravens head coach John Harbaugh
said. “That’s a good football team that came in here and our guys played
really well.”
Justin Forsett ran for 95 yards on 23 carries and Bernard Pierce plunged into
the end zone from a yard out to give the Ravens their third straight win at
home.
Baltimore is aiming to open a season 6-2 for the fourth time under Harbaugh,
doing so each season between 2010-12 while making the playoffs each year.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
The outcome of this game could depend on if Green is able to go. He has put
together a few big outings against the Ravens, with Week 1 being no exception.
Green made a 77-yard catch in the fourth quarter of that victory to erase a
one-point deficit, juggling and hauling in a pass that was actually tipped by
a Ravens defender.
The dynamic wide out has 27 catches for 465 yards in six career games against
the Ravens with 50-plus yard touchdown catches in each of the last three
meetings.
“You have to assume that any player on any team that might have a chance to
play, you have to prepare for him, because he could be out there,” said
Harbaugh. “But you always look and see in the injury report and see whether
they practiced or not.”
Green did not, in fact, practice on Wednesday, but has not been ruled out.
Lewis noted on Monday that Green had made a lot of progress and the receiver
was able to some running on the rehab field Wednesday, but the club can’t
afford to rush him back early just because it is struggling.
“It’s up to when he’s physically ready to go,” said Lewis. “That decision is
not in my hands. When he is significantly healed he’ll be ready to play. He’ll
know it, I’ll know it, and then he’ll be ready to move forward.”
Without Green last weekend, the Bengals went 1-for-13 on third downs and Kevin
Huber came out to punt 11 times.
Baltimore’s defense will try to get into the face of Dalton and mirror its
effort from the last two games. Linebacker Elvis Dumervil has been at the
charge of the attack, logging five sacks in his last four games with two
against the Falcons.
Dumervil also recovered a fumble caused by one of outside linebacker Pernell
McPhee’s two sacks on the day.
“The first couple weeks have been more a hit and kind of getting to the guy,
and then obviously, sacks come in bunches,” said Dumervil. “True sack artists
know that. So, we just have to continue to be disruptive. And obviously, the
guys in the back end helping us with coverage is definitely huge.”
The Ravens did not sack Dalton in Week 1 as the Bengals quarterback threw for
301 yards on 25-of-38 passing.
“I wouldn’t say they’re a whole lot different,” Dalton said of Baltimore’s
defense from Week 1 to now. “They’re really sound, they’re smart, they play
well. We’ve got to be ready for everything just like we were the first week of
the season. They’ve won a lot of games so far, so we’ve got to do what we can
to slow them down, and do what we can to win this one.”
Baltimore hasn’t been as lucky at the linebacker spot. Pro Bowler Vontaze
Burfict has been plagued by injury, the latest a cervical strain caused while
making a tackle last weekend.
Fellow linebackers Rey Maualuga (hamstring) and Emmanuel Lamur (shoulder) also
are battling injuries, forcing the likes of Jayson DiManche and Vincent Rey
into extended playing time.
Baltimore is in line to get a pair of left-sided offensive lineman back from
knee ailments in tackle Eugene Monroe and guard Kelechi Osemele as both
practiced on Wednesday. Monroe has missed the last four games following
surgery, while Osemele has been out the last two games.
That could further improve an offense that is up to seventh in the NFL with
387.1 yards per game and sixth in scoring at 27.6 points per game.
The Ravens will have a new long snapper this Sunday after Morgan Cox torn his
right ACL in the fourth quarter last Sunday. Baltimore signed Kevin McDermott,
who played in 19 games, including the playoffs, for the San Francisco 49ers a
season ago as an undrafted rookie.
OVERALL ANALYSIS
It’s still early, but if the Bengals are to turn it around, this will need to
be the week. They are in danger of canceling out their fast start and can’t
afford to stumble on a generous stretch of three in a row at home.
“Regardless of where we’re playing, we know how important this game is,” said
Lewis. “Baltimore is playing very well right now. They’re doing a good job
both running the ball and throwing the ball, and obviously they’re playing
good on defense; being very explosive.”
Cincinnati has now added in offensive struggles to a defense that is allowing
416.7 yards per game, ranked 31st in the NFL.
Baltimore, meanwhile, has gotten things together since some early struggles,
mixing in a well-round offense. Assuming Green is less than 100 percent at
best, the secondary should have more time to allow the pass rush to get to
Dalton, unlike Week 1.
Flacco, meanwhile, should have no trouble finding Steve Smith and Daniels
across the middle, taking advantage of the Bengals’ injury issues at
linebacker.
Sports Network predicted outcome: Ravens 24, Bengals 16
