AFC Game Of The Week
Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens
Bengals: I understand they’ve defeated some struggling teams this year. However, I see a very improved team in all aspects of the game. Now, I can admit that I was criticizing them heavily for failing to draft an offensive lineman to keep your young quarterback protected, especially after being injured last season. I even said they could bring both Terrell Owens and Chad OchoCinco out of retirement and it wouldn’t mean a thing because if your quarterback isn’t protected, it doesn’t matter what weapons he has. I’ve liked what I’ve seen from Joe Burrow this year. He’s picked up where he left off from last season. As I said a few weeks ago, this kid plays with a lot of grit and swagger. It also helps when his top target is a guy he played with in college. Ja’Marr Chase has been a godsend for this Bengals offense. If the season were to end today, he would have my vote for Offensive Rookie Of The Year. The Bengals defense has also stepped up. They have pass rushers that can get home to the quarterback and guys play back in coverage. They are headed in the right direction as far as I’m concerned. They’ll face a tough test on Sunday against a streaking divisional opponent.
Ravens: I’ll be the first to admit to you when I’m wrong. Prior to the game against the Los Angeles Chargers, I called a few of their wins “fluky” because in three of them, they were down and fought back. They were down 11 to the Chiefs, needed the miracle of kicks in Detroit against the Lions and fell behind to the Colts, but fought back. Last weekend against those Chargers, the Baltimore Ravens made a statement and put together their best performance of the season with a dominating win. The offense showed just the right amount of balance with a mix of run and pass and on the other side, the defense played their hearts out. I saw them sit guys on the line of scrimmage and throw different looks to confuse Justin Herbert and it worked. Talk about a dominant performance and with the win, the Ravens have victories over the Chiefs and now the Chargers. They’re by far one of the best teams in the AFC and John Harbaugh continues to show why he’s one of the best head coaches in the league. The receivers are doing a much better job of making plays on the football. I questioned their defensive intensity earlier in the year, but now, I think they’ll be just fine. They’re back home on Sunday afternoon.
Bengals X-Factor: Tyler Boyd– He’s as tough as they come. When you think you have him down, he’ll power himself to keep fighting for additional yards. Tyler is that presence over the middle of the field for Burrow. With Chase becoming the number one receiving option, Tyler can play back in his natural position which is the slot. He’s their version of Tyler Lockett. I see him creating some issues for the Baltimore secondary.
Ravens X-Factor: Odafe Oweh– When Matthew Judon left, they needed to fill that void whether it was in free agency or in the draft. They went with the draft route and instead and the rookie from Penn State fell right into their laps. In a brief period, he’s become their best pass rusher and has given them exactly what they needed. The Ravens do such an excellent job with developing pass rushers. Oweh’s versatility will come in handy for them.
Final Thoughts: Both teams are in nice positions right now. Usually after a big win, some still celebrate that the following week and end up dropping a game. I don’t see that being the case with the Ravens because of how well coached they are. The Bengals are here to stay. They play hard and don’t lay down at all. If you think about it, they’re a couple of made kicks away from being 5-1 themselves if they don’t drop the ball to the Packers. Marlon Humphrey lining up against Ja’Marr Chase will be the matchup to watch. This will be one of the toughest defenses the Ravens will see so far on the season. The Bengals can’t afford to get off to a slow start. Lamar has owned the Bengals since becoming the Ravens starting quarterback.
Prediction: Ravens 24, Bengals 21
