What We Saw: Bengals at Ravens

A massive Thursday Night Football matchup for the AFC North with the Ravens prevailing

Benjamin Haller
What We Saw 6 Months Ago

Bengals @ Ravens

Final Score: Ravens 34, Bengals 20

Senior Writer: Benjamin Haller (@benjaminhaller1 on X)

 

This mouthwatering football game was spoiled by a brutal string of injuries on both sides that took the significance of the result into question. Fantasy starlet tight end Mark Andrews was ruled out in the first drive of the game before Joe Burrow was forced out in the second quarter with a hand injury. Benefitting from Burrow’s absence and the overall mood on the Bengals sideline, Lamar Jackson orchestrated a clinical 7-play, 80-yard drive in just over a minute at the end of the first half to extend the Ravens lead to 21-10 thanks to a connection with Rashod Bateman, his first touchdown reception of the season.

Both teams traded field goals in a poor third quarter before Justin Tucker gave the Ravens a 14-point lead going into the fourth quarter. Backup Bengals signal-caller Jake Browning acquitted himself admirably but the Ravens defense was too good and he struggled to kickstart drives resulting in the Bengals punting four times in the second half. A late Gus Edwards score put the nail in the coffin of a far-from-watchable game.

 

Three Up

  • Lamar Jackson – battling a couple of injury scores, fantasy managers needed this output from Lamar after a number of underwhelming weeks – looked a threat on the ground and in the air
  • Gus Edwards – the threat of Keaton Mitchell has not stymied Edwards’ effectiveness in this offense as he once again led the backfield and scored his eighth and ninth touchdown in his last five games
  • Joe Mixon – has improved throughout the season and ran hard tonight on the ground and as a pass-catcher, was the Bengals’ most impactive player

Three Down

  • Joe Burrow – the passing game looked fractured even before Burrow left with an injury but the extent and length of absence could be significant from a fantasy point of view
  • Mark Andrews – another injury nightmare for the Andrews, who came into the game leading all tight ends in touchdown receptions but that appears to be over as he is likely done for the year with an ankle injury
  • Tyler Boyd – a quiet night for the wideout despite Tee Higgins missing, this does not bode well for when Higgins returns – the prognosis on Burrow will also be pertinent

 

Cincinnati Bengals

 

Quarterback

 

Joe Burrow: 11/17, 101 Yards, TD, 2 Sacks | 1 Carry, 7 Yards

 

After finding different ways to move the chains early in the game against a stout Ravens defense, Burrow connected with Mixon for a passing touchdown after an impressive 12-play, 82-yard drive in which he work the ball through backup tight ends and Mixon to give the Bengals a deserved 10-7 lead. It really was an impressive start to the game from the quarterback and I felt like we were in for something special. However, on that final throw Burrow felt something pop in his hand and wrist area and exited the game. He did not return and the Bengals offense could only muster a measly three points until garbage time when they scored a consolation touchdown as the Ravens ceded the field to burn the clock.

The severity of the injury is unknown but fantasy managers with Burrow in their lineup are already behind in the matchup after this injury. There was footage that emerged pre-game of Burrow supporting a brace on the wrist before the game so it looks like a lingering issue.

 

Notes

  • Peppered the tight ends to move the sticks after failing to do so using his wideouts in the first half
  • Grabbed his throwing hand after hitting Mixon for a touchdown midway through the second quarter and was seen visibly upset as he tried to throw on the touchline during the Ravens drive. Went to the locker room in serious discomfort

Missed opportunities

  • Threw behind Chase on an intermediate route at midfield on second down on the Bengals’ second drive before being sacked on the next play – early failure to connect with his receivers was a theme

 

Jake Browning: 8/14, 68 Yards, TD, 3 Sacks | 4 Carries, 40 Yards

 

It was a difficult task for journeyman practice-squad quarterback Jake Browning, who entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2019 with the Vikings. He showed some nice throws in a 10-play, 67-yard drive that resulted in a field goal to open the second half, but the following four possessions all resulted in punts after a couple of plays. He couldn’t connect with the main receivers and a late touchdown drive was only possible as the Ravens played soft coverage. He remains an unknown quantity.

 

Running Back

 

Joe Mixon: 16 Carries, 69 Yards | 5 Targets, 5 Receptions, 31 Yards, TD

 

A really nice showing in the first half from Mixon on a night when the Bengals needed to turn up on offense was wasted due to the Burrow injury. Mixon showed nice form between the tackles and also looked a threat in the passing game, catching three balls on the drive that resulted in him going down low to retrieve Burrow’s pass and take it in for six. The Bengals’ back dominated the backfield touches until late in the game when the contest was settled. The score signaled the fourth straight game in which he has scored a touchdown and he could be in line for more touches if Burrow is to miss time.

 

Trayveon Williams: 2 Carries, 20 Yards

 

Wide Receiver/Tight End

 

Tanner Hudson: 4 Targets, 4 Receptions, 49 Yards

 

Yes, nobody wrote this script for veteran tight end Tanner Hudson, who led the team in yards after emerging as a pass-catcher over the last few games in this offense. Burrow connected with Hudson for 21 yards to kickstart the Bengals’ first touchdown drive and Browning also connected with the tight end twice in the second half too. His modest production over the last month shouldn’t point towards a larger role though.

 

Trenton Irwin: 5 Targets, 3 Receptions, 36 Yards

 

Trenton Irwin benefitted from Burrow leaving the game as he saw immediate attention from Browning on the drive after the half, hauling in a 14-yard grab before inducing a 34-yard defensive pass interference call deep in Ravens territory. He also fell just short of the goal line on the final Bengals drive of the game, catching a 10-yard pass at the Ravens 2-yard line. He has seen a decent amount of snaps with the multiple injury issues to key Bengals receivers but he’s failed to make it count.

 

Tyler Boyd: 6 Targets, 3 Receptions, 22 Yards

 

After a 117-yard performance last week, Boyd was nothing but an afterthought once Browning entered this contest. The wideout brought in just three of his six targets but was once targeted once in the second half, a pass that went incomplete. Boyd’s production continues to be determined by boom and bust weeks and this dud on a Thursday hurts those managers that took a chance on him.

 

Drew Sample: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 19 Yards

Ja’Marr Chase: 7 Targets, 2 Receptions, 12 Yards, TD

 

A late garbage time touchdown saved Ja’Marr Chase‘s fantasy day but his own disgust after the play at the situation of the game told the wider story of a miserable night for this receiving group. Chase failed to grab a number of contested catches in the first half as he battled head-to-head with Kyle Hamilton in a couple of exciting contests. But once Burrow went out of the game all hope for a productive night disappeared. He looked forlorn on a couple of incompletions in the second half as the belief in Browning evaporated quickly.

 

Irv Smith Jr.: 1 Target

Shedrick Jackson: 1 Target

 

Baltimore Ravens

 

Quarterback

 

Lamar Jackson: 16/26, 264 Yards, 2 TDs, 3 Sacks | 9 Carries, 54 Yards

 

The Ravens started the game with a near-perfect drive mixing in different runners and hitting Flowers and Andrews for big gains, Jackson orchestrating a 9-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that Gus Edwards carried in from a couple of yards out. Sound familiar? It’s the blueprint that works for Lamar in this offense. There were ups and downs though as has been the case in the previous weeks, and the touchdown to Agholor was nothing but luck. Still, he made plays with both his arm and legs when needed at crucial times.

 

As the Bengals stuttered under Browning in the second half, Jackson got plenty of opportunities to punish them and he did so with three scoring drives including a 6-play, 68-yard touchdown drive to seal the game in the fourth quarter. He connected on a deep ball to Odell Beckham Jr. before Edwards ran in for his second score. Jackson’s 23.96 fantasy points breaks a streak of three weeks of disappointing production. With playmakers at every level and a stellar defense, there should be no excuse from here on in.

 

Notes

  • Jackson was brought down near the sideline near the end of the first quarter and immediately reached to his lower leg area. He went into the blue tent for evaluation as the stadium ushered a worried silence. He returned on the next drive seemingly without limitation
  • He also limped gingerly in the second half after rolling his ankle and being forced into a designed run play on third and long on the following play

Missed opportunities

  • On the first play of the Ravens’ second drive, Jackson overthrew OBJ on a deep ball that would have resulted in a touchdown.

 

Running Back

 

Gus Edwards: 12 Carries, 62 Yards, 2 TDs | 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 8 Yards

 

The hot streak continued for Edwards, who benefitted from two goal-line carries to score his eighth and ninth touchdowns in the last five outings. Edwards was the lead back in front of Mitchell and was the clear option in the red zone as he pleased fantasy managers with a 21-point showing to start Week 11.

 

His biggest play of the game was a 26-yard carry on the Ravens’ first drive of the second half, taking the ball deep into Bengals territory after fooling the entire Bengals defense with a nice cut back inside and running across the field. The run accounted for nearly half his total rushing yards on the day. Fantasy managers will continue to plug and play him due to his significance near the goal line.

 

Keaton Mitchell: 8 Carries, 33 Yards | 1 Target, 1 Reception, 8 Yards

 

This was not just a complimentary role from rookie Mitchell, who was mixed in from early in the game to the run game. Most of his production came on a brilliant 21-yard run in which he showed his vision, shiftiness, and burst of pace, all of which make him an exciting prospect at the position.

 

Justice Hill: 1 Carry, 1 Yard | 1 Target, 1 Reception, 6 Yards

 

Wide Receiver/Tight End

 

Odell Beckham Jr.: 7 Targets, 4 Receptions, 116 Yards

 

Jackson overthrew the veteran early in the game but managed to connect with him on a third down play for 29 yards that set up the Nelson Agholor touchdown in the second quarter. Beckham has become an integral figure in this offense and showed his importance as a big-play receiver a number of times in this game. He hauled in a beautiful air bomb from Jackson midway through the fourth quarter to set up Edwards’ second score. If players go points for assists in fantasy, OBJ would have doubled his tally in this game.

 

Zay Flowers: 4 Targets, 3 Receptions, 43 Yards

 

The rookie had a huge impact on this game and it should have been even more significant after a huge 68-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown was called back due to a dodgy penalty in the second quarter. Still, Flowers beat his markers at every level and had a number of key contributions early in the game. He dropped out of the game plan in the second half and this has been a trend in his usage as defenses pivot to stop his playmaking ability, restricting his fantasy appeal.

 

Nelson Agholor: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 37 Yards, TD

 

Lady luck shined down on former Eagles wideout Agholor, who took a tipped pass from Jackson in the direction of Isaiah Likely all the way into the end zone for a fortunate, game-breaking score just prior to the two-minute warning. It’s a total fluke play and we shouldn’t really be calling it a target at all.

 

Mark Andrews: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 23 Yards

 

After a couple of productive catches for 14 yards and 9 yards respectively on the opening drive of the game, the big tight end failed to get back up after Logan Wilson rolled over him after the catch. He came off the field under his own power but was limping heavily. It was later reported he had an x-ray and he was subsequently ruled out for the remainder of the contest. It was confirmed post-game that he is likely done for the season with an ankle injury, a huge injury for fantasy purposes.

 

Charlie Kolar: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 13 Yards

Rashod Bateman: 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 10 Yards, TD

 

Not even Rashod Bateman‘s first touchdown of the season could break his single-digit fantasy production per game this season. Bateman grabbed his second target of the game in the end zone on a throw on the run from Jackson. The two shared a giggle on the sideline but fantasy managers will need to see much more for the former first-round pick to be trusted in fantasy. He doesn’t look anywhere near a relevant fantasy option.

 

Isaiah Likely: 2 Targets

 

Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@justparadesigns on Twitter/X)

2 responses to “What We Saw: Bengals at Ravens”

  1. Teknik Komputer says:
    November 20, 2023 at 6:21 pm

    Considering the injuries to Joe Burrow and Mark Andrews, how do you think these setbacks will affect the Bengals and Ravens going forward in the season? Tel U

    Reply
    • Benjamin Haller says:
      November 22, 2023 at 4:57 am

      Thanks for the question – the Bengals might just be done for the year as they are currently sat outside the playoffs with a tough schedule ahead. Jake Browning is a former undrafted free agent and a complete unknown so projecting the receivers output is extremely difficult. The Ravens look better set in the run game but the receivers are far from established. Isaiah Likely only received two targets in Andrews’ absence suggesting there is no like-for-like replacement.

      Reply

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