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The Beat with Aaron Wilson - 5 CRITICAL QUESTIONS: RAVENS V. BENGALS

Posted On: 11/5/06
Written By:  
Aaron Wilson
1. Can the Baltimore Ravens contain the Cincinnati Bengals' passing game?
 
Heading into today's pivotal AFC North clash between the Ravens (5-2) and the Bengals (4-3) at M&T Bank Stadium, the Ravens' secondary has emerged as a major question mark. They have surrendered five touchdown passes in the past two games, and all of the scores were of the long-distance variety. This is extremely poor timing for the Ravens to be having these issues with communication breakdowns, overly aggressive play from former NFL Defensive Player of the Year safety Ed Reed and quarterbacks exposing cornerback Samari Rolle for the past month.
 
With the Bengals' high-octane passing game, the Ravens can ill afford to be this vulnerable. The NFL's 17th-ranked pass defense will have to play its most disciplined, assignment-integrity game of the season against All-Pro quarterback Carson Palmer and Co. They can't allow Palmer to spread the football around to Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Chris Henry. Alone, any of those individual receivers can impact the game and stretch the field with their speed, height, crisp routes and hands.
 
2. Can Baltimore keep it up offensively?
 
Ravens coach Brian Billick was an instant hit after installing himself as the offensive coordinator after dismissing Jim Fassel with Baltimore scoring three offensive touchdowns, gaining 293 yards of total offense, not having an interception as quarterback Steve McNair posted a season-high 121.5 passer rating and running back Jamal Lewis rumbling for a season-high 109 yards on 31 carries. It was a revelation for a usually moribund attack.
 
Play-action, spread formations with four wide receivers, designed rollouts and waggles actually kept the defense off-guard. Now, the Ravens have to sustain that productivity against the lowest-ranked defense in the AFC North. Expect the Ravens to try to pound the football with Lewis against an undersized and perhaps undermanned linebacking corps that could be without starter Brian Simmons due to a neck injury.
 
3. Can the Ravens defend their home turf?
 
The Ravens have lost three consecutive games to former Baltimore defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis' Bengals. Baltimore gave up an average of 30 points per game in being swept last season. Cincinnati wound up winning the AFC North title, but now Baltimore is one game ahead in the division race.
 
With Cincinnati having lost three of its past four games after a 3-0 start and Baltimore coming off a win that broke a two-game slide after an unprecedented 4-0 start, both teams have a lot at stake. The Bengals have allowed 20.3 points per game this season, seven points more per game than Baltimore (13.0) under defensive coordinator Rex Ryan.
 
4. Will linebacker Ray Lewis and safety Ed Reed's presence make a difference?
 
A year ago, the Ravens lost 21-9 and 42-29 to the Bengals with Lewis and Reed out for both of those encounters with injuries. Lewis seems to have regained at least a good measure of his old intimidating form. On the other hand, Reed has been fairly silent since signing a blockbuster contract extension this summer and hasn't intercepted a pass since the season opener at Tampa Bay. Ryan will need Lewis to keep Rudi Johnson bottled up inside, and for Reed to protect the end zone as the Ravens' last line of defense.
 
5. Can the Ravens get tight end Todd Heap more involved?
 
He represents the most difficult matchup for any Baltimore opponent with his blend of athleticism, size and speed. Heap has scored eight touchdowns in his last 10 games and leads Baltimore with five touchdowns this season, including a ricochet catch in the end zone last week in New Orleans. The Bengals truly struggled against Atlanta Falcons tight end Alge Crumpler, and Heap could exceed that production against safeties Madieu Williams and Kevin Kaesviharn.

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Posted On: 11/5/06
Written By:  
Aaron Wilson

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