Cincinnati Bengals vs. Baltimore Ravens: Full Report Card Grades for Cincinnati
The Cincinnati Bengals began their quest for a fourth consecutive postseason berth with a 23-16 road win over the Baltimore Ravens Sunday.
It wasn't pretty. Injuries are a major concern, and there are certainly a lot of things the team needs to work on moving forward, but the Bengals, on the hunt to take the next step, got a major confidence boost in a hostile environment.
Quarterback Andy Dalton was sharp, and new coordinator Hue Jackson's offense was innovative and relentless, even if it was miserable on third downs and near the end zone. Luckily for the unit, kicker Mike Nugent connected on five attempts, and wideout A.J. Green gave the team a late score to wrap things up.
Defensively, Cincinnati crumpled from an injury standpoint. Tackle Geno Atkins hardly saw the field, while linebacker Vontaze Burfict left in the second quarter, which created a noticeable drop-off in quality of play.
Regardless, the unit pulled through late, as did the team as a whole once Baltimore got its act together in the second half. The response in the face of adversity is an encouraging sign, to say the least.
Let's break down how each positional unit performed to pinpoint where the team needs to improve in order to build off the momentum gained Sunday.
Quarterback: B
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What a world of difference a coordinator change makes.
Andy Dalton not only looks like a sharper passer in comparison to last season but looks more comfortable in the pocket under duress too.
There were some off-throws and overall bad decisions, but Dalton wound up putting together a better body of work than most would have anticipated against the Ravens in Baltimore. He finished the day with a 25-of-38 mark for 301 yards and the lone touchdown to Green late in the game.
Of course, it is worth mentioning that better efficiency in the red zone would have been a plus, but that tends to be an issue that sees multiple people take the blame, not just the quarterback.
An interesting wrinkle of note was Dalton's six carries, many of which came on the read option or a straight-up draw. Better judgment in this area would have been nice, but it seems to be something that will come with time.
For now, Sunday was an encouraging sign for Dalton. Less reliance on backs for production through the air is necessary, but the value of a road win cannot be understated.
Grade: B
Running Back: B
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Running back is one of the more difficult Cincinnati Bengals positions to grade after Week 1.
As a whole, the rushing was miserable in the first half and remained about the same into the second. Sophomore Giovani Bernard finished with 14 carries for 48 yards for a 3.4 yards-per-carry average. Rookie Jeremy Hill took just four totes and turned them into 19 yards.
Then again, Bernard was a game-changing presence on his own as a receiver. He wound up with six receptions for 62 yards, not to mention making several chain-moving grabs.
Given that the Bengals had the lead for most of the contest and spent a second-round pick on a back for the second year in a row, it was easy to assume the offense would gravitate to a run-first approach.
Regardless, the line in front of the backs has to do better in the coming weeks. Then again, the backs won't have to encounter the Baltimore defensive front for a while, so perhaps things will open up better for them next week against Atlanta.
Grade: B
Wide Receiver and Tight End: C+
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For just a brief second, Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert proved to be a major part of the team's plan against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.
The Notre Dame product exploded as quarterback Andy Dalton's favorite target and reeled in three receptions for 37 yards before going down with an elbow injury.
Jermaine Gresham did attempt to step up in Eifert's place and finished with 16 yards on two catches, although he did run a few sloppy routes and had a noticeable miscommunication while wide open that would have solved some of his team's efficiency issues near the end zone.
At wideout, A.J. Green was his usual self, finishing with six receptions for 131 yards and a touchdown. Credit goes to Baltimore corner Jimmy Wilson for putting up a great fight on him all day, though.
The rest of the depth chart was rather silent, with Mohamed Sanu quietly bringing in four catches for 36 yards as the primary replacement for the injured Marvin Jones.
In all, with Eifert and Jones out of the contest, it would have been nice to see other targets outside of the running backs help Dalton in the passing game. There really is no excuse for the lack of production from both of these spots against a defense that was without its No. 1 corner, Lardarius Webb.
Green saved the game, but better routes, timing and overall production are a must, so Dalton can stop leaning on his backs for passing yardage.
Grade: C+
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Offensive Line: B+
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The offensive line for the Cincinnati Bengals had an up-and-down day at best Sunday in Baltimore.
Left tackle Andrew Whitworth played a great game, with a highlight being his demolition of a defensive back down the field on a screen. At first glance, right tackle Andre Smith held up well enough, as did right guard Kevin Zeitler.
One of the main focal points for the contest against the Ravens was on rookie center Russell Bodine. As ESPN.com's Coley Harvey illustrates, the first-year player had his issues throughout the game, including some that single-handedly ruined plays:
"Looked like Russell Bodine got whipped around on the block on the goal-line play there. Andy Dalton had no chance. 22-yd FG, #Bengals up 6-0
— Coley Harvey (@ColeyHarvey) September 7, 2014"
All things considered, though, the unit as a whole did a fantastic job against a defensive front that includes Haloti Ngata, not to mention it came in a noisy, hostile environment.
Better paths on the ground are a requirement in future weeks, but for a first look this season, the unit appears to be headed down the right track. We have known pass blocking should not be an issue, and the unit gave up no sacks Sunday. The growing pains for all involved should subside rather quickly.
Grade: B+
Defensive Line: B+
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The Cincinnati defensive line got sporadic bursts from tackle Geno Atkins for most of the day, but the depth of the line shined throughout the contest.
When Baltimore actually decided not to be one-dimensional and run the football, it did so with quality effect. The Ravens, sans Ray Rice, finished with 20 carries for 91 yards, but the depth of the line saw several of the team's passes batted down at the line of scrimmage.
For starters such as Carlos Dunlap, most of the contest was a productive affair, as Paul Dehner Jr. of Cincinnati.com points out after one of his eye-popping plays:
"Two plays in a row Carlos Dunlap broke through the line to reroute the runner. This time had Burfict to help him.
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) September 7, 2014"
Things did break down in the final quarter and change, if not for a brief moment. Backups such as Justin Forsett torched the line late in the game, and the pass rush was seemingly nonexistent for a stretch.
As Jay Morrison of Cox Media Group captures, coordinator Paul Guenther blames the issues on early-season fatigue:
"Guenther with Lap: The second half they were going no huddle. First game, everyone's winded a bit.
— Jay Morrison (@JayMorrisonCMG) September 7, 2014"
When the Bengals needed a play from the line, though, they got it. With the game on the line on third down and the Ravens in the red zone, Wallace Gilberry got a sack to force fourth down. There, Cincinnati brought a rush, and the line occupied offensive linemen while safety Reggie Nelson came in for the game-winning sack.
As long as the line is healthy, it will continue to be a strength for Cincinnati.
Grade: B+
Linebacker: A-
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Before injuries struck, linebacker might have been the best overall positional group for the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday.
As expected, Vontaze Burfict was all over the field and finished with four tackles, a pass defensed and a quarterback hit, not to mention a forced fumble and recovery, as Paul Dehner Jr. of Cincinnati.com breaks down:
"Assuming this holds that is one heck of a play by Burfict. Gets both the force and recovery all while tackling him to the ground.
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) September 7, 2014"
Unfortunately, Burfict left the game with an injury in the second quarter and never returned, which had a massive impact on the entire defense.
One of the game's unheralded heroes turned out to be Emmanuel Lamur, who led the team with 11 total tackles and a pass defensed, not to mention the game's lone interception. The only problem with this is simple—he also left the game with an injury, albeit late.
Vincent Rey entered the game to help out, and even defensive end Wallace Gilberry was asked to stand up and pitch in at a few points. If the injuries at the position are serious, it is a major detriment to the team as a whole, and the Bengals might just be on the market for replacements. Keep an eye out in the coming week.
Grade: A-
Secondary: C+
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"Erratic" is probably the best way to describe the Cincinnati Bengals secondary play Sunday in Baltimore.
Corner Leon Hall was sound in coverage when actually in the game (he left at one point due to injury), as was Terence Newman for the most part despite getting beaten deep by Torrey Smith at one point.
Adam Jones was perhaps the most up-and-down performer of all. Sometimes, he made a great play—other times, not so much. He was also the culprit on Baltimore's biggest play of the game that gave the Ravens the lead, as ESPN.com's Coley Harvey illustrates:
"Play of the game for the moment. Adam Jones lost Steve Smith and then got knocked down by Smith after he rebounded. 80-yd TD. Ravens go up
— Coley Harvey (@ColeyHarvey) September 7, 2014"
Safeties Reggie Nelson and George Iloka played well enough, with the former getting the aforementioned game-winning sack and finishing second only to Emmanuel Lamur on the stat sheet with 10 total tackles and a quarterback hit.
Jones and the secondary were bailed out by a jaw-dropping A.J. Green play. It is important to point out, though, that the secondary would have been better overall had the defensive line been healthier and more consistent and had the linebackers been able to stay on the field.
For a team that lost a large quantity of defensive backs to injury over the course of the past few seasons, the staff in Cincinnati should just be happy the unit seems relatively unscathed after Sunday's events.
Grade: C+
Special Teams: B
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Playing the "what if" game is never fun, but obviously the grade here for the Cincinnati Bengals special teams Sunday is going to be impacted by the blocked field goal.
ESPN.com's Coley Harvey noted that the inefficiency from Andy Dalton and the offense eventually bled to special teams:
"And ... that's why you have to close out drives in the end zone. A blocked FG on Nugent's sixth attempt, and the Ravens have ball and life.
— Coley Harvey (@ColeyHarvey) September 7, 2014"
Had kicker Mike Nugent connected on his sixth attempt of the day, the game would not have been so hotly contested down to the wire.
Still, hats off to Nugent for making five in a row, with his longest coming from 49 yards away. Further helping the grade here is Kevin Huber's stellar day with an average of 37.8 yards per punt. Kick coverage was strong as well when one remembers the kick-coverage team was tasked with keeping Jacoby Jones in check. Corner Adam Jones took his lone punt return back 45 yards.
Grade: B
Coaching: B
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As Cincinnati.com's Paul Dehner Jr. noted early in the contest Sunday, the Cincinnati Bengals began an alarming trend in comparison to last year's unit:
"Last year #Bengals were second in NFL to Denver in TD scoring percentage in red zone (71 percent). Now 0 for 2 today.
— Paul Dehner Jr. (@pauldehnerjr) September 7, 2014"
Coordinator Hue Jackson is certainly a breath of fresh air, although one has to wonder if a 38-26 pass-run split is the best route for the current roster. That 4-of-14 mark on third down is a major issue, obviously.
Defensively, it was difficult to tell apart new coordinator Paul Guenther's unit from Mike Zimmer's approach, which is nothing but a good thing. Even better, this unit, outside of a blown coverage late, continued to play well despite fatigue and a rash of injuries as the game went on toward its conclusion.
As the biggest question not named Andy Dalton this past offseason, both new coordinators held their own in what amounted to a trial by fire in their debuts. There are areas that need work, sure, but a win is a win, and the tape will reveal all as they get to work in the coming week.
Grade: B
Final Grades
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| Positional Unit | Overall Grade |
| QB | B |
| RB | B |
| WR/TE | C+ |
| OL | B+ |
| DL | B+ |
| LB | A- |
| Secondary | C+ |
| Special Teams | B |
| Coaching | B |
| Cumulative Grade | B |
In all, the Cincinnati Bengals have a block of clay in front of them at the moment that can be molded into something special in time.
A road win to start the season is tough. A road win over a divisional opponent is even more difficult. The Bengals, often ridiculed for being unable to perform in big games, did just that Sunday in Baltimore.
Health is a major concern. Offensive efficiency is a lesser complaint and one coach Marvin Lewis is surely aware of, as captured by ESPN.com's Coley Harvey:
"Marvin: "We were a tick off offensively." #Bengals
— Coley Harvey (@ColeyHarvey) September 7, 2014"
Again, there are worse problems to have. A team with a bit of turnover in a few key areas just took a rivalry game on the road to start the season. As it stands, the Bengals are on a wave of upward trajectory if they can correct a few minor things in the coming weeks.
All stats and info courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
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