Burrow and the Bengals know the stark difference between being 2-3 and 1-4, and after losing all but one division game last year and falling short of the playoffs, they cannot afford a slow start in the AFC North.
Here are five things to know going into Sunday’s game:
1. Call in the cavalry
The Bengals expect to have four defensive linemen back from injury just in time to help the team face the league’s top rushing offense.
Trey Hendrickson, B.J. Hill, Myles Murphy and McKinnley Jackson were all full participants in practice Friday, and Bengals coach Zac Taylor told reporters Friday he expects them all to play. Murphy and Jackson, who suffered knee injuries in training camp, just returned to practice Wednesday after being cleared from injured reserve, and both were listed as questionable but then officially added to the active roster. Defensive tackle Zach Carter was waived to make room.
Hendrickson suffered a neck stinger in the win Sunday at Carolina but was upgraded from limited participation Wednesday and Thursday, as was B.J. Hill, who is coming back from a hamstring injury that sidelined him two games. Neither had a status designation and are good to go.
Cincinnati needs everyone available up front against Baltimore’s duo of Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson. Henry leads the league with 480 yards rushing and five touchdowns. Jackson has 308 yards rushing and two touchdowns to go with his 858 yards passing and five touchdowns through the air.
2. Boost to the pass rush
While it’s notable McKinnley Jackson could be getting his NFL debut Sunday, the Bengals should be especially excited to be getting Murphy back into the mix. Their pass rush has been especially weak with no one besides Hendrickson consistently applying pressure to the opposing quarterback, and Murphy was excited about his progress from Year 1 before his injury set him back.
Murphy said he was feeling good last week in his rehab work and felt encouraged by what he was able to do in his return to practice with the team. His concern was making sure he could be explosive enough to run down players like Lamar Jackson and Henry, but he seemed to check that box and believes he will be ready to make an impact.
“They’ve mentioned a small snap count, but I feel like Matt (Summers) and the guys in the training room have done a great job doing all the PT and keeping my reps up and keeping the intensity high as possible, doing 100-yard sprints, so I feel like my wind is there,” Murphy said. “It can be better, of course, but that will come with progression over the weeks, over the days, so I feel like I’ll be great on Sunday.”
Anarumo has been wanting to cut down Sam Hubbard’s snaps as he is playing through a hamstring injury but wasn’t able to do that with numbers so low on the defensive line prior to this week. Murphy can help take some of that load off Hubbard.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
3. Importance of building a lead
With the Ravens capable of controlling the clock with their running game, the Bengals are emphasizing the need to build a lead and to make the most of every possession.
Burrow has confidence because the “offense is rolling” as Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are both starting to heat up following slow starts to the season, or in Higgins’ case a delayed start because of injury. The Ravens allow 257 passing yards per game (29th), despite a talented cast of defenders that includes cornerback Marlon Humphrey, safeties Kyle Hamilton and Marcus Williams and linebacker Roquan Smith.
Cincinnati didn’t have its best performances against Baltimore last year, but Burrow was still working through a calf injury Week 2 and then suffered his season-ending wrist injury in the Week 11 loss. This year, a more physical approach with 12 personnel, including Fairfield product Erick All standing out as a rookie tight end, also could help.
“They do good at just moving,” Chase said. “I feel like everyone on their defense is pretty versatile. ... They do a lot of re-routing, a lot of bumping, like if I was spot-dropping. If I’m running a seam down the middle, they have a linebacker but spot drop and push out to the flat route to push me and re-route me. That’s what they do to help the ends, corners and safeties.”
4. Stone facing old team
Bengals safety Geno Stone was coming off a standout, seven-interception season with Baltimore when he signed with Cincinnati as a free agent in March. He’s still waiting for his first pick this year and is hoping that comes Sunday. Last week, Vonn Bell got his first interception of the season against the Panthers team he spent the 2023 campaign with, and that helped fuel the Bengals’ first win.
More than anything, Stone wants to give his new fans in Cincinnati a win at home. He’s also looking forward to helping the defense slow Lamar Jackson. He never got to hit Jackson in practices, so this will be his first crack at facing him. The Bengals know Jackson well from their twice-a-year matchups, but Stone has tried to provide his own insight into that offense this week.
“He goes as that offense goes,” Stone said. “The way he’s able to take his face out and you’ve got to be able to read your keys as much as you can with him and he’s got to get on the edge quick wherever it may be. You just have to live with him throwing the ball honestly and make sure that he’s not ready to run the ball.”
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
5. Other injuries of note
Bengals defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (hamstring) is doubtful and unlikely to play as he just started working on the rehab field this week, but the big concern now is that slot corner Mike Hilton is questionable with a knee injury he suffered against Carolina. Hilton only missed one play before returning to the game, but he wasn’t able to practice all week.
Linebacker Germaine Pratt also showed up on the injury report with an ankle injury but was full go by Friday, and left guard Cordell Volson reported an ankle injury but wasn’t limited in practices at all.
The Ravens have only ruled out one player, Arthur Maulet, a cornerback who has been designated for return from injured reserve, but left guard Andrew Vorhees (ankle) is listed as questionable, wide receiver Deonte Harty (knee) and running back Rasheen Ali (neck) are also questionable.
TODAY’S GAME
Ravens at Bengals, 1 p.m., CBS, 700, 1530, 102.7, 104.7
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