Jared Goff was a perfect 18 of 18 in the Lions’ win over the Seahawks on Monday night. And while he didn’t mention Goff by name, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow hopes to have a similar performance Sunday when the Baltimore Ravens come to town.
Cincinnati’s 1-3 record and the Ravens’ formidable defense are among the reasons why Burrow puts so much weight on his performance on Sunday. A win on Sunday would be “key” because the Bengals would overtake Baltimore (2-2) in the AFC North standings while remaining within striking distance of Pittsburgh (3-1). A loss, on the other hand, would put the Bengals in a potentially insurmountable hole at 1-4.
“Got to be aggressive out of the gate,” Burrow said Wednesday. “I’m going to have to play damn near perfect. That’s how I prepare.”
Baltimore was a thorn in Cincinnati’s side last season. The Ravens rolled to a 27-24 win in Cincinnati in Week 2 in a game that saw Burrow touch his previously injured calf. Burrow then suffered a season-ending wrist injury just before halftime of Cincinnati’s loss at Baltimore in Week 11.
After a slow start, Baltimore’s defense rebounded by allowing just 10 points during last Sunday night’s 25-point win over the Bills, a game Burrow watched after his team’s first win of the year in Carolina. While the Ravens’ defense was impressive against Buffalo, Baltimore’s ball control offense was something that caught Burrow’s attention.
“You can’t get behind these guys,” Burrow said, “because of how they play offensively.”
Burrow is right. Baltimore’s blueprint for success is shortening the game while forcing its will with its running game. This year, the Ravens paired dual-threat quarterback Lamar Jackson with Derrick Henry, who is on pace to record his second 2,000-yard rushing campaign.
The Bengals, however, have a growing running game of their own, led by rookies Zack Moss and Chase Brown. The duo combined to rush for 131 yards and two scores on 30 carries against Carolina in addition to catching six passes for 39 yards and a score.
“It’s going to continue to play a big role in where we are as an offense,” Burrow said of the running game. “It’s really evolving and fun to be around. … It’s going to open up more things for us as long as we keep moving in the direction we’re going. But like I said, possessions are going to be limited in this game if we run the ball, don’t we. We just have to be ready to come out of the gate and take advantage of every opportunity we can.”
It may be early October, but Sunday’s game will definitely have the feel of a playoff game.
“It’s a big game,” Burrow said. “We know what our record is … It’s our first divisional opponent. We’re 1-3. We’ve got to get this one. It’s a big game for the Bengals.”
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