The Baltimore Ravens and the Cincinnati Ben

gals have quietly been two of the more well matched teams over the last several years. They split the divisional series last year when the Ravens handled the Bengals on the road in Week 1 Stitched Marlon Humphrey Jersey , only to have their hearts ripped out in the final week of the regular season in what should’ve been a playoff clinching victory.Instead, the Bengals won at the gun on an improbable 4th and 12 touchdown strike from Andy Dalton to Tyler Boyd that put the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs and sent Baltimore packing. On Sunday, the Ravens carved out a small slice of revenge for that debacle by throttling Buffalo into oblivion with a 47-3 win, but face a true test in their quest to fully make things right when they head to Cincy for Thursday Night Football.As good as Baltimore looked in their Week 1 opener, the qualifier is that they were at home against the Bills, who figure to be in the mix for the number one pick in the draft come April. That seems especially true given their limited ceiling with incumbent starter Nathan Peterman, who tossed two interceptions and was sacked five times en route to being relieved by rookie Josh Allen in the third quarter.As much as he is criticized on a national scale, Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton is better than Peterman by a wide margin, and Cincinnati is a different animal than Buffalo this season. This looks to be especially true after a big time road win in their Week 1 outing versus Indianapolis.While their defense had a bit of a tough time containing Andrew Luck in his long awaited return effort, the offense was up to the task in keeping up with Indy’s output. Dalton was efficient, throwing for 243 yards and a pair of scores to receivers A.J. Green and John Ross, and was also able to spread it around a bit to other skill players like Joe Mixon.The second year running back appears poised for a breakout campaign Youth Marlon Humphrey Jersey , running for almost 100 yards and a touchdown and racking up 54 receiving yards. In short, after taking care of business against a team they should have in Week 1, the Ravens face a true litmus test in a quick turnaround game on Thursday.The defense will have a much more difficult time against Green, Mixon, and a potentially revitalized Ross than they did with Kelvin Benjamin, LeSean McCoy, and not much else. While Cincy’s defense allowed the Colts to move the ball, they came up with big plays when necessary, and it’ll be interesting to see if Baltimore’s offense can both move the chains and avoid turnovers.While they did a nice job against the Bills, a more consistent running game would’ve been good to see, and the passing attack will probably be facing longer fields than the several short ones they were given thanks to the defense and special teams. If they can consistently move the ball, Ravens fans will have every right to be confident in the team’s ability to score points at a high enough clip to win double digit games this year.The win over Buffalo was a great first step Stitched Jaleel Scott Jersey , but if Baltimore is truly for real, they’ll have to prove it with a consistent performance against the Bengals this week. If they put one forth, and hopefully steal a win, they’ll certainly enter the national conversation as a true contender in 2018.Five storylines for Ravens vs. Steelers Under the bright lights, the Baltimore Ravens will march into Heinz Field to face the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football. Although records seldom matter in this rivalry, the typical defensive slugfest may have a different mood this time around. Pittsburgh has been one of the worst defensive teams in football through three weeks, while the Ravens boast one of the best defensive units in the league. The key matchup to watch in this game will be Ben Roethlisberger’s No. 4 ranked offense sans Le’Veon Bell against Baltimore’s No. 1 ranked defense.1. Can the Ravens contain Pittsburgh’s tight ends?Last season, Baltimore struggled to limit opposing tight ends. They allowed the 10th most yards to tight ends and the eight most touchdowns. One season later, it has been a much different story as they have only allowed 14 receptions for 136 yards and no touchdowns. Against the Bengals, neither Tyler Kroft nor Tyler Eifert had success against Baltimore as they combined for four receptions for 34 yards. In week four, the Ravens will have a difficult matchup as Jesse James and Vance McDonald are both savvy veterans, who can make an impact in the passing game. McDonald is coming off of a dominant showing against the Buccaneers Youth Jaleel Scott Jersey , where he totaled 112 receiving yards and a touchdown. Can the combination of C.J. Mosley, Tony Jefferson, and Kenny Young limit this duo?2. Without Jimmy Smith, how much of a factor will Antonio Brown be?Antonio Brown has had his way with Baltimore’s defense when Jimmy Smith has been on the sidelines. In the last three regular-season games that Smith has missed, Brown has posted 32 receptions for 453 yards and two touchdowns, most notably his 213 yard game last year in week 14. Marlon Humphrey may be forced to shadow Brown as Brandon Carr struggles against speedier receivers, and the Ravens employed a similar strategy last week against the Broncos. Regardless of who matches up with Brown, can Baltimore prevent him from wreaking havoc?3. Against a weak pass defense, will Joe Flacco have success?Pittsburgh is having an uncharacteristic season defensively. Their secondary has been atrocious, specifically their cornerbacks. Joe Flacco is coming off of a solid performance against the Broncos, where his deep-ball accuracy was quite impressive. Can he build off of that momentum? Artie Burns should be the cornerback Flacco targets early and often. With Mike Hilton and Morgan Burnett listed as doubtful, the horrible Pittsburgh secondary will be short-handed Stitched Kenny Young Jersey , but can Flacco take advantage?4. Can the much-maligned Baltimore running game establish themselves?The Ravens’ rushing attack has not started out the way many had hoped. They are ranked 26th in rushing yards, but ninth in attempts. This phase has been plagued by poor blocking, but against a suspect run defense, can they right the ship? Alex Collins had success against AFC North, particularly the Steelers last season. Can he regain his old form?5. How will the Ravens’ offensive line handle a potent pass rush?As horrendous as Pittsburgh’s defense has been — 29th overall, 26th pass defense, and 25th run defense — they are surprisingly tied for second in sacks with 11. Baltimore’s offensive line has been solid in pass protection, including a remarkable performance against Von Miller, but they showcased their flaws against the Bengals. Can his unit keep another talented pass rush at bay or will it be a replay of Thursday Night Football?