Raven Country

5 Takeaways From Ravens' Win Over Bengals

The Baltimore Ravens won by the slimmest of margins in another thriller against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Nathaniel Marrero

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) scores a two-point conversion during the fourth quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at M&T Bank Stadium.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) scores a two-point conversion during the fourth quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at M&T Bank Stadium. / Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images
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Much like their first matchup this season, the week 10 matchup between the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals wasn't for the faint of heart. The Ravens found themselves on the right side of another epic clash with a 35-34 win.

It was the usual suspects who made the biggest plays when it mattered most for Baltimore (7-3) that led to the second consecutive season sweep of the Bengals (4-6). Lamar Jackson dazzled again and a forced fumble by Marlon Humphrey turned the tide when the game appeared to be on the verge of slipping away from the Ravens.

Here are five takeaways from the Ravens' comeback victory over their AFC North rival.

Nnamdi Madubuike returns to form

One wouldn't blame Joe Burrow if he had nightmares of Nnamdi Madubuike after his performance on Thursday Night Football.

Madubuike had a career-high three sacks and Next Gen Stats credited him with seven pressures against Cincinnati. This wasn't the first time the Ravens defensive tackle terrorized Burrow this season. In Week 5, Next Gen Sports credited him with six pressures against the Bengals.

The Ravens defensive tackle also had two tackles for loss.

Madubuike hasn't had the same level of production compared to last season when he had 13 sacks and 33 pressures, though, a lot of that can be attributed to the attention he has drawn from opposing offenses and not having Mike Macdonald as the defensive coordinator. Maybe this performance was what the Second-Team All-Pro defensive tackle needed to get it going.

Marlon Humphrey sparks comeback

With Baltimore down 21-7 in the third quarter and the Bengals being a score away from making it a three-score game, it needed the defense to do something to avoid the game slipping away.

Enter Marlon Humphrey.

Similar to when he had two interceptions against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to turn the tide, Humphrey forced another turnover, this time, stripping Bengals running back Chase Brown deep in Ravens territory. Baltimore went on to score 21 straight points and outscored Cincinnati 28-13 to seal the one-point victory.

In pivotal divisional games like the one on Thursday, a team needs their best players to show up when it matters most. Humphrey did just that and made the play that got Baltimore going in the second half.

Tylan Wallace makes big play when it matters most

Oftentimes on every good or great team, they're capable of having a wide array of players step up at any moment.

This time, it was receiver Tylan Wallace's turn to step up.

Wallace had three catches for 115 yards and an 84-yard touchdown that brought Baltimore within a point in the fourth quarter. On third and two with 13:30 left in the game, Jackson found Wallace open on the left side of the field.

Similar to how Wallace scored the game-winning touchdown in overtime against the Los Angeles Rams last season, he broke three tackles as he tip-toed his way up the sideline on his way to scoring his first touchdown of the season.

Even with the stars littered throughout the Ravens roster, it was one of the players you wouldn't expect who stepped up at one of the most pivotal moments in the game. The ability to have any player step up at any time is part of the beauty for Baltimore and shows why it's one of the most dangerous teams in the league.

Lamar Jackson further cements MVP case

Another game, another stellar performance from Lamar Jackson.

The two-time MVP completed 25 of 33 passes for 290 yards and three touchdowns, all of which came in the fourth quarter. With his three touchdown passes, Jackson has already matched his total from last season, which was enough to earn him the MVP.

The Ravens still have seven games remaining this season.

Jackson is on pace to have the best season of his career even with two MVPs already to his name. Beyond that, he's shown up when it has mattered most throughout the season. If that doesn't epitomize an MVP, nothing does.

Ravens pass defense still a concern

The Ravens defense continued their strong performance from Week 9 nearly through the first half against the Bengals.

Then, once Kyle Hamilton exited with a sprained ankle late in the second quarter, Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase became unstoppable. Burrow finished the night completing 34 of 56 passes for 428 yards and throwing four touchdowns. Chase somehow one-upped his performance from their first meeting this season, catching 11 passes for 264 yards and three touchdowns.

Burrow's performance marked the fifth time Baltimore has allowed a quarterback to throw for over 300 yards. Last season, only one team threw for over 300 yards against the Ravens.

For as good as Baltimore's offense has been this season, it doesn't matter much if the defense can't figure it out. With seven games left in the season and a tight race for first place in the AFC North, the Ravens defense needs to figure it out sooner rather than later.

Make sure you bookmark Baltimore Ravens on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

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Nathaniel Marrero
NATHANIEL MARRERO

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