Yes, Ravens look like best team in NFL at this time. However what if Burrow, Chase, Higgins have a big game also. I think the game is in Cincinnati, not Baltimore, so that helps. May be a closer game than media is thinking.

Of course as always, GO BENGALS

If Lou can figure out how to play his defense to stop the run, wether that's a 5-2 or a 4-3 or maybe some other exotic formation, we have a great chance to win this one. I believe Baltimore will try to run it firmly down our throats and plan a few play actions. But if we can somehow contain Jackson and Henry, we win this one. In my old age my memory isn't what it used to be, but didn't we play pretty well against Henry when he was with the Titans?

(10-02-2024, 12:39 PM)Mer Wrote: If Lou can figure out how to play his defense to stop the run, wether that's a 5-2 or a 4-3 or maybe some other exotic formation, we have a great chance to win this one. I believe Baltimore will try to run it firmly down our throats and plan a few play actions. But if we can somehow contain Jackson and Henry, we win this one. In my old age my memory isn't what it used to be, but didn't we play pretty well against Henry when he was with the Titans?

Yes, we stoned him to something like 40 yards. But we had Reader at the time

(10-02-2024, 12:42 PM)Sled21 Wrote: Yes, we stoned him to something like 40 yards. But we had Reader at the time

Correct. It was in the playoffs, and he was coming back from foot injury - if I recall correctly.

In last year's game, he went off for 120+ yards.

(10-02-2024, 12:39 PM)Mer Wrote: If Lou can figure out how to play his defense to stop the run, wether that's a 5-2 or a 4-3 or maybe some other exotic formation, we have a great chance to win this one. I believe Baltimore will try to run it firmly down our throats and plan a few play actions. But if we can somehow contain Jackson and Henry, we win this one. In my old age my memory isn't what it used to be, but didn't we play pretty well against Henry when he was with the Titans?

Ah, this is a great point.  Glad you mentioned it....I don't think Coach Taylor sitting back with 5 or 6 DB's is going to cut it with Ravens who love to run the ball and pound you with double TE's.   The Bengals in a 4-2-5 most of the game as Taylor likes  does not match up with what Baltimore is built for in 2024.  

The Bill found out by halftime that against Baltimore, you have to Attack.  You have to Blitz, you have to Attack into Ravens backfield.   If you sit back in coverage, you will get clobbered.  Sitting back in coverage against Henry will end up in the beating Coach Taylor took  sitting back in coverage against Chubb and the beatings Browns laid on Taylor for doing that.   You really have to try to hit Henry before he gets started, because DB's chasing him 40 yards up field is too late. 

Bengals can learn from Bills.  Bills came out at Halftime and were more aggressive on Defense, and Bills Defense started to make some stops.  I know Coach Taylor loves all the DBs on the field, but that will not work against Power Running Baltimore. 

Bills had a hard time scoring, but if Burrow, Chase Higgins and Company can put up points.  The best way to stop the Baltimore Offense is for Bengals to have the ball on Offense. The less Bengals Defense is on the field, the better. 

IF the Bengals could score early.  The best way to throw off a good running team is jump out to a lead and force them to throw more than run. 

I am as worried about Ravens huge Fullback as anybody.  He does not put up Fantasy Football Points.  What he does is knock defenders on their butts with his blocking every play.  A team that still uses a Fullback, and he can flat out Block.  

Bills sat back passive in Defense like Coach Taylor the first half, and Bills got ate alive.  Bills D did look better coming out aggressive in 2nd half, and Coach Taylor could learn from that.  You sit back in the nickel or dime prevent all game against the 2024 Ravens and they will score 80 points.  You have to go more 85 Bears Blitz and get in their backfield. 

(10-02-2024, 12:39 PM)Mer Wrote: In my old age my memory isn't what it used to be, but didn't we play pretty well against Henry when he was with the Titans?

(10-02-2024, 12:42 PM)Sled21 Wrote: Yes, we stoned him to something like 40 yards. But we had Reader at the time

We had Reader last year and Derrick Henry ran 22 times for 122 yards (5.6 ypc) and a TD. They beat us 27-3.

We did shut him down in 2022 (we had a good defense that year) and in the 2021 playoffs (granted he was out the previous 9 games with an injury), but he got us in 2020 though we got the win, and didn't play him in 2019.

[quote='kevin' pid='1518160' dateline='1727884959']

The Bill found out by halftime that against Baltimore, you have to Attack.  You have to Blitz, you have to Attack into Ravens backfield.   If you sit back in coverage, you will get clobbered. 

Attacking against J. Allen is one thing, against L. Jackson is a bad idea that seldom works. We need good one on one tackling or we lose.

Should be a tight one if we don't let Lamar and Henry run all over us....

Bengals - 31
Ravens - 28

It’s going to be a game of keep away. Can’t stop the run, offense can’t make mistakes and has score tds every possession.

Ain’t looking good

Can we stop assigning god status to the Rats? They're 2-2 and only avoided losing to Dallas by dint of a bad ref call on the final Rat possession. Derrick Henry always tortures Buffalo and to be honest the Bills were playing above their heads earlier - this was when all the roster turnover caught up with them.

This is very winnable for us. Remember the Rats have three new starters each on the OL and on defense. They are not supermen. Our big keyword has to be TACKLE. If we just tackle soundly we'll stop them at least part of the time. And if our offense keeps chugging along we can neuter the ground game by getting up multiple scores. This isn't unwinnable by any stretch - right now it's probably a coin flip kind of game.

So....this time we get the flip and Mac gets a GWFG as time expires. Say 24-21.

Ravens 55-Bengals 42

(10-02-2024, 03:59 PM)Joelist Wrote: Can we stop assigning god status to the Rats? They're 2-2 and only avoided losing to Dallas by dint of a bad ref call on the final Rat possession. Derrick Henry always tortures Buffalo and to be honest the Bills were playing above their heads earlier - this was when all the roster turnover caught up with them.

This is very winnable for us. Remember the Rats have three new starters each on the OL and on defense. They are not supermen. Our big keyword has to be TACKLE. If we just tackle soundly we'll stop them at least part of the time. And if our offense keeps chugging along we can neuter the ground game by getting up multiple scores. This isn't unwinnable by any stretch - right now it's probably a coin flip kind of game.

So....this time we get the flip and Mac gets a GWFG as time expires. Say 24-21.

You don’t have to be great to beat the Bengals right now. We have already lost to a terrible Patriots team. 

If we can limit Henry to 130 or less yards we might be able to win. I don't see Lamar passing a ton, but who knows. I'm 1-3 in my predictions this year. A Justin Tucker missed FG will win us the game.

Bengals 33
Ravens 31

(10-02-2024, 03:59 PM)Joelist Wrote: Can we stop assigning god status to the Rats? They're 2-2 and only avoided losing to Dallas by dint of a bad ref call on the final Rat possession. Derrick Henry always tortures Buffalo and to be honest the Bills were playing above their heads earlier - this was when all the roster turnover caught up with them.

This is very winnable for us. Remember the Rats have three new starters each on the OL and on defense. They are not supermen. Our big keyword has to be TACKLE. If we just tackle soundly we'll stop them at least part of the time. And if our offense keeps chugging along we can neuter the ground game by getting up multiple scores. This isn't unwinnable by any stretch - right now it's probably a coin flip kind of game.

So....this time we get the flip and Mac gets a GWFG as time expires. Say 24-21.

Weren't those 3 new starters on the OL supposed to be the reason they weren't going to be able to run the ball as well? They are running it better than ever. 

If Hill and Murphy come back and make an impact, I think we stand a chance.

My concern is that they will be rusty and on a snap count, and our defense will remain stagnant.

I think our offense still shows up, but we narrowly lose 35 - 31

I dont give god status to the ravens just because they beat the supremely overrated Joshua allen.

I really wish our secondary could tackle better and not only that use there speed to close on Lamar if/when he runs. This is a game i don't see how we win. Probably the only way we have a chance is for the offense to play perfect. They need to refuse to leave the field and fight for as many yards as possible on every down. Then maybe we get lucky and Lamar has the fumbles which he never seems to have against us.
I'll say
37-24 Ravens.

Which team scores the most points will win.

This defense has been hot garbage against some of the worst teams in the NFL, so do I think we can beat the Ravens when we barely beat the Panthers? No way, its going to be very ugly watching Jackson and Henry obliviate this defense. I also don't see the offense putting up numbers like they did against the last two opponents with a very weak defense.

Ravens-41
Bengals-17