The Cincinnati Bengals imploded in primetime during Thursday night’s 35-34 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
Needing to get a season-saving win to make it to 5-5, Joe Burrow’s team collapsed in the second half. At one point, the Bengals had a 21-7 lead, but nothing is ever that simple in an AFC North fight between these teams. The score then flipped to 28-21 Ravens, before a one-play touchdown to Ja’Marr Chase tied it up at 28. Then, another Ravens touchdown and then a Bengals score, but a failed two-point try.
Got all that?
Here’s a quick look at thoughts and numbers to know from Thursday’s game.
Quick Thoughts
- Nice to see Zac Taylor stay aggressive and go for it on fourth down in the redzone on the opening drive. A flag helped them eventually make it 7-0. At least the coaching staff admits it needs that type of aggression because the defense is struggling.
- Defense forced three punts in the first half, the total forced in the first game against the same team earlier this year. Call it a mixture of Thursday night sloppiness — but also the unit improving.
- A horrible Burrow interception in the redzone got bailed out upon review. He redeemed himself by throwing a touchdown. Before doing so, he also showed major trust in rookie Jermaine Burton just days after the major drama.
- What more is there to say about Ja’Marr Chase? He put up another all-timer of a highlight against the Ravens with a 67-yard touchdown.
- Brutal fumble by Chase Brown. He rarely does it. But there’s the possible outcome of making him be a workhorse last Sunday, then asking so much of him again on Thursday.
- Burrow took a nasty shot on a play that should’ve been flagged and was in pain on the sidelines.
- Throwing two go-balls on third and fourth-and short in the fourth quarter was…an interesting choice.
- Logan Wilson with the sorriest tackling effort of the season when the Ravens went 80-plus yards up the sideline for a touchdown.
- Shocker to go for the two-point conversion for the win with about 30 seconds left. But the Ravens had been unstoppable. Go win the game with Burrow, right?
Key Stat
1: The lone turnover for the Bengals. The Chase Brown fumble changed the entire complexion of the game, letting the Ravens claw back into it and grab momentum.
Game Balls
QB Joe Burrow: So many times, it was Burrow working magic on his own to extend plays in front of a line missing its starting left tackle. He had just one really bad mistake all night. Otherwise, 428 yards and four scores.
WR Ja’Marr Chase: Who else? He had the 67-yard score and despite no Tee Higgins on the field, ran that number up to 264 yards with three touchdowns.
Top Takeaway
Red flag: This is proof of the front office’s failures over the last two years. Burrow and Chase had a stunning day that should result in a win most games. Instead, the defense failed, the offensive line depth is bad and non-Chase weapons just weren’t up to the task.
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