Bengals vs. Ravens: Full Cincinnati Game Preview
The Cincinnati Bengals start yet another brutal batch of AFC North encounters this year with a trip to M&T Bank Stadium for a showdown with the Baltimore Ravens.
Cincinnati started last season with a win in Baltimore, but a new year means new wrinkles and possibilities for both sides. The Bengals look great sitting at 2-0 after dismissing San Diego, but divisional contests are never so cut and dry.
Joe Flacco and the Ravens look shaky after a trip to Oakland resulted in a 37-33 loss (the same team Cincinnati beat 33-13 to start the season), but anyone familiar with this series through the years knows it's not a reason to write this one off as a victory for the visitors.
With revenge for suffering a season sweep last year on the mind, the Ravens won't hold back as they enter desperation mode at 0-2. It's a tall task for the Bengals, but the opportunity to bury Baltimore in a hole presents itself Sunday.
Let's break down the matchup.
Viewing Info
Location: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
Date: Sunday, September 27
Time: 1 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
Week 2 Results and Recap
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AFC North Standings
| Team | W | L |
| Bengals | 2 | 0 |
| Browns | 1 | 1 |
| Steelers | 1 | 1 |
| Ravens | 0 | 2 |
Behind three touchdown passes from Andy Dalton, no sacks and no interceptions, the Cincinnati offense rolled to a 24-19 victory against San Diego this past weekend to put some distance between themselves and the rest of the division.
Giovani Bernard took over for the fumbling Jeremy Hill and ran for 123 yards on 20 carries to balance things out. On defense, Geno Atkins and Co. forced four sacks and a late interception to seal the deal.
With the Cleveland Browns showing signs of life under the guidance of Johnny Manziel and the Pittsburgh Steelers looking like one of the league's best offenses (before even getting Le'Veon Bell back), though, the Bengals will need to keep gunning to stay atop the division.
News and Notes
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No Change for Jeremy Hill
It doesn't sound like the Bengals will pull the plug when it comes to Hill acting as the team's workhorse despite his two fumbles with San Diego in town last weekend.
"Jeremy will be fine," head coach Marvin Lewis said, per ESPN.com's Coley Harvey. "He will get back at it and earn our trust as it goes. But we can't have the ball on the ground."
Fumbles were the biggest complaint around Hill's play as rookie last season, so a pair in one contest is an issue. It seemed Bernard's aforementioned great performance would make things more complicated in the backfield too.
From the sounds of it, the coaching staff will have Hill on a leash. But otherwise he's the workhorse the team will need him to be against a defense like Baltimore's.
Hue Jackson Calls out A.J. Green
One issue swept under the rug in the shadow of Hill's fumble issues?
Another lackluster effort from elite wideout A.J. Green on a near-interception against the Chargers. It sounds like nitpicking, but every few games Green will noticeably pull up on a play with the ball in the air.
Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer asked offensive coordinator Hue Jackson if he spoke with Green about a play in the red zone last Sunday in which Green pulled up and the ball was almost intercepted:
"Yes I have. I don't miss anything. We need to continue to grow. We're not there yet. We're still a work in progress. But it's fun to have a lot of work to do and be 2-0. To have a lot of work to do and have some of the success we have had. Because what you're selling, guys buy. It makes sense. So we'll just keep chugging away at it and continue to get better.
"
It's the little things like this for a team like the Bengals. If San Diego would have picked the ball off with about nine minutes left and changed the outcome, this issue would have a much bigger audience.
For Green and the Bengals, it's about being proactive, not reactive.
High Praise from the Opposition
There's no arguing the fact the Bengals look like one of the best teams in the league through two weeks.
Years and years of highly praised drafts have come to a head and the roster is finally healthy. For now, the team plays like many thought it could.
Baltimore coach John Harbaugh wasn't shy about heaping praise on the Bengals this week, per ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley:
"We have great respect for them, for their coaches [and] the way they play. Obviously, it starts with A.J. Green, but the whole cast of characters there on offense is very talented and gifted – tight ends, running backs, quarterback. The whole group is very good, and they have a heck of an offensive line. I’d say they’re the complete package, talent-wise.
"
Harbaugh added the kicker: "I’ll tell you, I do believe it is the most talented team in the league."
No doubt the Bengals have earned the praise through two games. It's a small sample size, but Cincinnati has the attention of the globe for a strong start. In turn, it means the team won't be sneaking up on anyone this year.
Latest Injury News
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| Player | Position | Status |
| Vontaze Burfict | LB | Out |
The Bengals had their first serious injury scare of the season last Sunday against the Chargers when Hill went down and needed help to get off the field.
Luck smiled on the team, though, as Hill later returned and took a few snaps. His name doesn't appear on the injury report at all, so nothing to worry about going into the showdown with the Ravens.
The Bengals remain remarkably healthy for what feels like the first time in a long time.
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Key Matchups
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Cincinnati Linebackers vs. Justin Forsett
A familiar sight hurt the Bengals in their contest against the Chargers—missed tackles.
The Cincinnati linebackers were the main culprit, especially as the unit failed to properly defend the hole in the defensive line created by Atkins rushing up the field. In fact, San Diego repeatedly exploited Atkins' ability to get pressure by running draws. In doing so, rookie back Melvin Gordon ran 16 times for 88 yards, or 5.5 yards per tote.
Justin Forsett can hurt the Bengals in the same way. While he has just 29 carries for 111 yards through two games, keep in mind those were shootouts in which the Ravens didn't need to rush much. Forsett hurt Cincinnati last year in two games to the tune of 28 carries for 138 yards and a score, almost five yards per touch.
Given the success a rookie found last week, it's worth reasoning Forsett and the Ravens will attack in the same manner. It's up to the linebackers to clean up plays well and close that avenue of moving the ball.
Marvin Jones vs. Baltimore Secondary
For what seemed like the first time since his impressive 2013 season, Marvin Jones came alive with two grabs for 48 yards and a score against San Diego.
The Chargers have a strong secondary, so it shouldn't come as a shock to learn Jones saw five targets on the day, tied only with Green for the team high. This usage figures to jump against the Ravens, who have Jimmy Smith and others to tackle the task that is bottling up Green.
Not only that, the Ravens tout athletic linebackers who can better run with Tyler Eifert as opposed to Cincinnati's first two opponents, meaning Jones will need to get himself open for surefire targets and take pressure off the rest of the unit.
There's no question Jones has the ability to do just that. Whether he executes might decide whether the Bengals can silence the hostile stadium.
Matchup X-Factors
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Ravens X-Factor of the Week: Crockett Gillmore
Keep an eye out for Crockett Gillmore this weekend.
While far from a household name, Gillmore is a talent who can do serious damage on limited opportunities. Last week the tight end caught five passes for 88 yards and two scores against Oakland.
This weekend, Baltimore will lean on Gillmore to open things up for Forsett on the ground and Steve Smith through the air. The approach isn't anything new for Baltimore—in one contest last year against the Bengals, tight end Dennis Pitta caught 10 passes for 83 yards.
Cincinnati has a habit of struggling against tight ends. It hasn't reared its head so far this year, but Gillmore has the talent to make it happen at home.
Bengals X-Factor of the Week: Andy Dalton
It sounds obvious, right?
Dalton has looked great so far this year behind an elite offensive line, taking what's in front of him, not just forcing the ball to Green and mostly taking good care of the football.
As JJ Zachariason of numberFire pointed out, though, Dalton struggles when it comes to division games: "Andy Dalton against the AFC North over his career, per game: 1.21 TD, 221.75 yards, 1.25 INT. Outside North: 1.79 TD, 236 yards, 0.86 INT."
Dalton hasn't been tested yet this year. A road encounter with Baltimore will say quite a lot about his ability to overcome his spotty history against AFC North foes.
The weapons and protection are there, so this weekend might prove quite the tell about how the season as a whole will go for the Bengals.
Prediction: Cincinnati 24, Baltimore 14
6 of 6To paraphrase Harbaugh and add a little to it, the Bengals are one of the best—and healthiest—teams in football.
It's a deadly combination going into Baltimore to encounter a defense that has struggled at times and misses Terrell Suggs. So long as the Cincinnati offensive line can stifle the Baltimore pass rush, Dalton should have time to work through his bountiful options and keep the chains moving.
With the pressure Atkins and Co. have provided over the first two weeks, it's hard to imagine Flacco won't be under fire most of the day. Expect a few costly mistakes through the air, especially if the Cincinnati defenders can shut down the run through consistent tackling.
Look for the Bengals to hop out to an early advantage and then ride the ground game and defense to a critical prove-it victory.
Prediction: Cincinnati 24, Baltimore 14
Stats courtesy of NFL.com and are accurate as of September 23. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.
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