Marlon HumphreyKevin Savitus/Getty Images
The Ravens defense is a mess.
The Bengals and Ravens played a thriller overtime game a few weeks ago. And while Baltimore came out victorious, veteran cornerback Marlon Humphrey told reporters ahead of Thursday’s rematch that he knows how hard the defense struggled in that game.
“I felt like we could have lost,” he said. “We won the game, but we didn’t play well, especially in the secondary.As I said, there was a lot of competition for catches, but we allowed too many big plays.” So we want to limit the “passing attack” and then go. ”
The Ravens squealed at the Bengals again in Week 10 — this time in Baltimore. Once again, quarterback Lamar Jackson, running back Derrick Henry, and the Ravens’ offense easily penetrated the Bengals’ defense.
And once again, the Ravens almost lost the game — their pass defense was terrible.
This isn’t a new problem for the Ravens. Entering Week 10, they had the NFL’s best run defense and the league’s worst pass defense.
Entering Week 10, Baltimore has allowed 280 yards and changes through the air. Joe Burrow wrecked the Ravens on Thursday night for 428 yards and four scores. Ja’Marr Chase caught three of those scores and surpassed 250 receiving yards.
Let me tell you, the Bengals didn’t have Tee Higgins in this game. They knew Burrow would rely on Chase — and there was nothing the Ravens could do about it.
It’s not like the team isn’t aware of this flaw. The Ravens traded for veteran cornerback Tre’Davious White at the deadline, but he hadn’t even played in Los Angeles and there was no solution.
Jackson could be the NFL’s MVP (again). Henry has the potential to become the first running back to gain 2,000 rushing yards twice in a season. However, this Ravens team will not play in New Orleans in February.
This is not the case for non-existent secondaries.
Zac Taylor will take the blame, but the Bengals will be costly on defense in Week 10.
After the Bengals’ win over the Las Vegas Raiders last week, Joe Burrow looked somewhat grumpy in his postgame press conference, telling reporters that the win didn’t really mean anything.
“I know how this season went, what’s going to happen and what I have to do to get back to this situation, but one win doesn’t define the season. I’m going to keep trying. “Every day, every game, strive for perfection until it happens. What makes you happy? ”
After all, his attitude was prescient.
The fifth-year quarterback certainly can’t be blamed for Thursday’s disastrous loss to Baltimore. Burrow threw for a whopping 428 yards and four scores. Wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase played well, catching 11 passes for 264 yards and three touchdowns.
These are real numbers, but they weren’t enough.
Head coach Zac Taylor will bear the brunt of the loss. And to be fair, there are valid reasons to criticize some of his decisions. He avoided two long field goals on fourth-down attempts, including a relatively modest 51-yarder, but both missed.
Those are questionable calls. They won by two points, but at the end of the game they did not win.
The Ravens’ 389 yards of offense on Thursday isn’t a ridiculous number. But it could have been higher. Baltimore spent much of the game criss-crossing the field against Cincy’s 25th-ranked scoring defense. The Bengals didn’t put pressure on Lamar Jackson, and he cut through the team as a result.
Taylor had no reason to believe the Bengals could get a stop in overtime, so he opted for two points.
And unless that defense magically improves, Burrow and the Bengals don’t have to worry about two losses by a combined four points against the Ravens and their chances of winning the division disappearing.
Because they won’t be in the playoffs at all.
