The Ravens earned a thrilling 38-35 overtime victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 5.
Here’s the Report Card:
Offense
Quarterback: Lamar Jackson was sensational and carried the team to another victory. The Bengals stacked the box to stop the run and Jackson responded by making plays through the air. Jackson was 26-for-42 for 348 yards with four touchdowns. He also avoided several sacks that would have taken the Ravens out of scoring range. Grade: A
Running back: The Bengals were determined not to let Derrick Henry beat them, and he did anyway. After mostly containing Henry, he rumbled for a 51-yard gain to Cincinnati’s 6-yard line in overtime that set up Justin Tucker’s 24-yard, game-winning field goal. Henry’s 51-yard gain marked the longest play in Ravens’ overtime history. Henry finished with 92 yards on 15 carries with a touchdown. Grade: A
Wide receivers: The Ravens needed their pass catchers to make plays and they responded. Wide receiver Zay Flowers had a huge game with seven catches for 111 yards. Tight end Isaiah Likely finished with two touchdown receptions. Fellow tight end Mark Andrews had his best game. He caught four of five targets for 55 yards. Rashod Bateman also had a touchdown reception and made a couple of diving catches. Grade: A
Offensive line: With left guard Andrew Vorhees out for a second straight game with a knee injury, the Ravens used the same offensive line as last week — left tackle Ronnie Stanley, left guard Patrick Mekari, center Tyler Linderbaum, right guard Daniel Faalele, and right tackle Roger Rosengarten, who left in the second quarter with an ankle injury. Josh Jones saw his first action at right tackle before Rosengarten returned. This group was under fire for much of the game and Jackson was sacked once, but he single-handedly avoided much of the pressure. Still, the offensive line showed a lot of grit. Grade: B-
Defense
Linebackers: Outside linebacker Roquan Smith was a force and finished with a game-high 15 tackles. Fellow outside linebacker Trenton Simspon was solid in coverage and had a tackle for a loss and two quarterback hits. However, Odafe Oweh struggled to make tackles and had a costly hands-to-the-face penalty. Tavius Robinson had a key sack. Grade: B-
Defensive line: Nnamdi Madubuike had a sack, two quarterback hits, and a tackle for a loss. Nose tackle Michael Pierce returned from an injury and was a force. Travis Jones also did a good job collapsing the pocket. The Ravens allowed 71 yards rushing on 21 carries. Grade: B+
Secondary: Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow picked the Ravens’ secondary apart. He was 30-for-39 for 392 yards with five touchdowns and an interception. Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase ran roughshod over the Ravens’ cornerbacks and safeties. Higgins had nine catches for 83 yards with two touchdowns. Chase had 10 receptions for 193 yards with two touchdowns. There were several communication breakdowns in the Ravens’ secondary that led to long plays. However, cornerback Marlon Humphrey might have saved the game with a fourth-quarter interception. Grade: D
Special teams: Justin Tucker showed that he is still an elite kicker. He sent the game into overtime with a 56-yard field goal. Then, he converted the game-winner in overtime. Jordan Stout averaged 56 yards on three punts. However, Tylan Wallace made a costly mistake when he let a punt sail over his head and land on the 2-yard line. The Bengals wound up earning a safety on the ensuing possession. Grade: B
Coaching: Some questionable clock management decisions helped the Bengals take the lead into halftime with a late touchdown. Nonetheless, coach John Harbaugh earned a hard-fought victory. Offensive coordinator Todd Monken called a solid game with pass plays and then gave the ball to Henry at the end to seal the win. Zach Orr has work to do with improving the secondary. Grade: C
