Keys to the Game.
The Bengals get another shot at the Ravens with a chance to prove that one of their two wins was a fluke. Luckily, the Ravens just played a Monday night road game and will have 2 less days to prepare for the Bengals. Not so lucky for the Bengals, the Ravens played on Monday like they played in their last Monday night performance against the Bengals. But this time, the game did not come down to the final drive as Pittsburgh gave the Ravens the most embarrassing loss of their short franchise history. The Ravens will be a bit perturbed coming into the Bengals game, and the Bengals will try not to kick-start another team’s dead season as they have with the Bills, Chiefs, and Browns. The Ravens currently stand 4 and 4 and are heading into what might be the toughest stretch for any team this season. Their second half schedule goes as follows: CIN, CLE, @SD, NE(Monday), IND, @MIA, @SEA, PIT. The Ravens first half schedule was easy, yet they could only muster a 4-4 record. They had wins against the Jets, Cardinals, Rams and 49ers(Combined 6-27), and losses against the Bengals, Browns, Bills and Steelers(Combined 17-15). So this is not a top Baltimore team facing the Bengals. However, they are still playing better than the Bengals and will do their best to pile onto the misery. Baltimore’s defense is still their strength, but if the Ravens offense can have a career day like every other Bengals opponent, this game could get ugly.
When the Ravens have the ball: The Ravens offense has been playing terrible football lately, but that may not matter when it comes to the Bengals defense. The stout Ravens defense gives the Ravens offense many chances to score per contest, but they still cannot produce. In the past 4 games, the Ravens offense has scored on 12 of 50 drives against the stellar defenses of the 49ers(20th), Bills(30th), Rams(19th), and Steelers(1st), most of the time starting with great field position. The Bengals have not faced a top offense since the Patriots game, yet they are giving up an average of 29 points and 395 yards the past 4 weeks: Chiefs(30th), Jets(28th), Steelers(9th), Bills(31st). The Ravens cannot score against bad defenses, and the Bengals cannot stop terrible offenses. This should be the most exciting duel between the completely inept since the Britney Spears/Kevin Federline divorce proceedings.
When the Bengals have the ball: The Ravens defense is very similar to the Steelers defense that the Bengals faced 2 weeks ago. Against the Steelers, Kenny Watson was able to run for 88 yards on 19 carries. Behind that solid production, the Bengals were able to score on 50% of their possessions. If the Bengals keep the same game plan against the Ravens, the Bengals should enjoy some success, especially with the addition of Chris Henry. Henry is sure to draw a lot of attention his first few times on the field, let’s hope the Bengals do not get stupid in trying to force Henry the ball. The Bengals need to play conservative offense and take smart, calculated chances when they can. Just like every other week, if Soul Patch gives up on the run early, look for a rowdy blitzfest from the Ravens with Ed Reed headhunting in the secondary. If that happens, Palmer, TJ and Henry could take some nasty shots. As seen on Monday night, the Raven’s starting CBs are out, and their backups cover receivers in a Bengal-like manner. The Bengals should put nice scoring drives together within a conservative game plan, and not have to go pass crazy to win.
What you do want to see: #15 back on the field. He has done his time and the Bengals desperately need him. Not because of the 3rd receiver excuse, but because Henry is the best receiver on the team at coming down with the pass when he is covered.
What you don’t want to see: Chris Henry at Annie’s Disco Night Sunday after the game.
Matchup of mullets: TJ vs TE Quinn Sypniewski
The first time around, we honored Sypniewski purely for the spectacle he has created. This time, due to injuries at the TE position, Sypniewski is sure to see a lot of action for the Ravens. Going against the Bengals LBs, Dexter Jackson and Madieu Williams, Sypniewski has a chance this week to actually win the receiving battle with TJ. It will be close, but TJ gets the nod. BENGALS WIN
Matchup of Moustaches: RB Kenny Watson vs DB Samari Rolle
Samari Rolle has missed 4 games this season for multiple reasons, and it is not known if he will play against the Bengals. If he is out, the backup corners will need help from the safeties and LBs. That could open up the game for Kenny Watson if Soul Patch wants to win the game. BENGALS WIN
Duel of the uglies: QB Jeff Rowe vs. OL Adam Terry
Jeff Rowe laughs as he bashes Adam Terry’s face in for Rowe’s second victory over Terry this season. Bashing Terry’s face will actually make him better looking, so Rowe has no chance of ever losing to Terry again. To celebrate, Rowe is going to treat himself to a mudbath at Fernald. BENGALS WIN
Battle of old men: DE Bryan Robinson(33) vs Matt Stover(39)
Stover began kicking with the Cleveland Browns in 1991 and is the 3rd most accurate kicker in NFL history. He made the move with the Browns franchise to Baltimore and is the only current member of the Ravens that made the move at the inception of the franchise. It would be nice have a dependable kicker for 16 years, instead we have Gingerballs. RAVENS WIN
Biggest loser fan: Stormtrooper/Darth Chinstrap vs
Hmmmm, which person in the group of Ravens fans is considered the loser fan? That's right, the guy with the hair helmet, moustache, blue blockers, and long sleeved white tee. His claim to fame is probably being an extra in the movie "Over The Top."
RAVENS WIN Actually, the guy in the middle with the Sports Steve hat has a website dedicated to.......himself as Sports Steve, local celebrity.
Cheerbabe Tussle: I did it!!!! We discussed the fact that the Ravens have male cheerleaders when the Bengals played the Ravens in week 1. It took me 9 weeks to get over that fact, but I looked at the Ravens website this week, and the male cheerleaders are gone!!! I am taking full responsibility for this incredible turn of events. Who said that I have done nothing with my life? Just look at the Raven cheerbabes to see my mark left on society. To celebrate, here is a collection of Ravens cheerbabe photos including the most famous of all Ravens cheerbabes, Stacy Keibler.
Little known Ravens fact: In another segment of “Sometimes people are smart and sometimes people are dumb,†the Ravens have had many stellar drafts over the years. The first of the big steals was in 1996 when the Ravens used 2 first round picks on Jonathan Ogden (4th) and Ray Lewis (26th); Just for reference, the Bengals took Willie Anderson(10th) while the Rams took Lawrence Phillips(6th). The next major steal was in 2002 when the Ravens took Ed Reed(24th), while division rival Cleveland took Willie Green(16th); Again for reference, the Bengals took Levi Jones(10th).
Riding high off past draft successes, the Ravens took Terrell Suggs with the 10th pick of the 2003 draft, again a great pick. However, later in round 1 of that year, the Ravens decided they needed a QB for the future. They traded their 2nd round pick that year, and the first round pick of the next year to the Patriots for the right to draft Kyle Boller(19th). After being traded again, those 2 picks turned out to be Ken Hamlin and Vince Wilfork. Every team in the NFL would be willing to trade their backup QB for Hamlin and Wilfork.
Moral of the story? Let’s hope the Bengals get the 10th pick in this year’s draft as it seems to have a good history for the AFC North. Recent AFC North 10th picks:
Willie Anderson
Duane Starks
Chris McAlister
Levi Jones
Terrell Suggs
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