The Cincinnati Bengals face the Baltimore Ravens this weekend, a massive game with major implications for the AFC North race, including tiebreakers and the final standings.
Whether Lamar Jackson will start for the Ravens on Sunday is up in the air as he battles an injury that has kept him off the field for two straight weeks. Baltimore has gone 1-1 in that time.
Which Bengals players need to step up to slow down Baltimore? Let’s dive into it.
Linebackers and safeties against Mark Andrews
This has been a huge weakness for the Bengals this season, as they have been one of the worst teams in NFL history at slowing down tight ends. According to Polymarket Football on X, Cincinnati has given up 451 yards to tight ends this season, or over 90 yards per game.
It also isn’t stud tight ends they are allowing these yards to. Players like Brenton Strange and Dalton Schultz posted over 90 yards, with Schultz going for an eye-popping 140 yards in the Texans' loss to Cincinnati.
The Bengals' linebackers, Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr., need to be better in coverage. Bryan Cook and Jordan Battle will also be key players in limiting Mark Andrews, who hasn’t had the season he wants in year nine.
Backup tight end Matt Hibner has just five receptions for 70 yards through the first six games, so the Ravens don’t really have another option at tight end. Shutting down Andrews should work and also give the Bengals' defense confidence that it can overcome a weakness that has plagued it early in the season.
Defensive line against Derrick Henry
Henry was largely shut down in the Browns' win over the Ravens last week, which could be the key to the Bengals' win. He rushed for just 58 yards, the fewest of the season and the fewest since week five of last season, when he got off to a horrendous start, managing 50 or more yards in only two of the first five games.
Dexter Lawrence and Jonathan Allen need to stuff the run game and make it their mission to slow down Henry. If Jackson plays, that changes because they become more dangerous on the ground and difficult to plan for. They need to decide this part of the game on the ground and keep Henry from reaching the second or third level, where he makes the most of his money.