ESPN’s largest-ever “Monday Evening Soccer” viewers tuned on this previous week as some of the upsetting scenes in NFL historical past happened on reside tv.
In the course of the Buffalo Payments’ recreation towards the host Cincinnati Bengals, Payments security Damar Hamlin collapsed on the sector and obtained CPR for almost 9 agonizing minutes. A mean of 23.8 million viewers — most of whom have been already watching a prime NFL matchup — held their breath as Hamlin was transported to the College of Cincinnati Medical Heart. The sport was suspended, a uncommon prevalence.
Since then, playoff potentialities and quarterback questions have swirled across the Ravens’ Week 18 matchup in Cincinnati, however Hamlin’s harm stays a backdrop because the Ravens go to the location of the incident.
“We’re all acutely aware of it,” security Kyle Hamilton mentioned. “However I don’t suppose it’s going to have an effect on us in any manner. We perceive what simply occurred there lower than per week in the past, so we’re going to be respectful of that, however on the similar time I don’t suppose it’ll have an effect on us in any manner play-wise.”
Hamlin’s restoration has been intently monitored this week and it’s been largely encouraging information; the 24-year-old had his respiration tube eliminated Friday and spoke with teammates on FaceTime. Hamilton, the Ravens’ prime choose in final yr’s NFL draft, mentioned the current excellent news relating to Hamlin has made this week simpler than it may need felt following Hamlin’s scary collapse.
“It’d be lots more durable week if it went the alternative manner, which I’m glad, and all people is, that it didn’t,” he mentioned.
Can the Ravens cross sufficient to open up the run?
The Ravens have a recreation to play — with playoff implications and, probably, home-field benefit on the road.
They’re underdogs towards the red-hot Bengals and can possible have to publish a stronger offensive displaying than they've in current weeks if they've an opportunity to knock off the crew with the longest win streak (seven wins, relationship to October) within the AFC.
Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley, who is predicted to begin instead of the injured Lamar Jackson, has averaged simply 132 passing yards in his 5 video games this season, nevertheless it is likely to be onerous for him to even match that manufacturing; he was restricted in follow all week with shoulder and wrist accidents and was listed as questionable on Friday’s harm report.
If Huntley — or Anthony Brown, the undrafted rookie quarterback who will play if Huntley is unable to — can full a number of passes to stop the Bengals from loading the field towards the run, it might open up a Ravens’ offense that has struggled just lately. Baltimore has not scored greater than 17 factors in a recreation since November.
Working again J.Okay. Dobbins has been sturdy, nevertheless, since his return in Week 14 from arthroscopic knee surgical procedure. He’s totaled 397 yards over the previous 4 weeks, essentially the most within the NFL throughout that span.
Gus Edwards solely obtained three carries throughout final week’s Steelers recreation and coach John Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman each mentioned he ought to see extra motion.
“He ought to undoubtedly play extra,” Roman mentioned of Edwards. “It simply performed out that manner, however I assumed J.Okay. was doing fairly good.”
‘The Joe Burrow offense’
The Ravens held the Bengals’ passing assault to 190 yards throughout Baltimore’s 19-17 win in Week 5 at M&T Financial institution Stadium, however for each groups, that looks like a very long time in the past.
Baltimore has trended down since then, whereas Cincinnati has trended up, and an enormous motive for that's the Bengals’ sturdy passing assault.
“We name it the Joe Burrow offense,” Harbaugh mentioned of Cincinnati’s third-year quarterback. “The way in which they’ve constructed their West Coast offense is form of towards Joe Burrow’s ability set, which is clearly actually good.”
This season, the Bengals common 7.6 yards per passing try and 269 passing yards per recreation.
“He’s extremely environment friendly with the ball and makes very quick selections,” Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald mentioned.
Huge receivers Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase have mixed for 1,982 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns and tight finish Hayden Hurst, a former Ravens first-round choose, has added 400 yards and two scores.
“They've in all probability a number of the finest offensive weapons in soccer,” Harbaugh mentioned.
A dip on third down
The Bengals have a 47% third-down conversion charge this season, the fourth finest mark within the NFL, whereas the Ravens rank fourth in third-down protection, permitting opponents to transform on simply 35% of third downs.
Nonetheless, over the previous 4 weeks, Ravens opponents have transformed 45% of third-down possibilities, together with Pittsburgh’s 10-for-16 efficiency this previous week.
The Ravens’ protection had bother getting off the sector, permitting Pittsburgh to run 20 extra offensive performs.
A lot of that got here all the way down to third-and-short. On the Steelers’ opening drive, they confronted 4 third downs — none which have been shorter than 2 yards.
“The very first thing is staying out of third-and-short,” Macdonald mentioned. “We had 4 third-and-ones that we misplaced all 4 [of]. We’d similar to to enhance in that scenario, however that’s a tricky scenario [with] the best way groups are approaching that scenario now. So, I’d say, largely, it’s a operate of making extra opportunistic conditions for us, and that’s the way you play the primary and second down earlier than.”
Week 18
Ravens at Bengals
Sunday, 1 p.m.
TV: Chs. 13, 9
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM
Line: Bengals by 10
()