ExtremeRavens Posted November 8 Posted November 8 Here’s how the Ravens (7-3) graded out at every position after a 35-34 win over the Bengals (4-6) on Thursday at M&T Bank Stadium: Quarterback This wasn’t one of Lamar Jackson’s better games, even though he had good statistics. He made several plays with his legs, but his timing was off for almost three quarters. However, he made plays at the end of the game, and that’s what mattered most. Jackson completed 25 of 33 passes for 290 yards and four touchdowns, but the 84-yarder on a short pass to Tylan Wallace was a great effort by the fourth-year receiver. Grade: B Running back The Ravens didn’t get this group involved for most of the game, even Derrick Henry on toss plays to the outside. Henry finished with 68 yards on 16 carries and one touchdown. Backup Justice Hill wasn’t involved much, recording minus-2 yards on two carries and two receptions. No. 3 running back Keaton Mitchell got into the game, his first since suffering a torn ACL in December, but was more of a return specialist, returning one kickoff for 30 yards. Grade: C Offensive line Turnovers and gambles on fourth down by the Bengals put the Ravens’ offense in good field position, but this group struggled most of the game with penalties. Left guard Patrick Mekari played hurt most of the second half and both right guard Daniel Faalele and left tackle Ronnie Stanley put the offense in poor position with either holding or false start penalties. The group did get better in the second half, though. Grade: C- Receivers Wallace had the play of the game, taking a short pass and turning it into a touchdown down the left sideline. Rashod Bateman (six catches for 54 yards) came up with clutch receptions, including the game-winner, and so did tight end Mark Andrews, who had six catches for 68 yards, including an 18-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. They came up with crucial receptions against a secondary that was as inept as the Ravens’. Grade: B Defensive line Tackle Nnamdi Madubuike had five tackles and three sacks, and he worked over Bengals guards Cordell Volson and Alex Cappa. The Bengals missed left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., out with a knee/fibula injury, and the Ravens consistently beat his replacement, Cody Ford. The Ravens shut down Cincinnati’s running game, which had only 49 yards on 16 attempts. Grade: A- While the Ravens’ secondary was dreadful, Odafe Oweh and the linebackers were better against the Bengals. (Staff) Linebackers Outside linebackers Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh kept consistent pressure on quarterback Joe Burrow, even though Burrow threw for 428 yards and four touchdowns. Oweh had four pressures and Van Noy had one, but he made Burrow move in the pocket. Middle linebacker Roquan Smith led the Ravens in tackles with 12 and weakside linebacker Trenton Simpson had seven. Grade: B- Secondary The Ravens don’t have a shutdown cornerback. They continue to give up the middle of the field and don’t have an enforcer at safety who makes receivers pay for catches over the middle. Safety Marcus Williams continues to take bad pursuit angles after receptions, and the Ravens played off receivers despite knowing Burrow was going to feast on short passes. Ja’Marr Chase had 11 catches for 264 yards and three touchdowns, including a 70-yarder with 5:37 left in the game. If Cincinnati had receiver Tee Higgins, who was out with a quad injury, the Ravens might have lost. Grade: F Special teams Justin Tucker didn’t attempt a field goal, but he missed an extra point attempt after Wallace’s 84-yard touchdown reception early in the fourth quarter. That’s hard to believe. Tucker has missed several field goal attempts this year, and the extra point try was wide left. Jordan Stout averaged 46.2 yards on five punts and placed two inside the 20-yard line. The Ravens finally recovered an onside kick late in the game, an area they have surprisingly struggled in this season. Grade: B Coaching Coach John Harbaugh blew a challenge on a short pass early in the game and wasted another early timeout to prevent a penalty for 12 men on the field, which cost the Ravens a chance to score late in the first half. Offensively, the Ravens were out of sync for most of the first half. Defensively, they have struggled all season, and it was the same Thursday as the Bengals had nearly 500 yards of total offense. Whatever the Ravens have tried defensively, it’s not working, even though the personnel is similar to a year ago when the team had one of the best defenses in the NFL. Regardless of playing a divisional game on a short week, the outcome shouldn’t have been this close. Grade: C- Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13. View the full article Quote
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