CINCINNATI — 1. I’m not sure if this is new for the Bengals or I’m just now noticing it, but the amount of pre-snap motion the Bengals employed on offense Sunday was very high. I like it because it gives this offense that unpredictable element that has not been here in recent years. Defenses now won’t know who’s lining up where until right before the ball is snapped or won’t know what play the Bengals are going to run. I love that.
2. Tee Higgins was targeted 15 times on Sunday. Unfortunately, eight times he didn’t come down with the catch. Four of those eight times were dropped passes. Higgins has now, by my memory and notes, dropped six passes in the last three games. So far this season he has 25 receptions on 43 targets, which means he’s hauling in barely over 50 percent of his targets. I don’t think it’s time for concern with Higgins yet, but his reception-to-target ratio is something to keep an eye on.
3. That said, Higgins’s first target was a reception. And what stood out the most on that play was Burrow delivered the ball perfectly despite being hit by Ravens linebacker Justin Houston.
4. CBS color analyst Trent Green said during the broadcast that Bengals defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi is the unsung hero of the Bengals defense. So far this season, Ogunjobi has 2.5 sacks, 3 quarterback hits and six tackles for loss. He’s an abominable force up the middle and makes it difficult for opposing running backs to attack the middle of the field.
5. The six-yard pass to Tee Higgins on the Bengals first scoring drive was crucial because it made the field goal attempt by Evan McPherson a few yards shorter than it could have been, which is good because a few more yards and that ball could have gone wide left.
6. But the Bengals may not have had to attempt a field goal had the Ravens been flagged for roughing the passer on the third down pass attempt the play prior to the field goal. Ravens nose tackle Brandon Williams completely obliterated Joe Burrow on that third down with what looked like a shot to the head. No penalty was called.
7. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson slipped on a first down run with just 11 minutes in the second quarter. Had he not slipped on that play, he could have zigged back to the right where there was an opening for a lot more yards. The Ravens ended up punting on that possession, and the Bengals scored a touchdown on the ensuing possession.
8. Bengals tight end Drew Sample’s block on Ravens defensive end Calais Campbell on CJ Uzomah’s first touchdown reception was brilliant. He was made a second round pick in 2019 because he was the “best blocking tight end” in the draft. That block Sunday was a testament to that.
9. On the first play of the second half, Bengals linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither after a reception by Ravens tight end Mark Andrews and nearly recovered it.
10. The inability to recover the fumble led to Marquise Brown’s touchdown for the Ravens. It was an unbelievably athletic catch by Brown as he was able to get his left foot down just before he hit out of bounds in the back of the end zone.
11. But, of course, that was the last of the Ravens offense that day. The Bengals took over the game on both side of the ball for the final 28-plus minutes.
12. Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard had a key pass deflection at the line of scrimmage on the ensuing drive following Uzomah’s second touchdown. The Ravens were driving at the Bengals 34-yard line, and Hubbard’s deflection also deflected any momentum the Ravens had gained back over to the Bengals. The next play was Trey Hendrickson’s sack on third down that forced a Ravens punt.
13. Bengals cornerback Chidobe Awuzie had a crucial tackle on Marquise Brown on 3rd&13 on the possession following Ja’Marr Chase’s touchdown. It looked like Brown could have found a way to tight rope the sideline had he broken the tackle, but Awuzie making the tackle kept all the momentum on the Bengals side.
14. CBS sideline reporter Melanie Collins mentioned during the game that Bengals running back Joe Mixon talked about the mentality of the Bengals offense having gone from just hoping not to go three-and-out to now hoping to score on every play. Well, how’s five touchdowns on six drives from the second quarter through fourth quarters? That’s how far this offense has come.
Let me be Frank and Cut to the Chase 