NFL
This week’s Sunday Night Football clash features two teams who would have considered themselves behind the ball had they known they’d both be sitting at 2-2 through the first four weeks of the season.
Both the Cincinnati Bengals and the Baltimore Ravens entered this year with championship aspirations and neither probably expected that they could be heading into Week 6 under .500.
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The Bengals may have had a case of "championship game hangover" as the next two games they played following their Super Bowl loss to the Los Angeles Rams resulted in defeat.
Not only did they drop their first two outings, but they also did so to two lowly teams that they were favored against: the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dak Prescott-less Dallas Cowboys.
There might not be a better remedy for a struggling team than playing the New York Jets, though, as Quarterback Joe Burrow and the rest of the Bengals gained their groove back in Week 3 with a 27-12 victory at Metlife Stadium.
They followed that up with a more impressive win against a surprisingly competitive Miami Dolphins squad, albeit with a clearly hampered and then ultimately sidelined Tua Tagovailoa. This week gives Joe Brr and the rest of the Cincinnati team a chance to place themselves back in the title conversation by edging out a more proven Ravens squad.
While Baltimore sits at 2-2 just like the Bengals, the way the two teams have gotten to this point couldn’t be more different. While Cincinnati has underwhelmed and failed to meet expectations, the Ravens’ losses are much more understandable.
Aside from their Week 2 defeat, when their defense gave up 42 points to Tua and the Dolphins, Baltimore has looked every part of the elite team they expected to be with Lamar Jackson leading the charge. Their other loss came against an equally elite Buffalo Bills team led by MVP-caliber quarterback, Josh Allen.
While the defense hasn’t been as impressive as in years past, Jackson has done his best to carry the team and insert his own name into the MVP conversation. The fifth-year pro is currently tied for first in passing touchdowns and ninth in rushing yards. Not rushing yards among QBs but in the league.
If Jackson can lead the Ravens over the Bengals, his schedule will get significantly easier before he faces them again in the final game of the season. This game could mark a significant launching point for Jackson’s MVP campaign this year.
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| Title: Cincinnati Bengals vs Baltimore Ravens Preview
| Author: Andy Quach
| Date: Oct 09, 2022
