Ravens vs. Bengals: High-Stakes AFC North Rivalry Ignites in Week Five Showdown
After an exciting and chaotic first four weeks of the 2024 NFL season, October has arrived, signaling the start of fall and football season being in full swing. The AFC North division has been full of storylines and surprises heading into Week Five. The Pittsburgh Steelers, who are currently atop the division in first place at 3-1, lost their first game of the season to the Indianapolis Colts last week. The Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals were the two teams that most NFL experts and fans believed would be vying for the division title. However, both the Ravens and Bengals struggled to get out of the gate early, with the Ravens dropping their first two games of the season, while the Bengals dropped their first three games. After winning their second consecutive game last week against the formerly unbeaten Buffalo Bills on Sunday Night Football in a strong fashion to claw their way back to .500, the Ravens' locker room mood has drastically shifted as we enter Week Five. Despite their victory over the Panthers last week, the Bengals' season is still in the balance at 1-3. A defeat at home to the Ravens, their divisional rival, would significantly diminish their prospects of turning around yet another poor start under head coach Zac Taylor.
The Ravens, who have two-time MVP Lamar Jackson, a wealth of weapons in receivers Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman, tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely, and offseason addition running back Derrick Henry, had a difficult time establishing their offensive identity early in the season. With opposing defenses now having to figure out how to stop the Ravens' dynamic running attack, which received a major boost with the signing of Henry, offensive coordinator Todd Monken appeared to struggle to get Henry involved in the offense at the beginning of the season with the Ravens having a wealth of playmakers to choose from on a weekly basis. After rushing for just 130 yards total in the first two weeks, Henry has officially had his coming-out party with the Ravens. The four-time Pro Bowler has made the Dallas Cowboys and Bills pay on the ground, amassing over 150 rushing yards in the last two weeks, along with three touchdowns in total, the highlight of which was an 87-yard touchdown run against the Bills.
The Ravens will be licking their chops heading into Week Five against the Bengals, hoping to capitalize on yet another lackluster rush defense as the Bengals have allowed the eighth-most rushing yards per game in the NFL, at 145.5. The Bengals have also struggled with injuries to offseason defensive line acquisition Sheldon Rankins and 2023 first-round pick Myles Murphy. As well, defensive tackle D.J. Reader left the Bengals in the offseason to join the Lions. Whether or not the Ravens can derail their division rivals' season will mostly depend on their ability to bring their top-ranked rushing attack into enemy territory and continue to control the game, by keeping Bengals' quarterback Joe Burrow on the sideline.
The Bengals had another difficult start to the season, beginning at least 0-2 for the third straight season. The offense had a rough start as well, with drama filling the offseason and training camp, as star receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins both pursued long-term contract extensions, and Chase missed portions of the training camp. Due to Higgins' hamstring injury, which kept him out of the first two games of the season, and Chase's unavailability in portions of training camp, the Bengals' offense struggled to start the season. This was especially evident in their shocking Week One home loss against the Patriots, where Burrow passed for just 164 yards and Chase was limited to 62 receiving yards.
The Ravens' pass defense, which is ranked 29th and is still prone to giving up big plays despite improvements over the past two weeks, presents an opportunity for the Bengals' offense to capitalize on if they hope to build on their victory over the Panthers last week and get back into contention in the AFC North. Against the Ravens, in particular, the Bengals and offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher will need to find success for Chase, who was held to fewer than 40 receiving yards in both of their matchups last season. The Bengals will be well-positioned to win the game if their sixth-ranked passing attack can exploit the weaknesses in the Ravens' defense and both Chase and Higgins have outstanding performances. This weekend's Ravens vs. Bengals game will undoubtedly be a spectacle for the fans to enjoy, with several exciting matchups to look forward to.
