ExtremeRavens Posted Monday at 11:30 AM Posted Monday at 11:30 AM CINCINNATI — Sunday was the coldest game in Ravens history. It was 10 degrees with minus-1 wind chill at kickoff. And yet, the Ravens finally looked comfortable, beating up on the Bengals, 24-0. Here are five things we learned from the game: Practice makes (almost) perfect Marlon Humphrey woke up Saturday morning feeling his joints sore from the previous day’s practice. That was a new feeling for the Ravens cornerback. Friday’s practices are generally reserved for last-minute preparation and a lighter workload. “We went so hard on Friday,” Humphrey said. This week, the Ravens were injected with a shot of urgency — two weeks later than they needed, in time to keep the wheels on the car. For one, they were keenly aware that controlling their own playoff destiny requires four wins in as many weeks. The team’s latest messaging has been explicit: “It’s win or die trying,” Humphrey said. Defensive coordinator Zach Orr didn’t pull any punches in team meetings. He challenged them to play on the same page. When they didn’t, the Bengals and Steelers scored a combined 59 points the past two weeks. When they do, Baltimore’s defense is capable of pitching the organization’s first shutout since 2018. The energy started to shift midweek. Then Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed paid a visit. He showed up on his own accord. He left quite the impression. Reed addressed the defensive backs first. He preached about camaraderie and brotherhood. Orr invited Reed to address the entire defense. Reed was not pleased to see junk food in meetings. He offered perspective on NFL hardship. Players on both sides of the ball acknowledged what a productive week of practice they had and the difference it made come Sunday. The Ravens shouldn’t need such a kick in the pants to save their season. But that’s where they’re at, and that’s what it’s taken to find wins through one of the organization’s most disappointing seasons. At this season’s two most critical junctures, an outside voice helped set the Ravens straight. The Ravens were 1-5 at the bye week, suffering from an identity crisis. The once-popular Super Bowl pick tied itself to an anchor and chucked that anchor over the side of the boat. Organizational higher-ups invited renowned motivational speaker Eric Thomas to Owings Mills. Thomas told a room of perked up ears, “You probably came in and was like, ‘We the Ravens.’ You probably came in and was like, ‘Look what we’ve done.’ You probably came in like, ‘Look who our players are.’ And you probably didn’t focus on what you should’ve been focusing on.” The Ravens listened. They strung together five straight wins before the magic cooled off. Cincinnati embarrassed them on Thanksgiving. The Ravens played like a shell of themselves against the Steelers a week later, with both games they deemed must-wins. Reed came in with more to say. “Honestly, that might’ve been why we played so hard on Friday,” Humphrey said. “That kind of did motivate us. Ed, he’s very unfiltered when he talks.” It’s no novel concept that practicing hard makes a difference. Football is a practice sport. But hearing from a legend can be a good reminder. Reed arrived just in time. The Ravens can’t forget his messaging if they’re going to save this season. “If you got to be sore for one day,” Humphrey said, “that’s all right, but we have to practice exactly how we’re going to play, and that’s what we have to do for the rest of the year.” Tight end Mark Andrews insisted this could be the week the Ravens “start being the team that we are.” Can’t blame anyone for scoffing at such a suggestion, considering Baltimore had a ticket to the playoffs in sight and proceeded to lose two straight versus division foes in sloppy showings. Andrews was right. On Sunday, they started to look more like the team they hoped to be: versatile driving upfield, troublemakers on third down, energetic in all phases, unfazed by record-low temperatures. Forgive the cheesiness: It was darn cold at Paycor Stadium, one of the coldest games ever played in Cincinnati, but the Ravens didn’t freeze. They finally started to heat up. The Ravens gave themselves a chance, even if it came against a downtrodden Bengals team that was officially eliminated from playoff contention. “It was our best football game of the year,” coach John Harbaugh said. “Complementary football in all three phases, coming off our best week of practice.” Ravens coach John Harbaugh called Sunday's 24-0 win over the Bengals in Cincinnati "our best football game of the year." (Carolyn Kaster/AP) Lamar Jackson is starting to look like himself again Lamar Jackson admitted Sunday’s game finally started to feel normal for him. The past month has been anything but. Sunday marked the first time Jackson completed more than 60% of his passes since Oct. 30. Before last week’s loss to Pittsburgh, he endured three games without producing a touchdown, the worst stretch of his career. Jackson played through various lower body injuries — knee, ankle and toe — and he missed three games with a hamstring ailment. He admitted to feeling sore but refused to give it credence over a five-week stretch in which he missed at least one midweek practice. Jackson looked as comfortable in the pocket as he has in weeks. Yes, he was sacked four times, bringing his season total to 33. But the offense was clicking. “It felt like us,” said Jackson, who has never lost three straight AFC North games as a starter. “And we just have to keep pushing the envelope.” Jackson braved the cold, wearing one glove on his nonthrowing hand. And presumably a lifetime supply of hand warmers in his jersey pouch. Jackson completed 8 of 12 passes for 150 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Some context: The Ravens ran 40 plays (tying a franchise single-game low) compared with Cincinnati’s 71. They had six possessions, not including the fourth-quarter kneel down. Of his four incompletions, three of them hit both hands of his intended receiver. One skipped through Zay Flowers’ hands for an interception. Another tipped off Mark Andrews’ high-reaching mitts. And the third was a dropped touchdown by Flowers; a high throw, but a catchable ball. Jackson was at his best in the two-minute offense after struggling with it a week ago. He scrambled for 14 yards on first down. That was Jackson’s longest rush since Week 4 in Kansas City. Two plays later, he found a streaking DeAndre Hopkins for 32 yards. Then he flipped the ball over a Bengals pass rusher to Rasheen Ali, who sprinted 30 yards up untouched for his first career touchdown. A drive later, he unleashed a perfect 28-yard pass into Flowers’ arms in the end zone. “I guess you guys had to see it to believe it,” Jackson said. “I’m starting to feel better.” Lamar Jackson said after Sunday's win that he's "starting to feel better." (Carolyn Kaster/AP) The pass rush missed Tavius Robinson Roughly 25 minutes into his first game back since breaking his foot on Oct. 12, Tavius Robinson shed the outstretched arm of a Bengals blocker and burst into the backfield uninhibited. Robinson corralled Burrow and threw him to the turf. He folded his arms in the backfield and mean-mugged. He’s Baltimore’s “glass eater.” Coaches have called Robinson the “prototypical Raven” because of his never-miss-a-rep attitude. After two months on the shelf, it took one drive for Robinson to record a sack. He trails rookie Mike Green by half a sack for the team lead, which says as much about Robinson as it does about Baltimore’s collective pass rush. The funny thing about Robinson is the dichotomy between person and player. He stood beside his locker, dressed in all black with face paint smeared across his face. Then he speaks softly after a player congratulates him. And every answer is accompanied by a smile. Roquan Smith said Robinson is simultaneously the kind of guy you want to “marry your sister” and an unrelenting force in the trenches. After sacking Burrow, Robinson beelined to hug trainers who helped in his recovery. “From day one, I told them I’m gonna be annoying,” Robinson said. “I’m gonna be in here as many hours as possible to get this foot right. Went over and hugged all those guys. … It was a long time watching on TV. Shoot, to be out there having energy with the guys was so fun.” Kyle Hamilton ventured an NBA comparison for his teammate. Bulky Pistons forward Jalen Duren was one. Revered rebounding legend Dennis Rodman was the other. “Guys who just eat glass,” Hamilton said. “They do the dirty work. At the end of the day, you look up and they got great numbers.” Earlier this week, Robinson said he hoped to be the energy infuser Baltimore’s defense needed. “Give the energy to go out there and get it done and affect the quarterback,” he said. Robinson planned to bring the juice and drink it too. “T-Rob deserves a lot of credit,” Harbaugh said. “He had two or three pressures out there, I think, and was just running around making plays.” Robinson fed into one of the Ravens’ best pass rush games in weeks. Travis Jones sacked Burrow. Green sacked Burrow. The team combined for 10 quarterback hits, which they hadn’t done in a month. Sunday was the first time the Bengals had been shut out since 2017. Baltimore’s knockout punch was not without Robinson’s help. He forced Burrow into a bad throw that landed right in Kyle Van Noy’s arms. Van Noy took a few steps to his right, searching for someone younger and faster to give the ball to. He handed it over to safety Alohi Gilman, who turned and burned 84 yards to the end zone. “I didn’t even know until just now that KVN was the one who caught the ball and pitched it,” Robinson laughed. Added Gilman: “I was actually yelling at him to pitch the ball after he caught it, so it worked out. I saved some hamstrings for him. Put it on me. So, shout out to Kyle Van Noy.” Shout out to Robinson, too, for making his presence felt in his first game back. Ravens linebacker Tavius Robinson sacks Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow in the first half Sunday. Robinson returned after missing several games because of a broken foot. (Jeff Dean/AP) Injuries piled up in the cold, which could complicate this final stretch Rookie linebacker Teddye Buchanan sat quietly in his locker stall. He rubbed his face between his hands fretfully. There wasn’t much to say. His baggy sweatpants covered the brace holding together what is feared to be a torn ACL, two sources told The Baltimore Sun. “I don’t think it looks good,” Harbaugh said. Buchanan suffered the noncontact injury late in the first quarter Sunday while on punt coverage. He’s had a promising year, particularly the back half of this season as he settled into anevery-down starter in the middle of Baltimore’s defense. The NFL named Buchanan Rookie of the Month in October. His season might be over. “Giving me chills just thinking about it,” Smith said. “Knowing what he stands for, knowing all that he’s gone through. When you just see that, it just sucks. Obviously, it’s an unforgiving business. We know that. We sign up for that. It just sucks.” Buchanan was named a full-time starter in Week 2. He usurped Trenton Simpson for regular reps beside Smith. Simpson, in his third year, will likely be back in that role to finish out the season against three teams with good quarterbacks and respectable rushing attacks. Buchanan’s injury was the worst in an afternoon littered with them. Chidobe Awuzie came up limping after a pass to the end zone to Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki. He went to the locker room and was ruled out soon after. Baltimore’s top cover cornerback was seen leaving the locker room with a boot on his right foot. Harbaugh said they’ll know more about the seriousness of the injury Monday. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley went down late and appeared to be in significant pain. Harbaugh said he “looks fine.” Stanley didn’t return, which was more a decision based on the time and score than the injury. It gave way to seventh-round rookie Carson Vinson’s first NFL snaps. Ravens cornerback Chidobe Awuzie exited Sunday's game against the Bengals with a lower leg injury and did not return. (Jeff Dean/AP) ‘No more second chances’ The Ravens will have to wait until Monday night to find out if their win Sunday was enough to climb back into a first-place tie with the Steelers. Pittsburgh hosts Miami in the prime-time slot. They’ll watch closely, knowing playoff hopes hinge on some help from a division rival. They’ll keep the game at arm’s length, too, knowing none of it matters if they play their best football the next three weeks. According to The New York Times’ playoff simulator, the Ravens’ playoff odds jumped from 27% to 41%. Next are two big-boy matchups with the New England Patriots (11-3) and Green Bay Packers (9-4-1). Week 18 being the decisive game for AFC North supremacy is still a possibility. “Like I told the guys,” Smith said, “there’s no more second chances.” Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.x.com. View the full article Quote
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