The Baltimore Ravens can’t afford to rest on their laurels after winning a battle of words and, more importantly, the battle on the field last week with the New York Jets. The Cincinnati Bengals simply can’t afford to dig themselves a big hole.
The Ravens hit the road for a second straight week Sunday afternoon in a crucial game against the defending AFC North champion Bengals.
Baltimore ruined the Jets’ home opener at the $1.6 billion New Meadowlands Stadium on Monday night with an emotionally charged 10-9 victory in a game that reunited the Ravens with former defensive coordinator and current Jets coach Rex Ryan.
Meanwhile, Cincinnati will try to bounce back from a poor first 30 minutes in a 38-24 thumping at New England or risk going down two games in the division after only two weeks.
The Ravens defense dominated the Jets, allowing just three field goals, 176 yards and six first downs while holding Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez to 74 yards passing and sacking him twice. The Jets’14 penalties for 125 yards helped the Ravens overcome three first-half turnovers.
Baltimore controlled the ball for 38 minutes despite Ray Rice being limited to 43 yards on 21 carries. The offense converted 20 first downs, including 11-of-19 on third downs.
Joe Flacco and new receiver Anquan Boldin made an instant connection. They collaborated seven times for 119 yards, including twice for 65 yards on Baltimore’s lone touchdown drive.
Flacco completed 20-of-38 passes for 248 yards with one interception and was sacked twice, including the first play from scrimmage which set up New York’s first score.
After shutting down the Jets’ inept passing game, Baltimore will have to gear up to stop the Bengals’ revamped air attack.
Cincinnati ranked 26th in the NFL in passing a season ago and decided to bring in mercurial Terrell Owens and rookies Jermaine Gresham and Jordan Shipley.
The additions helped Carson Palmer a little too late last Sunday, as the Patriots raced to a 24-0 first-half lead. Cincinnati’s first five possessions ended in three punts, a fumble and an interception return for a touchdown by Gary Guyton.
Palmer finished with 345 yards – 215 in the second half - and two scores and connected with his trio of new receivers 18 times. He hooked up with mainstay Chad Ochocinco 12 times for 159 yards and a TD and Owens seven times for 63 yards.
Tight end Gresham caught six balls, including a TD, and Shipley grabbed five balls for 82 yards.
However, the run game was stuffed cold. Cedric Benson, coming off a career year in which he ran for 1,251 yards, was held to 43 yards on 15 carries.
Baltimore will have to guard against a letdown, especially after a short week. However, coach John Harbaugh will certainly remind linebacker Ray Lewis and his troops that the Bengals swept the series last season to take the division crown.
Palmer hit Andre Caldwell for a fourth-quarter TD on Oct. 11 to provide a 17-14 victory, and the Bengals scored two-first quarter touchdowns on Nov. 8 en route to a 17-7 triumph. Palmer threw for 495 yards with three scores and one interception in the contests and Benson rushed for over 100 yards in each game.
Baltimore could not get its running game going and Flacco threw for under 200 yards in each game with four interceptions.
Cincinnati has won five of the last seven in this matchup and is seeking its eight straight division victory.