Baltimore Ravens get beat by Bengals: 3 reasons for the loss
The Baltimore Ravens are now 1-1 after a disappointing game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Here are three reasons why the Ravens lost.
1. The Baltimore Ravens were unprepared: The Cincinnati Bengals had an answer for everything, the Ravens had an answer for nothing. The Ravens front seven was supposed to be a big factor in this game, yet the Bengals game plan nullified it. Baltimore’s defense saw some very familiar problems pop back up.
The Ravens offense didn’t get going until it was too late and they squandered a lot of chances. The Bengals defense pummeled Flacco at every opportunity. There is no doubt about it, the Bengals were more ready for this one than the Ravens were.
If there was ever a game you’d think the Ravens would be ready for it would be this one. The Ravens lost to the Bengals in week 17. The Bengals ruined the Ravens playoff hopes. This was a chance for John Harbaugh and company to get revenge. Instead they got down 21-0 and looked like they had no answers to anything in this game.
2. The Ravens offensive line was atrocious:
Alex Collins averaged under four yards per carry and only had 35 yards. Buck Allen had a touchdown, but he also had a 1.9 yard per carry average. There was just no room to work with up front for the Ravens running backs. The Bengals owned the line of scrimmage.
Flacco got sacked four times and the game ended with him getting stripped of the ball. One of Flacco’s interceptions was a result of the Ravens offensive line not being able to block anybody. He got hit as he launched a deep pass and it went the Bengals’ way. Flacco was not given adequate protection in this game and it was a huge factor.
3. Andy Dalton threw for four touchdowns:
Andy Dalton owned the Ravens in this game. He had 265 yards and four touchdowns. Three of those touchdowns were to A.J. Green. It didn’t matter who was covering him, Brandon Carr and Marlon Humphrey both struggled.
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The secondary was as bad as the Ravens offensive line was. The pass rush was non-existent for much of the game and the run defense was embarrassing. After looking dominant in week 1, the Ravens looked helpless in week 2.