The Cincinnati Bengals struggled to get anything going offensively in the first half against the Ravens. Joe Burrow was just 6/12 for 43 yards passing through the first two quarters of the game. Ja’Marr Chase gave a fiery speed at halftime, and Joe Burrow and the rest of the offense came out looking like a completely different team.
They looked like the one we have grown accustomed to seeing over the years offensively. The Burrow second-half performance is going to put him right back in conversations
for league MVP this season. If the Bengals keep winning, that stuff will take care of itself.
Burrow and the Bengals received the opening kickoff of the second half. Burrow made one of the most anticipatory throws I have ever seen on the drive. He hit Tee Higgins over the middle on a ball that Roquan Smith certainly felt was coming directly to him. The level of trust that Burrow has in Tee Higgins has been apparent all season. It has never been clearer that the Bengals have two No. 1 wide receivers on this team.
The Bengals were able to cash in the touchdown later in the drive. Burrow knew he would have outside leverage on Mike Gesicki, and he motioned him closer to the line. He placed the ball with pinpoint accuracy, allowing his big-bodied tight end to go up and make the catch. This cut the Ravens’ lead to 13-7 and showed that the Bengals were ready to come out like a different team than in the first half.
The defense held the Ravens offense to a three-and-out on their first series of the second half. After an electric Dohnte Meyers return of 31 yards, the Bengals started their second offensive series with less than 50 yards to the end zone. A destination they quickly reached with a couple of big plays to Tee Higgins again. Burrow first hit Higgins for a 19-yard gain on the outside, and then found him over the middle for a 13-yard touchdown pass. Just like that, the Bengals had taken the first lead of the game.
The Ravens were able to drive down the field on their next possession. Instead of opting for the short field goal and regaining the lead back, they chose to roll the dice on a fourth down. The Bengals defense forced the turnover on downs, and the offense went back on the field. They continued finding the hot receiver in Tee Higgins. This time for another big gain of 44 yards. He absolutely toasted Marlon Humphrey to get open for his quarterback. Even though the ball slipped out of Burrow’s hand, it was another huge chunk play.
The Bengals were able to even get an explosive run for a big 15-yard gain on this drive. Samaje Perine took the handoff from Burrow out of the shotgun and bulldozed his way for the big run down inside the Baltimore red zone. Shortly after that, he was able to run through the Kyle Hamilton tackle attempt at the goal line, extending the Bengals’ lead to 21-13.
The Bengals again were able to get multiple explosive plays on their next possession. The first was a catch-and-run by Ja’Marr Chase for a 30-yard gain.
The very next play, Burrow went deep down the sideline to Higgins. Perfect placement on the throw while standing in with pressure in his face, Burrow delivered a fantastic ball. This gain went for 43 yards to Higgins.
Then, it was Ja’Marr Chase’s turn to find the end zone for Cincinnati in the second half. He absolutely torched corner Nate Wiggins off the line. He made sure to let him know about it afterward too. This score put the Bengals up 28-13.
After a Barrett Carter tipped pass led to a Demetrius Knight Jr. interception, the Bengals offense was once again right back on the field. This time Joe Burrow was able to hit Drew Sample for one of the most majestic touchdown plays you will ever see. This capped off a 16/18 for 249 yards and four touchdowns in the second half for Burrow. Just an electric offensive performance from Burrow, putting him squarely back into the conversation for MVP.
