Baltimore Ravens: Game balls vs. Cincinnati Bengals
By Joe Schiller
3. Buck Allen/Terrance West
While we saw little to no production from the passing game against the Bengals, the Ravens ran the ball, and they did a lot. The commitment to the ground game was exciting to see and the influence of senior offensive assistant Greg Roman seems to be working wonders.
No Danny Woodhead, no problem. Buck Allen and Terrance West took plenty care of the starting snaps. The two combined for 151 yards and one touchdown on the day. It wasn’t pretty, but the two worked their way for hard earned yards.
Last season we would haven’t seen the Ravens sustain long drives like they did on Sunday. Up 17-0 in the third quarter, the offense went on a 17-play drive that lasted almost 10 minutes. The Ravens threw the ball just four times on the drive, while the ground game led the way.
Terrance West and Buck Allen aren’t home run hitters, but gaining four to six yards on every play gets the job done. The offense then isn’t stuck in second/third and long situations. It takes the pressure off of Joe Flacco and doesn’t force him to make unnecessary throws into coverage.
The Ravens offense still has a long way to go this season, but the commitment to the ground game is a promising sign. John Harbaugh said it perfectly today, the team isn’t looking to pad the stat sheet offensively, they are doing enough to win.