Bengals Vs Ravens: A Look Back At The 5 Keys And The Results
The Cincinnati Bengals avoided rolling into the playoffs on a losing note. The 24-16 win over the Baltimore Ravens wasn’t a blowout but a reassuring victory. The Bengals were able to reconnect with an old friend — the running game — and get prepared for the playoffs. The action was just a precursor for the battles they’ll encounter in the postseason. The Ravens played hard until the bitter end. But the Bengals managed to meet the five major keys.
Get to Ryan Mallet
Coming into the season finale, Mallet had dusted-off one of the hottest teams in the hunt for the playoffs. He led the Ravens to a 20-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers and looked good doing it. Sunday, the Bengals’ defense did what they do best. They harassed and pressured Mallet enough to get him out of the superstar delusion. Per stats at ESPN, his numbers took a beating. The Bengals’ swarming defense kept him on the run and ended his day with a 53.6 completion ratio and 59.5 passer rating. He was sacked only once, but that was enough. Air Mallet was grounded.
Make the run game work
Hue Jackson finally realized the potential of the two-headed beast in the Bengals backfield. The running game came to life and looked like the smoking hot gun from 2014. Jeremy Hill carried the bulk of the ground duty and was superb. Racking up 96 yards, Hill looked like the rookie who grabbed the attention of the NFL. He ran with power and determination. With a well-executed block from Jake Fisher, Hill had a 38-yard TD run. Giovani Bernard added to the Bengals’ 145 rushing yards with 36 of his own. Bernard averaged 6.0 yards a pop. Mission accomplished.
Open the playbook for McCarron
Fans and analysts have been salivating over the moment it would happen. Unfortunately, the Ravens didn’t get a heavy dose of Hue Jackson’s chess game, but the Bengals did have a better flow of offense in the second half of the game. The play calling wasn’t as conservative as it was in Denver. The Jeremy Hill fourth-and-one run for 38 yards was a product of aggressive play calling. On third-and-one, the call was a play-action fake. It was the perfect call for the moment and netted a touchdown that put the Bengals ahead for good.
Find Tyler Eifert
Eifert said he was feeling fine and proved it. McCarron hooked up with him four times for 51 yards. He was targeted four times. One of those receptions was a beautiful scoring strike. Eifert ran a simple seam route and flashed open in front of the coverage. McCarron delivered the ball in stride, and Eifert was able to glide into the end zone. Having the big tight end back helped open up the running game. The Ravens had to make sure he was covered. His 12.8 yards per catch led the team.
Protect AJ McCarron
The Bengals survived a scare when McCarron came up clutching his knee. He had just been sacked and limped around before coming to the line. Once again, the Bengals O-line allowed their signal-caller to be manhandled three times. Either Hue Jackson will have to mentor McCarron on the fine art of throwing the ball away earlier or the offensive line needs to get better.
At this stage of the season, there are no other options for the Bengals under center. Andy Dalton hasn’t been cleared to start and Keith Wenning hasn’t taken an NFL snap since being signed. The protection will definitely have to improve or the Bengals will be exiting the playoffs in record speed. The addition of Jake Fisher to the blocking scheme may be something to think about going forward.
The Bengals did well with the five major keys. Now, the challenge is to improve the O-line protection.
[Photo by Frank Victores/Associated Press]
