Burrow said he already has overcome the biggest obstacles in his return to games this year and his wrist is feeling the best it has since before surgery. He doesn’t need to prove anything Thursday except that the Bengals can beat Baltimore.
Here are five things to know going into the game:
1. No nerves for Burrow
Burrow joked that whenever a star player gets hurt in a prime-time game, the NFL likes to schedule the same exact game at the same time a year later. His wrist injury happened on a Thursday night in Week 11 last year, and his return to Baltimore this time is just one week earlier.
The fifth-year quarterback said he has no concerns going back to the site of his injury for the first time, but naturally, it’s a storyline. Burrow remembers the feeling of his wrist popping while throwing a touchdown pass, one play after getting hit and landing on his throwing hand awkwardly. But it didn’t sink in that he was done until he attempted to toss the football again on the sideline.
“I was definitely down in the dumps, but something I’ve been through before, and I’ve dealt with these for several years, and I know how to get through them, and you just got to focus on getting better every day,” Burrow said. “And you know, now about a year down the road, you’re going to feel fine, and it’s going to be behind you.”
Burrow is playing as well as he ever has, ranking fifth with 2,244 passing yards in nine games to go along with 20 touchdowns (second most) and just four interceptions.
2. A big opportunity
The Bengals blew a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter and Evan McPherson missed a field goal that would have won it in overtime the last time these teams met, but had they pulled out that victory, things would look a lot different now. Cincinnati would be 5-4 and coming off a stretch of five wins in six games.
Although the team views this one as big just because it’s the next game, a win this time would be significant not in just getting back to .500 but creating some real momentum for the second half of the season.
“I think that’s how it’s been phrased in here every week, that every loss is going to determine our season and every win is going to determine our season,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. “I really fall back on the notion that we just take it one game at a time. That’s the mentality that this group has had. And we’re going to stick with it right now with where we’re at in the season and just find a way to win this one and then look forward to the next week. Just try to keep it as tight as we can that way.”
Taylor said his team loves the energy of primetime games, but winning those on the road is always tough. Both teams are dealing with the short turnaround from Sunday. The traveling team is at a clear disadvantage, though.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
3. Ravens offense even better
The Ravens offense has only gotten better since they put up 41 points on the Bengals in an overtime win a month ago. Cincinnati believes its defense is in a much better place but still has to prove it against a good offense, and Baltimore provides that opportunity.
Going into that first matchup, the Ravens were averaging 26.5 points per game and just 209.3 passing yards per game, but five weeks later, they rank second in points scored (31.4 per game) and their passing game ranks third with 254.0 yards per game. They still boast the top rushing attack at 191.9 yards per game.
The combination of dual-threat quarterback Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry has been troublesome for opposing defenses. The Bengals contained Henry to 41 yards in regulation last time before his 51-yard run in overtime set up the game-winning field goal, but they weren’t able to stop Jackson, while chasing him all over the field.
Cincinnati’s defensive line was still not 100 percent, having just gotten back B.J. Hill, Myles Murphy and McKinnley Jackson from injuries and still missing Sheldon Rankins at the time. Pressure has been lacking outside of Trey Hendrickson this season but defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo said it remains a focus.
“I think that’s important in any game, specifically in this game,” Anarumo said. “Just being able to get Lamar on the ground is a task that very few people have done. We’ve gotta make sure we do a great job of containing the pocket. ... He’s operating, as we all see, at an MVP-type level. We’ve gotta try to get him as uncomfortable as possible.”
4. Working in new pieces
Cincinnati lost tight end Erick All Jr. and running Zack Moss to injured reserve, which creates more questions in the ground attack, but the Bengals broke from their norm and made a move at the trade deadline to acquire Bears running back Khalil Herbert.
Herbert arrived Tuesday afternoon, and Taylor said he will factor in, but how big of a role he can handle seems questionable with so little time to prepare. Burrow said he can just tell Herbert what to do before plays because he will be lining up right next to him, and that might be necessary just to help take some of the load off Chase Brown, who bruised ribs while carrying the ball 27 times for 120 yards Sunday against the Raiders.
Pass protection, particularly with the Ravens’ third-down blitzes, will be more difficult for Herbert to pick up so quickly.
All had been a growing part of the Bengals’ offense, allowing them to shift to more 12 personnel because of his versatility as a blocker in both the running and passing games and as a pass catcher. It made predicting plays difficult for the opponent. Offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said the Bengals won’t necessarily stop playing 12 personnel, but that’s to be seen.
“I think some of that will be opponent specific, how they approach 12 personnel,” Pitcher said. “ ... How is that going to match with the skill sets of our tight ends now? So, maybe in some weeks you’ll see less of it. In some weeks, you’ll see the same, and I certainly don’t plan on throwing it away. We’ve just got to figure out how it fits moving forward.”
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
5. Injuries of note
Taylor said the status for Tee Higgins and Orlando Brown Jr. would be up in the air this week still, but Brown at least was upgraded to limited status Tuesday. Higgins was still not practicing and could be a last-minute decision.
Other injuries of note include BJ Hill (rib) and Charlie Jones (groin), as both did not practice Tuesday. Safety Geno Stone was limited with a shin injury he’s been nursing but played through last week.
The Bengals hope to get Jermaine Burton involved again after he was disciplined for not showing up to a walkthrough Saturday.
For the Ravens, Jackson did not practice Tuesday because of a knee injury, but coach John Harbaugh said he will play. Tight end Isaiah Likely (hamstring) and defensive end Brent Urban (concussion) did not practice Tuesday, and cornerback Jalyn Amour-Davis (knee), outside linebacker Adisa Isaac (illness) and defensive tackle Travis Jones (ankle) were all limited.
THURSDAY’S GAME
Bengals at Ravens, 8:15 p.m., Amazon Prime, 700, 1530, 102.7, 104.7
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