Lamar Jackson’s Four Touchdowns Spark Ravens’ Overtime Thriller Against Bengals
On Sunday afternoon at Paycor Stadium, the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals played in what may have been the NFL's game of the year through five weeks of play. The Ravens prevailed over their division rivals with their third straight victory, moving them above .500 at 3-2 for the first time this season. In the end, quarterback Lamar Jackson had the last laugh against Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and their defense. Despite the Bengals' explosive passing attack having its way against the Ravens' pass defense for the majority of the game, with breakout performances from receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, when it mattered most, the Baltimore defense delivered a critical turnover in the closing minutes of regulation, which enabled the team to win in overtime on the road. With the Ravens having dropped the Bengals record to 1-4, let's examine some of the most significant takeaways from the Ravens' first division victory of the season.
The Bengals and Ravens' defensive performances through the first four weeks of the season provided ample reason to believe that this AFC North matchup would result in a shootout. Throughout the entire game, the Bengals' offense exploited the Ravens' pass defense, which has a serious tendency to give up big plays. As a result, Chase and Higgins benefited from this, as Chase recorded 10 receptions for 193 receiving yards and two touchdowns, and Higgins also scored two touchdowns on nine receptions for 83 yards. With Jackson having the offense clicking all game long, the Ravens needed a big stop from their defense. Late in the fourth quarter, trailing by three, the defense came through in the clutch, with cornerback Marlon Humphrey intercepting Burrow late in the fourth quarter to help the Ravens force overtime, with kicker Justin Tucker tying the score with a 56-yard field goal. Going forward, the Ravens must improve their pass defense if they hope to replicate their elite defensive success in previous seasons, as their pass defense, which was ranked 29th in the NFL coming into the game, will continue to have difficulties against other top AFC teams if defensive coordinator Zach Orr can not find a solution.
Putting aside Tucker’s bounce-back performance this week, after struggling from 50 yards and beyond to begin the season, as Tucker drilled both the game-tying and game-winning field goal in enemy territory, the Ravens’ special teams execution remains an area of concern. In the second quarter, with the Ravens leading 14–7, punt returner Tylan Wallace made a huge error when he chose not to fair catch an approaching punt from Bengals punter Ryan Rehkow. This decision pinned the Ravens' offense deep within their own territory at the two-yard line. Ultimately, the decision by Wallace led to the Bengals' defense stopping running back Derrick Henry in the end zone on the drive's opening play, resulting in a safety that gave the Bengals and its fans momentum in the closing minutes of the first half.
The second mishap that proved costly for the Ravens was head coach John Harbaugh’s time-out management in the last minutes of the first half. After the Ravens’ offense converted on a fourth and one inside their own 25-yard line on the first play out of the two-minute warning, Harbaugh made the decision to not call a possible timeout to save time on the clock and give the offense an opportunity to get down the field and score points before halftime. However, a few plays later, on a Justice Hill run for no yardage with 49 seconds remaining, Harbaugh opted to use his timeout. This proved costly, as the Bengals' defense forced a punt, and with nine seconds remaining, Burrow connected with Chase for a 41-yard touchdown pass, giving Cincy their first lead of the game. If Harbaugh had chosen to let the clock run and either force the Bengals to use their own timeout or possibly take the lead into halftime, the late touchdown drive for the Bengals could've never happened. The Ravens have suffered numerous losses as a result of Harbaugh's mishandling of the game clock and challenge flag decisions in previous seasons, which have come under intense criticism. In order to prevent possible momentum-shifting situations, Harbaugh, who is the second-longest tenured head coach in the NFL, must improve his in-game management moving forward.
The Ravens have shown the world why, in spite of their shortcomings, they are among the best teams in the league amid finding their offensive identity after a sluggish start to the season. The Ravens' fortitude in pulling off a thrilling victory over the Bengals demonstrated their ability to keep themselves in the game, ultimately allowing Jackson and the offense to capitalize when it mattered the most. Looking ahead to next week, the Ravens will play the Washington Commanders in a highly anticipated Week Six matchup that has gained a lot of interest compared to a couple of weeks ago. The Commanders, who are a young team led by rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, are a surprising team in the NFC East as Daniels has led them to first place in their division with a 4-1 record and has displayed his dual-threat ability at the quarterback position. In order to secure their fourth consecutive victory next week, the Ravens will need to address their defensive issues and maintain their offensive dominance.
