The surprise of the NFL season so far might just be the Cincinnati Bengals. Plagued with losing season after losing season, it has become customary to see the Bengals at the bottom of the division standings. After a 4-11-1 season last year, Cincinnati entered 2021 looking to snap a streak of five straight losing seasons, this coming after five straight playoff years all resulting in Wild Card losses. With the Ravens, Steelers and Browns all looking like playoff-caliber teams, the Bengals seemed to be on the outside looking in come the start of the season.
The Baltimore Ravens, on the other hand, came into the season after a second-place finish to the Browns a season ago. The team has won the North two of the last three seasons on the back of their superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson and best rushing game in all of pro football. Coming off of a dominant win against the Chargers to take control of the entire AFC, Baltimore looked ready to begin their surge towards not just a first-place AFC North finish, but potentially a first overall seed.
Everyone seemed to have forgotten about Joe Burrow.
After a devastating knee injury that ended his rookie season early, the former first overall pick has come into this season to prove he was worth the selection the Bengals paid for him. Before Sunday’s game, Burrow was providing more positives than negatives, averaging 257 yards and two touchdown passes per game. The turnovers have been a bit of a struggle, as to be expected with a quarterback in his first full season, but the arm strength and talent has been on full display.
Burrow’s 400 plus yard performance led to a 41-17 romping of the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium, halting the hottest team in the NFL right in their tracks. The first half seemed like the game most were expecting, as both teams traded blows back and forth. Both teams settled for long early field goals, but the offenses finally got going in the second quarter. Cincinnati got in the end zone first on just two plays, with Burrow hitting a wide-open C.J. Uzomah deep down the field, who broke free from the potential tackler Marlon Humphrey to complete the 55 yard touchdown play. Jackson and the Ravens quickly responded, orchestrating a 75 yard touchdown drive capped off by a Devonta Freeman run at the goal line. The Bengals tacked on a late field goal, edging out the Ravens slightly in the first have 13-10.
The Ravens regained control on their first drive of the second half on just three plays, with Lamar Jackson hitting Marquise Brown in the back of the end zone managing to somehow toe the back line to stay in bounds. The Cincinnati offense came out firing, as well, with Burrow hitting his tight end Uzomah again, who sidestepped a defender to secure his second touchdown and 32 of his 97 yards on the day. The game sat 20-17 and looked primed to become a shootout and test the competitiveness of two of the AFC’s best.
Then, the Bengals flipped a switch.
The defense set the tone early, as Baltimore drove the ball into Bengal territory. A 3rd-and-8 had the Ravens in field goal range, but as Jackson stepped back, defensive end Trey Hendrickson came flying off the edge to drop him for a seven yard loss. The former third round pick out of FAU has come into his own this season, as that sack added to his total of 6.5 sacks, which paces the Bengals and is tied for fourth in the NFL. What looked to be becoming a game-tying field goal drive turned into a punt, sucking the life out of the Ravens offense.
Then, the Bengals offense took the field, hoping to extend to the first double digit lead of the game by either side. After Cincinnati’s first two plays had them 3rd-and-short in their own territory, Joe Burrow hit his favorite target and former LSU teammate Ja’Marr Chase on a slant route to get a quick first down and move the chains.
However, Chase had much different plans.
The rookie receiver busted out of two tackles, spun around a potential third and eyed an open field of green grass ahead of him. Chase took a short slant route 82 yards for the score, pushing the Bengals lead to 27-17. The duo of Burrow and Chase has been one of the most lethal in the NFL, a pairing made possible because of the previous lost season that netted them the fifth overall pick. Chase was already a front runner for Offensive Rookie of the Year, but an 8 catch, 201 yard performance has put him in the conversation as a top five receiver in the league.
The Ravens continued to fight to stay in the game, halting another long Bengals drive in the end zone on a Burrow interception to Humphrey. However, they stuck in four down territory at their own 38 yard line and Jackson was unable to convert. Joe Mixon took advantage of the short field for a 21 yard touchdown scamper, further burying the Ravens. Then on their next possession, the Ravens again could not get a first down outside of their own territory. A 4th and 5 turned into a 4th and 15, however, after two costly Baltimore first starts. With time ticking down, Harbaugh elected to go for it
anyway, and a Jackson dump off pass to Ty’Son Williams came up 4 yards short, giving Cincinnati more short field possession. Samaje Perine then iced it with a 46 yard untouched touchdown run against a completely deflated Baltimore defense to cement a commanding 41-17 performance.
Joe Burrow had a masterful performance, finishing the game with 23/38 for 416 yards and three touchdown passes. Lamar Jackson put up 257 yards through the air with a touchdown and 88 yards on the ground, but it was not enough to overcome the two missed fourth down opportunities.
After securing first place in the AFC North, the Cincinnati Bengals’ record moves to 5-2, and they will look to add to their win column against a rebuilding New York Jets team. The Ravens drop to 5-2 and head into their bye week, now hoping to keep pace with the Bengals, but still in good position for a playoff spot.
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