Glenn Younes: Ravens - 3 The Wrong Way
Andy Dalton & the Bengals beat the Ravens in Baltimore 23-16 for so many reasons it would melt the mind. Lack of rhythm on offense comes to mind, lack of pass rush on defense too but... To me it's 3 things that went the wrong way that caused Dalton to leave Baltimore with his first win as a pro.
1. End of the first half was about as bad as I've seen with time, down, distance. That's on everyone. Coaches, players... everyone! One timeout left following a 1st down catch up the middle to the 15 yard line, 34 seconds left, they wasted 15 seconds for no reason. Spike the ball. Kill the clock. Worst case burn the last timeout to set up the next couple plays including a field goal. Instead twice incomplete, 8 seconds left and a timeout, Joe takes forever holding holding and getting sacked. They get nothing. No field goal and a timeout that was never used. That's plain stupid. Come on. That's football at a low level high school knowledge. Period. On many people too. Joe, John, Kubs and you can put that in any order you want to point blame. I'm blaming them all but Joe is the guy with the rock in his hand. That's totally unacceptable. Those lost 3 points changed the entire game with 2 point conversions later in the game. That's as bad as it gets in knowing time, down, distance. As Flacco said post-game "At the end of the first half, that was probably the stupidest play I've ever made in football."
2. Losing the turnover battle is never a recipe for victory despite it only resulting in 3 points from the Bengals offense. Losing turnover battle 2-0, a major correction is needed.
3. AJ Green is a premiere WR in this league and while contained for the most part during the game, it's such bad recognition to blitz with him iso'd on Chykie Brown and no deep safety help. Stewart needed to help deep not pinch almost all the way in. That's on everyone too.
There were many other things that were major factors in the loss to Cincinnati but the three examples above stick out like a sore thumb.
Don't forget the drops.
