Ravens Surge Over Bengals
The Baltimore Ravens vs Cincinnati Bengals season finale wasn’t quite the division battle that many anticipated. In previous years, AFC North rivals challenged the playoff contenders in hopes of ruining their chances to get to the Super Bowl. This Sunday, the Baltimore Ravens quieted Bengals’ fans to be sure they made it into the postseason.
Ravens 38 – Bengals 3
The Ravens, led by Lamar Jackson, were able to get off to a nice start by opening up with three points on their first drive. Shortly after, Lamar Jackson found a wide-open Marquise Brown deep down the field but Brown was unable to make the grab. Jackson took another shot just a few plays later and Miles Boykin was able to secure the touchdown grab, boosting the Ravens to a 10-0 score.
Miles Boykin goes up the seam. #FantasyFootball | #RavensFlock pic.twitter.com/vlKhVFPUbq
— Kenny Hyttenhove (@KennyQBL) January 3, 2021
Early into the second quarter, Lamar had numerous balls batted at the line of scrimmage. One of those would turn into an interception that Cincinnati couldn’t capitalize on. Sparked by some nice runs through Jackson, JK Dobbins, and Gus Edwards, the Ravens drove down the field for an eventual Marquise Brown touchdown catch. Baltimore would end the half up 17-3.
A 72-yard sprint for @Jkdobbins22! #RavensFlock
📺: #BALvsCIN on CBS
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/EMdqIO97si pic.twitter.com/dnEXB7ZbqC— NFL (@NFL) January 3, 2021
In the third quarter, Baltimore opened the flood gates with some scoring. JK Dobbins continued his impressive performance, notching two touchdowns in the quarter. Dobbins emerged as the leading rusher for Baltimore, finishing the day with 160 yards on just 13 carries. Hollywood Brown would secure a second touchdown catch in the third quarter.
Lamar Jackson with his 3rd passing TD of the day and his 2nd to WR Marquise Brown. pic.twitter.com/qTC4cyJNxF
— Main Team (@MainTeamSports) January 3, 2021
Lamar Jackson continued to post impressive RedZone statistics. He has still yet to toss a RedZone interception. Jackson also entered the record books as the first NFL quarterback to reach 1,000 yards rushing in consecutive seasons. He and Michael Vick were previously the only quarterbacks to exceed 1,000 yards in a single season.
Impact of Ravens’ Win
The Ravens secured a playoff berth with the win over the Bengals. The Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers also clinched tickets to the playoffs, noting the strength of the AFC North. The Ravens will have a tough battle against the Tennessee Titans in their AFC Wildcard playoff match.
The Titans were able to stifle the Ravens during the 2019 playoffs. Earlier this year, the Titans handed Baltimore one of their five losses on the season. Can Lamar get past Derrick Henry and the Titans?
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