Cincinnati Bengals: 5 Keys to Beating the Baltimore Ravens

We all had this planned from the beginning.

Thursday Night Football in Baltimore promises to be a true challenge for this Cincinnati Bengals team, and the importance of this game cannot be overstated. A win would get the Bengals to .500 and keep them within striking distance of an AFC North title.

Here are five keys to beat Ravens.

Sleep fast

Thursday night road games are tough. The Bengals must quickly transition from celebrating Sunday’s win to preparing for their trip to Baltimore and finding some time in between to rest and rehab. It won’t be easy. They have to be extremely disciplined and organized to come into this game ready to come out swinging.

Score quickly

The last game with the Ravens was a shootout. The Bengals have been slow to start far too often this season. They cannot afford that in this match. Joe Burrow and company need to come out swinging and light up the scoreboard from the very beginning. If they are slow to start, they may find themselves buried in a hole they cannot dig out of.

Contains the Passer

So let’s talk about the passport rush. It has been a problem to say the least. Trey Hendrickson has been a one-man wrecking crew, but the thing is, one man isn’t enough for a wrecking crew. The Bengals need to generate pressure, but they need to generate a very specific kind of pressure. They need to pressure Lamar Jackson while keeping him safe in the pocket. They cannot allow him to prolong play with the legs.

Limit tight ends, but don’t forget Zay

The Bengals have done pretty well against tight ends like Travis Kelce and Brock Bowers this season, but in their last matchup with the Ravens, they gave up 10 receptions for 132 yards and three touchdowns to tight ends Mark Andrews, Charlie Kolar and Isaiah Likely.

Probably out for this one with a hamstring injury, but Kolar and Andrews have shown they can do plenty of damage on their own. The Bengals need to figure out a way to contain that duo if they are going to win this one.

Of course, Zay Flowers had seven catches for 111 yards all by himself, so they better not forget about him.

Be balanced offensively

Joe Cool can sling it, but this offense can’t afford to play a one-dimensional style in this game. They are at their best when they can also run effectively, and Chase Brown has emerged as a serious weapon. If they can run the ball effectively, it will also open up a lot of opportunities in the passing game,