Bengals vs Ravens: The Good, the Bad & the Ugly

The Good

A Win – Even in blow outs, the Bengals are a team that rarely offers a pretty win. Sunday was no different. At times, the play was down right ugly, but beating the Ravens by 17 points and knocking them out of the playoffs is a drink I like served warm, cold or anything in between. Drink it in Bengals fans!

 

The “Good” Dalton – He may never have been clinically diagnosed with a split personality, Dalton has one. The “Good” Dalton set the franchise record for touchdown passes (33) and passing yards (4,296). The “Good” Dalton is 3^rd in the NFL with 33 TDs, has improved in wins every year and has made the playoffs every year in the league. The “Good” Dalton had nice TD passes to Green and Jones and some nice runs (including a TD of his own). And, I am a firm believer that the “Good” Dalton can lead this team to the Super Bowl…as long as the “Good” Dalton is the one that comes to play in January.

 

Offensive Line – In a 2 game span back in October/November (Miami and Baltimore), Dalton was sacked 10 times, threw just 2 TDs to 6 INTs and the Bengals went 0-2. In the 6 games since, the Bengals line has allowed a total of just 3 sacks and held the opponent to 0 sacks in 4 of those 6 games. Not surprising, the Bengals are 5-1 in those games and Dalton has a 15/9 TD/INT ratio.  In their first matchup, Dalton was sacked 5 times and hit a total of 13 times. Sunday, Bengals line, even while switching out lineman, surrendered 0 sacks and exactly 0 QB hits.

a)      Versatility – Is there a deeper and more versatile O-Line in the NFL? On Sunday, the Bengals: lost their starting center on the second series of the game; lost their LT around halftime; brought in their backup RG to play LG and moved their LG to LT…and still they managed to give up 0 sacks, 0 QB hits, and run for their most yards (111) and best YPC average (3.7) since their 155 yard and 4.4 YPC game against the Colts.

 

b)      Trevor Robinson – I never understood why Cook got the starting center job back over Robinson last year. The line seemed to play better with Robinson in there. After back-to-back games of struggling to run the ball against poor run defenses (Pittsburgh and Minnesota), Cook exits with a foot injury, Robinson steps in and the Bengals run for 111 yards against the 9^th rank run defense. Coincidence? I think not.

 

Defense – This defense is good. On Sunday, thanks to interceptions and laughable punts, the Ravens had great field position all game long. The Ravens average drive started at the Baltimore 35. Their 4 scoring drives had an average start at the Bengals 43 and covered a total of just 133 yards – meaning their average scoring drive covered just 33 yards. The Ravens started 4 drives in Cincinnati territory and in those drive, the Bengals surrendered just 2 FGs, 1 TD and 1 INT. 3 of the Ravens scoring drives were compliments of a Dalton INT and the last was compliments of a 10 yard punt. The Ravens had only 2 drives longer than 40 yards (61 and 71) – also there only 2 drives of more than 7 plays (12 and 13) - and those drives resulted in a FG and a turnover on downs. On the day, the Bengals gave up just 222 yards on 14 drives (15.9 yards per drive). That makes 3 straight games that the defense has held the opponent to under 300 total yards (209-Min, 279-Pitt)…and to think, this has all been done without their 2 starting CBs and without the best DT in the NFL.

a)      Dre Kirkpatrick – Last week I said he was becoming awfully close to being labeled a “bust,’ and while he had a few bad plays Sunday, he also had some big ones. 9 tackles, 3 passes defensed, 2 INTs and the game sealing pick 6. He could still be a bust, but he played very well in a big game on Sunday.

 

b)      Chris Crocker – After the 2011 playoff loss, I never wanted to see Chris Crocker again. But, where would the Bengals be the last two years without Crocker’s contributions? Crocker’s versatility and veteran savviness has allowed this defense to absorb the losses of Mays, Hall and Newman and still play at such a high level. Against the Ravens, Crocker added another sack and another INT to a solid (even if abbreviated) 2013 campaign.

 

Marvin Jones – Jones had some big and tough catches on Sunday and none bigger or tougher than the diving one-handed touchdown catch he had to put the Bengals up 17-6. In my predictions, I said the Ravens were going to have a tough time covering the Bengals secondary passing options. On Sunday, 8 guys not named Green caught 17 balls for 221 yards and 1 TD – most notably the 5 for 61 and 1 TD contributed by Jones.

 

BJGE – For the most part, BJGE has had a 2013 to forget, but on Sunday, he was solid. 11 carries for 66 yards (6.0 YPC) against a tough Ravens defense, including a tough 11 yard run that saw BJGE carry Ravens defenders to the 1 yard line. He should have been rewarded with an opportunity to finish the drive with a 1 yard TD run (but apparently Gruden and Dalton thought otherwise).

 

Hawkins and Bernard in Space – It is amazing what these two can bring to the offense and even though Hawkins isn’t a huge part of the offense, his ability to take short throws and turn them into big games (like Bernard) brings a whole other level to the offense and makes this offense so hard to cover. Hawkins - the Bengals #4 receiver - led the Bengals with 74 receiving yards on 3 catches, all of which were short throws that Hawkins turned into gains of 22, 14 and 38. And, what seems like a weekly occurrence, Bernard took another short pass for a big gain (27 yards) on Sunday to set up what would turn out to be the game winning touchdown.

 

QB Pressure – The Bengals only had 2 sacks, but they had 7 QB hits and Flacco never looked comfortable in the pocket – to the tune of 1 TD, 3 INTs and a 13.2 QBR.

 

Ability to Over Come Adversity – 6 minutes into the game the Bengals had already thrown 2 interceptions, but the defense held the Ravens to just 2 FGs and the offense, specifically Dalton, never looked shaken. They came right back with 17 unanswered points and never seemed to lose confidence. You would likely have to go back to 1988 to find a Bengals team mentally tough enough to overcome 4 interceptions and a 10 yard punt and still win by 17.  

 

Play-Calling…at Times – At times on Sunday, I thought Gruden did a really good job with play calls. He utilized all of his weapons in the passing game - 8 players caught passes, his #4 receiver (Hawkins) was the leading receiver and he even found ways to get contributions from guys like Sanzenbacher and Charles. Even BJGE was running effectively. Unfortunately he also got a bit too cute at times as well.

 

A Matchup with the Chargers – The Chargers are certainly no pushovers, but, the Steelers were clearly the most dangerous possible 6 seed going into week 17. The Chargers have an experienced QB, some good offensive weapons and have won 4 in a row after their week 13 loss to the Bengals, but they are not playing as well as the Steelers were. Plus, the Chargers are a warm weather opponent that has to come 3 time zones over to play in cold weather. I’ll take that.  

 

The Jungle – 66 years ago Paul Brown brought pro football to Cincinnati. Prior to 2013, only once had the Bengals gone 8-0 at home. Sunday, they made it a twice. The last time the Bengals went 8-0 at home? 1988. The last time the Bengals went to the Super Bowl. The Jungle is back and the Bengals have at least one more game in the Jungle.

 

 

The Bad

Slow Start – The Bengals (especially Dalton) have a tendency to come out slow and sloppy. If they want to finally win a game in the playoffs, they can come out of the gate the way they have 2 of their last 3 games. Good teams won’t fail to capitalize on 2 early interceptions like the Ravens did.  

 

Ball Security of Jermaine Gresham and Tight Ends Who Play in Place of Jermaine Gresham – Even when Gresham doesn’t start, the guy that takes his place at tight end apparently feels the need to put the ball on the carpet just like Jermaine. Eifert and Charles have combined for 40 catches and 0 fumbles. Gresham and Smith now have 50 catches and 4 fumbles.

 

Bernard Running  – I love Bernard and what he brings in the passing and running game, but he has been struggling running the ball the past few games. On Sunday, Bernard had just 22 yards on 13 carries (1.7 YPC). In week 14, Bernard had 99 yards on 12 carries (8.3 YPC). In the 3 games since, he has just 75 yards on 39 carries (1.9 YPC). The Bengals could really benefit from Bernard giving them more in the run game.

 

AJ Green Breaking up Interceptions – 3 of Dalton’s 4 interceptions on Sunday were on passes to Green. That makes 12 on the year, more than any other QB-WR duo. I may be nit picking here, but Green has to give a better effort on breaking up interceptions. The INT thrown by Dalton in the end zone was a poor pass and even poorer decision by Dalton, but with a little effort, Green knocks that ball down and the Bengals run a 2^nd and 1 play. I am not excusing Dalton’s bad throws to AJ (he has plenty), but when AJ has to give the same effort to break up an INT as he does to catch a pass.  

 

Injuries – While it looks like the only significant injury the Bengals suffered was the dislocated wrist of Alex Smith, you don’t like to see 3 of your starting offensive lineman leaving the game with foot/ankle injuries. Hopefully the injuries to Whitworth and Collins (and maybe Cook?) are minor.  

 

 

The Ugly

The “Bad” Dalton – As I said before, Dalton may never have been clinically diagnosed with a split personality, but I am convinced he has one (at least on the football field). I laid out the “Good” Dalton above. The “Bad” Dalton is the guy that threw 4 INTs to the Ravens and 20 interceptions on the year. If Dalton has a game like Sunday in the playoffs, that will likely be the last playoff game the Bengals will partake in this year. Every INT that Dalton throws in the playoffs decreases the Bengals chances of winning exponentially. They can likely overcome 1 INT. They may be able to overcome 2 INTs. They are not likely to overcome 4 INTS against a playoff team. Dalton has to start coming out faster and more accurate than he has at times this year and 20 interceptions cannot be acceptable for a QB.

 

Shawn Powell – Powell had 3 punts on Sunday. 2 of those 3 averaged 49.0 yards, landed inside the 20 and 1 was downed at the 1. That is good. The problem is that the other punt traveled 10 yards and gave the Ravens the ball at the Bengals 40 yard line and set up the game tying touchdown. Until Sunday, I had managed to make it 32 years without seeing a punt land in the stands on the side of an NFL stadium. I can no longer say that…and that is not a good thing. Sunday showed how important a punter like Huber can be.

 

Situational Play-Calling – 2 play calls on Sunday really irked me and both had an opportunity to cost the Bengals the game. 1) With 8:30 left in the game and the Bengals up 27-17, the Bengals had a chance to end the game with a 1^st and goal at the Ravens .5 yard line and Dalton gets picked on a back shoulder pass attempt to Green. BJGE just had his most impressive run of the year, an 11 yard bruising run carrying Ravens defenders to the half yard line, you reward him with the TD. I don’t care that Gruden says they had a run/pass call where Dalton could choose, when you have 1^st and goal inside the 1, with a 10 point lead in the 4^th quarter, you run the ball 3 times. No passes. No run/pass option. Worst case scenario, you get stopped 3 times, run 2 minutes off the clock and kick a field goal to go up 13. Even if the ball wasn’t picked, it would have stopped the clock – something the Bengals didn’t want to have happen. 2) Again, still up 27-17 and this time at their own 45 with 4:30 to play and facing a 3^rd and 1, the Bengals had a chance to essentially ice the game with a first down. A first down would force Baltimore to use their last 2 timeouts and the Bengals could then take the clock down to at least the 2 minute warning before giving the ball back to Baltimore. With less than 2 to play and no timeouts, the game would have been all but over. So Gruden calls for a run up the middle right? Nope! He surprises the Ravens with a stretch run…and the Ravens surprise Gruden by stopping said run for -3 yards, calling a timeout and getting the ball back, down 10 with more than 4:00 to play. Kirkpatrick sealed the game with a pick 6 on the next play, but that does not let Gruden off the hook for a stupid play call – both in design and in situation.

 

Penalties – Recipes for losing in the playoffs include turnovers and penalties. On Sunday, the Bengals had 4 of the former and 10 of the latter for 76 yards. They were able to overcome the 10 penalties for 76 yards against the Ravens. They can’t overcome that sort of discipline lapse in Foxboro or Mile High.