While we appreciate the entire NFL all we really care about is the AFC North! We provide AFC North NFL standings on a weekly basis, including all teams’ upcoming games for the week. This resource provides a clear overview of each team’s wins, losses, and ties, allowing you to track the division’s developments. Whether you’re a passionate fan or just curious about the AFC North’s progress, this source keeps you updated on the division’s dynamics and upcoming games.
Bengals’ Offense Starts Strong, Fades Late
The Cincinnati Bengals showcased an impressive offensive display in the early stages of the game, methodically marching down the field for two touchdowns on drives of 69 and 73 yards. However, their offensive prowess seemed to wane as the contest progressed. For the remainder of the game, the Bengals only managed to gain 86 yards and five first downs. The Seahawks effectively shut down the Bengals in the final three quarters, although it wasn’t enough to secure the victory. Ja’Marr Chase had an explosive start, racking up five catches for 67 yards within the first 22 minutes of the game. Remarkably, he wouldn’t touch the ball again until there were just nine minutes left in the game. The Bengals’ running game continued to struggle, mirroring their season-long difficulties. Cincinnati’s offensive line faced challenges, particularly after losing LT Orlando Brown Jr. to an injury in the second half. While the Bengals secured the win, they were fortunate, given their limited offensive output after the first 17 minutes of the game.
Bengals’ Defense Steps Up When It Matters Most
The Bengals delivered their most impressive defensive performance of the season at a critical juncture. Two red-zone drives by the Seahawks in the final two minutes placed the game on the precipice of slipping away. However, the Bengals rose to the occasion by making two crucial fourth-down stops, with B.J. Hill’s pressure causing Geno Smith’s final pass attempt to fall incomplete deep in Cincinnati territory. In the preceding stand, Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard made significant sacks. The Bengals also forced two interceptions from Smith in the second half, even though they could only convert those into three points. That field goal ended up influencing Seattle’s strategy in the red zone late in the game, as they were down by four points on both occasions.
Notable Game Stat: The Bengals’ defense employed zone coverage on a season-high 81.6% of dropbacks against the Seahawks, including the two interceptions thrown by Geno Smith. Smith completed 23 of 33 passes for 270 yards but had two interceptions and was sacked three times when facing the Bengals’ zone coverage.
NFL Research: Ja’Marr Chase reached 3,000 receiving yards in just 35 career games, making him the fifth-fastest player in NFL history to achieve this milestone. Only Odell Beckham Jr., Charley Hennigan, Justin Jefferson, and Lance Alworth accomplished this feat in fewer games than Chase.
Lamar Jackson and the Ravens Find Relief in London
The Baltimore Ravens left London with a collective sigh of relief, categorizing this win as a classic “a-win-is-a-win” scenario. In the first half, the Ravens dominated, establishing a 15-point lead that, realistically, could and should have been even more significant. However, after the Tennessee Titans scored 10 unanswered points at the start of the second half, the Ravens found themselves on the precipice of disaster. A visibly frustrated Lamar Jackson even pounded his fist on the turf more than once. A critical Geno Stone interception halted the Titans’ momentum, allowing the Ravens to hold on for the victory.
The positive aspects of Baltimore’s performance included scoring on their first four drives and five out of six first-half possessions. The downside was that four of those scores were field goals by Justin Tucker. The potential catastrophe of a collapse, which loomed after a loss to the Steelers in the previous week, was averted. Nevertheless, it’s evident that the new-age Ravens offense is still ironing out some kinks after six weeks. Jackson displayed early brilliance, completing his first seven passes to five different receivers. However, it raised eyebrows to see offensive coordinator Todd Monken lean on the running game after the passing attack had efficiently marched the Ravens into scoring position. Jackson was only 2-of-3 passing for 13 yards and a touchdown on 17 red-zone plays.
Fortunately, the Ravens can continue to work on their offensive adjustments as they’ve now returned to the win column.
Baltimore’s Kicking Game Shines
The Ravens’ special teams had an uncharacteristically tough season, with a notable example being a blocked punt for a safety that impacted their loss to the Steelers in Week 5. However, their performance in the kicking game in this Sunday’s matchup leaned more toward the positive side. Justin Tucker equaled his career-best with six field goals, and two of them were the result of significant plays in the special teams department.
Devin Duvernay’s impressive 70-yard punt return set up an easy 23-yard field goal for Tucker, providing the Ravens with a 9-3 lead. Just before halftime, Baltimore capitalized on a muffed Tennessee punt, leading to another successful Tucker field goal and an 18-3 advantage heading into the break. As the Titans began to mount a comeback, two additional field goals from Tucker sealed the game’s fate.
Steelers had the week off to fix their offensive woes!
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