‘Joe Burrow Is Going to Decimate the Ravens Defense’

As noted above, the Ravens defense has largely kept Burrow in check this season. That’s a stark contrast to last season, when the Bengals quarterback threw for 941 yards and seven touchdowns (to one interception} in two lopsided victories over the Ravens.

If the Ravens are to slow the high-scoring Bengals offense again on Sunday night, The Baltimore Banner’s Jonas Shaffer identified several things they need to do. Here’s a look at three of them:

“The Bengals rarely found daylight up front [last Sunday], finishing with 20 carries for 55 yards (2.8 per carry). They averaged just 0.15 yards before contact per rush, their second-lowest rate of the season, and had a rushing success rate of 20%, according to TruMedia. Against light boxes (six or fewer defenders), Cincinnati was especially unproductive: eight carries for 27 yards and no first downs, minus-0.25 yards before contact per rush and a 14.3% success rate. It won’t be any easier in Round 3. In Week 16, the Bengals lost right tackle La’el Collins to a season-ending knee injury. On Sunday, right guard Alex Cappa, maybe the offensive line’s top starter, suffered a third-quarter ankle injury and did not return. Coach Zac Taylor said Monday that it would be ‘tough’ for him to play Sunday.”

“Like every quarterback, Burrow struggles when he’s under duress. But his rhythm and timing have proven especially fundamental to Cincinnati’s success this year. Burrow was pressured on at least 7.9% of his drop-backs in just four regular-season games, and the Bengals lost all four. The challenge for [Defensive Coordinator Mike] Macdonald is figuring out how to bother a quarterback with one of the NFL’s quickest triggers and most dangerous group of receivers.”

“In Burrow’s first matchup with Macdonald, he saw just eight man-to-man snaps. In his second? Just one, a season low. Sometimes, less is more. The Ravens changed up their zone coverages effectively Sunday, relying on a…