NFL
By: Joey MacDonald
It was frigid, and it was a cold one in Cincinnati, as the Baltimore Ravens traveled to Ohio to take on the Cincinnati Bengals in a rematch from Thanksgiving night. This go-round was the complete opposite of 2 weeks ago, as the Ravens were better prepared for this game than they were on Thanksgiving. As, they not only did they beat the Bengals this week, but they also kept them off the scoreboard the entire game and shut them out 24-0 for a much-needed win to keep pace with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North.
The Baltimore Ravens looked like a totally different football team from 2 weeks ago against the Cincinnati Bengals in Cincinnati. On Thanksgiving night, the Ravens got embarrassed by the Bengals in a 32-14 loss, and in this go-around, the Ravens kept the Bengals off the scoreboard. The cold weather made it really difficult for the passing game to catch a flow, so the Ravens turned to their identity, which is to run the football. As they ran for 189 yards on the ground, Derrick Henry ran for 100 yards on 11 carries, and it’s Henry’s 5th game of running for 100 yards or more this season. And, his running mate, Keaton Mitchell, also ran for 66 yards on 8 carries. Lamar Jackson had a decent day while being limited in throwing in the cold, as we threw for 150 yards on 8 of 12 completions, threw for two touchdowns, and still got sacked 4 times by the Bengals defense, which is still a cause for concern for the Ravens. The Ravens’ offense in the cold was able to mix up the play calling, and it was enough in the freezing temperatures to score points on the day.
The Ravens’ defense against the Bengals played what I like to call a perfect game on defense. Zach Orr called a phenomenal game on defense by shutting out the Bengals the entire game. The defense made plays throughout the entire game, but mostly came in the 2nd half of the game, where the big play on defense came in the 4th quarter, where Kyle Van Noy picked off Joe Burrow inside the red zone and then lateraled it to Alohi Gilman, who then took it 84 yards back the other way for a pick-six. Also, the Ravens’ pass rush got to Joe Burrow throughout the game, as they got 10 quarterback hits on Joe Burrow, and were able to sack him 3 times in the game, and the sacks were done by Travis Jones, Mike Green, and the returning Tavius Robinson. Zach Orr deserves a lot of credit for the game that he called, and the defense that made plays as well.
The Cincinnati Bengals had a totally different outcome than the one that they had against the Ravens 2 weeks ago on Thanksgiving night, from scoring 32 points on the Baltimore Ravens to completely getting shut out; it was a contrast in games for the Bengals against the Ravens. Joe Burrow struggled on the day in the cold as he threw two interceptions, including one that went for a pick-six. Also, not only was Joe Burrow struggling to throw the ball, but his QBR was 21.4. On, one bright side for the Bengals, Ja’Mar Chase had another fine day on this cold day as he caught 10 receptions for 132 receiving yards, and in doing so, without his teammate Tee Higgins, who missed this game because of a concussion. And, with this loss, the Cincinnati Bengals were also eliminated from playoff contention for 3rd consecutive year after reaching 2 straight AFC championship games in both 2021 and 2022. Now, the Bengals will play for pride and momentum for the rest of the season and get ready for 2026.
The Baltimore Ravens in this game, needed this win so badly to keep up with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North race, and they did that. With this win, they move to 7-7 on the year. This game was probably the best that the defense played all year long, shutting out the Bengals in their house. Now, they head back home for probably their last home game of the season if they don’t win the division. Next, the Ravens will welcome the 1st New England Patriots for a Sunday Night showdown where the Ravens need to bring their A-game against the Patriots if they want to see postseason football in January.
