2024 Week 5: Ravens 41, Bengals 38
Sometimes these no-defense games are so fun to watch, other times they’re frustrating, but man was this fun. Two high-powered offenses going at each other and an OT finish made it an instant classic.
The Bengals (1-4) are in a rough spot. They have lost 3 home games and their only win was against Carolina. Thankfully they’re not ‘out’ per se. They have a very nice 4 game stretch (NYG, CLE, PHI, LV) and if they can take 3 out of 4 they’ll be (4-5) and likely a game out of the wildcard with 8 games to go. This stretch of games against weaker opponents will determine their season.
The Ravens figured out Derrick Henry is a god and all of a sudden started to win football games. Coincidently Lamar learned how to throw the ball at the same time. It’s amazing what using your best player can do for a team.
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QB Report:
- If you want to watch some classic 2000s to early 2010s football look no further than Joe Burrow (30/39 for 392 yards, 5 TDs/1 INT). Mahomes and Allen are fading in the passing game, Hurts never really had it, Herbert is stuck in purgatory, but Joe Burrow is the lone gunslinger in a land of RPO’s and check-downs.
- Lamar Jackson (26/42 for 348 yards, 4 TDs, 12 rushes for 55 yards) has taken off once the Ravens started using Henry. Jackson is averaging 228.6 yards, 2.3 TDs/0 INTs, 65.3 rush yds and 0.67 TDs in the 3 games since “discovering” Henry. Harbaugh picked up on something that Mike Vrabel and even Arthur Smith failed to do: Leave Henry on the field and good things will happen.
RB Report:
- Chase Brown (12-46-0, 3 catches for 8 yards- 1 TD) is winning the RB battle with Zack Moss (9-24-0, 3 catches for 28 yards). Brown is so good near the goal line. For fantasy football, owning one or both of these is like a golden ticket. They will both produce decently but if there’s an injury to either of these backs it’s an RB1 waiting for you.
- What can I say about Derrick Henry (15-92-1, 1 catch for 4 yards) that hasn’t already been said?
Ravens TE Report:
- There isn’t much to say receiving-wise about this game, it was an offensive explosion and everyone was getting theirs. What I was blown away by was the use of the Ravens tight ends, they’ve built a solid trio with Andrews-Likely-Kolar, and I think Charlie Kolar (3-64-1/4) is the best of the bunch.
This trio combined for (10-132-2/12) against a Bengals defense that had been good against the TE position thus far. I’m not sure if this is a Ravens offensive thing happening, or a Bengals defensive problem happening… we’ll need more games played to allow this situation to unfold.
D/ST Report:
- Something I had noticed while writing about the Vikings defense, but the Ravens defense is very bad against the pass. From a yards-per-game perspective, Baltimore is first against the run and 31st (second to last) in the passing game. Minnesota was #2 and #30 respectively.
image source: (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)