The Cincinnati Bengals are heading to the subsequent spherical of the NFL Playoffs way to an interesting 24-17 win over the Baltimore Ravens.
Cincinnati will now hit the street to stand the Buffalo Bills subsequent weekend. Game time is about three p.m. ET on Sunday, Jan. 22.
The expectancies had been that the Bengals could have a little problem with those Ravens without Lamar Jackson at quarterback nevertheless nursing his PCL injury. However, this weekend’s video games ought to have been foreshadowing for a way this sport turned into going to be manner nearer than everybody predicted as Baltimore protection precipitated sufficient problems to maintain the sport near the complete sport.
The Bengals began out with the ball on offense. It turned into a methodical force wherein jogging again Joe Mixon noticed lots of labor at the force each at the floor and via the air. Wide receiver Tyler Boyd additionally transformed a huge 1/3 down with a contested seize over the middle.
However, the force misplaced steam after a shot to Tee Higgins ultimately sector fell incomplete and the by skip rush turned into capable of getting to Joe Burrow in the subsequent plays. Evan McPherson sooner or later nailed a 39-backyard discipline intention to provide Cincinnati an early lead.
The Ravens appeared to be equipped to experience this jogging recreation at the back of J.K. Dobbins to begin the sport off, however, Tyler Huntley`s 2nd by skip became picked off via way of means of linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither as he waited at the outdoor of a goal supposed for Mark Andrews. It gave the ball to the Bengals at their personal 40-backyard line.
Yards did now no longer come via way of means of smooth once more. There had been a few key conversions to JaMarr Chase at pressure, however, certainly considered one of the most important profits got here after protecting again Marcus Peters punching/elbowed Mixon at the same time as they had been each at the floor in an try to draw a flag. The shaggy dog story became on Peters as he gave Cincinnati a wonderful discipline role for Chase to attain the sport first landing approximately seven yards out. McPherson overlooked the greater factor, though, so the Bengals handiest accelerated their cause 9-0.
Baltimore spoke back again with a 17-play pressure that became capped off via way of means of a Dobbins reception landing in which he used each inch of his wingspan to stretch the ball throughout the road. There became a fourth down conversion at the pressure and a face masks penalty on protecting again Dax Hill on a 0.33-and-aim forestall that gave the possibility for the landing. The landing reduces the cause 9-7.
What commenced as a particularly promising pressure ended with disaster. Burrow was given sacked on 2nd down, after which the subsequent 0.33 down Hayden Hurst misplaced the ball on success via way of means of protection Kyle Hamilton that the rookie additionally recovered.
Offensive address Jonah Williams additionally regarded to head down at the play in a very unpleasant fashion, including harm to insult. Jackson Carman got here in at the left address in relief.
The Bengals did a first-rate task of weathering the typhoon and protecting the Ravens to a discipline aim earlier than the half. They had been aided via way of means of Baltimore wanting Huntley to throw the ball considering the fact that they didn`t have timeouts so that it will be capable of running it when they were given close to the aim line. The discipline aim gave the Ravens a one-factor lead going into halftime.
The protection stepped up via way of means of getting a reasonably brief forestall towards Raven’s protection way to a great chase-down address via way of means of linebacker Logan Wilson on a capability Huntley scramble. The follow-up pressure seemed like a throwback to a few old-college AFC North football. The offense absolutely regarded to defend Burrow with Carman taking on at left address via way of means of jogging the ball more.
The line was given a few precise pushes, and Burrow became capable of once more hitting on a few take-hold of 0.33 downs. Hurst almost positioned an exclamation factor at the pressure with a submit over the middle, however, it became reversed with him being a backyard short. Burrow became capable of getting the landing in the subsequent play.
They additionally were given the 2-factor conversion following a skip interference on Peters. Higgins stuck the by skip after Burrow scrambled out to his proper awaiting a crosser. They accelerated their cause 17-10.
It became nearly as though the groups had reversed roles because the Ravens had a brief hitting pressure with a huge catch-and-run from Dobbins that helped install a landing by skip to Demarcus Robinson catching a deep by skip on a slant-and-cross that Eli Apple took the bait on. That tied the sport at 17.
After a brief 3-and-out from the Bengals offense, the protection determined they might rating on their personal. After permitting the Ravens onto the aim line, Huntley tried to head over the pinnacle via way of means of extending the ball throughout the aim line, however, more than one Bengalsdefenders met his hands earlier than he should get it throughout the road of scrimmage. The ball popped out properly into Sam Hubbard’s palms as he again it ninety-nine yards for a big 14-factor swing that was given the Bengals up a landing.
The offenses accompanied that up with more than one 3-and-outs the Ravens` offense hit a huge play to a wide-open Mark Andrews, however, the protection positioned the clamps on with a few huge performs via way of means of the protecting line and became capable of plug up the jogging recreation after which capable of get to Huntley on 0.33 down for a sack to quit the pressure with none points. They had been capable of pinning the Bengal’s interior to their personal 20-backyard line, though.
Cincinnati was given positioned not on time with a questionable protecting name on the primary play. The offense was simply regarded absolutely thrown off on that set of downs following that. It set the Ravens’ offense up with a possibility interior Cincinnati`s territory to probably tie the sport with simply over 3 mins remaining.
Baltimore’s offense became capable of setting themselves up with some photographs on the quit area with much less than 30 seconds left, however, a whole lot of the questions can become to how Baltimore’s offense became perhaps a too affected person with how they moved the ball. They huddled numerous instances after the 2-minute warning. That ran more or less a minute off the clock. The Hail Mary almost became ripped into the palms of a ready Raven, however, his attempt got here up short.
There can be many who stroll far from this recreation worried approximately Cincinnati shifting forward. Some of this is rational because the offensive line is obliterated going into the Divisional Round towards the Buffalo Bills, Some might also add even factor to the good fortune of Hubbard`s go-back being the handiest motive this crew moved on, however, the key there may be that they may be shifting on.
We have visible Cincinnati be the sufferer of performs like that 98-backyard go-back normally over the Bengals` playoff history, and once in a while, you want the jump to head your way. These Bengals are becoming used to gambling near playoff games, and this one became no different.
Up subsequent, it`s directly to Buffalo for the three pm CBS recreation subsequent Sunday.
Who DEY!!!
