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Baltimore Ravens: 5 things we learned against Bengals

By Jake McDonnell

CINCINNATI, OH - SEPTEMBER 10: C.J. Mosley
CINCINNATI, OH - SEPTEMBER 10: C.J. Mosley /
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CINCINNATI, OH – SEPTEMBER 10: Terrance West #28 of the Baltimore Ravens slips through the tackle of Kevin Minter #51 of the Cincinnati Bengals during the first quarter at Paul Brown Stadium on September 10, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OH – SEPTEMBER 10: Terrance West #28 of the Baltimore Ravens slips through the tackle of Kevin Minter #51 of the Cincinnati Bengals during the first quarter at Paul Brown Stadium on September 10, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

#4 – Marty Mornhinweg can commit to the run game

In this game, we saw something that’s been a long time coming for the Ravens’ offense – a commitment to the run game. As mentioned, the Ravens attempted just 17 passes on the afternoon, while they ran 42 run plays. The Ravens attempted more passing plays than any team in the NFL last season, but they took a completely different approach on Sunday.

Flacco’s back injury definitely played a role in this decision. The five turnovers certainly helped too. In fact, Flacco did not even complete a pass in the second half, and the Ravens only scored three points over the final 30 minutes.

A lot of factors went into the Ravens’ emphasis on the run, but nevertheless it was refreshing to see it succeeding. The tandem of Terrance West and Buck Allen combined for 151 yards and a touchdown. Flacco performs better when the Ravens operate a strong running attack. It does not need to be a top 5 rushing offense. The Ravens’ passing game features several weapons, so if the running game does what it accomplished today in future games, the offense will get better.

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