Elvis Dumervil has yet to get a sack this year but will have to get going this week to keep Andy Dalton from getting into a rhythm.
By: Corey Johns
When desperate for a win there is no better place for the Ravens to be than in the comfort of M&T Bank Stadium. Since 2007 when the John Harbaugh - Joe Flacco era began the Ravens have only lost 11 home games, so their desperate situation just might lead to a turnaround.
In order to turn things around and avoid a third-straight loss the Ravens defense is going to have to play significantly better than they did against the Oakland Raiders a week ago. That was bad, bordering embarrassing against a young team without any proven threats on their offense. The Bengals are far more dangerous.
While Andy Dalton might not be more than an average quarterback, he has elite talent around him that has helped get the Bengals to four-straight playoff appearances. The Bengals could choose to throw the ball around the field to their deep group of receivers headlined by A.J. Green and Tyler Eifert, or they could decide to be a ground-and-pound team and let Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard lead the way.
Either way, the Ravens need to learn to live without Terrell Suggs on the field. Last week the defense had no pass rush and it allowed Derek Carr to look more like Peyton Manning than Peyton Manning did. Maybe Jason Babin will make things better. It was pretty questionable as to why he was not active for the game against the Raiders but he is a proven pass rusher. If he is a decent presence on the edge, that should also open things up for Elvis Dumervil, who had a career-year in 2014 but has yet to record a sack in 2015.
Getting to Dalton will be hard enough as it is — he has yet to be sacked this year — and he has good enough receiving threats to make it a long day for the Ravens if he has all day to throw.
But let’s give the Ravens the benefit of the doubt and say Babin and Dumervil wreck some havoc in the backfield. That is when, Dalton is prone to making mistakes. He has yet to throw an interception this year, but he also has not been pressured very much behind his big offensive line. If the Ravens get in the backfield, force a turnover of two and keep the Bengals in the 20s in terms of points, expect the Ravens to get their first win of the year.
Last week the Ravens offense turned it on against the Raiders. The Bengals are better defensively but Joe Flacco showed comfort and confidence throwing to more than only Steve Smith. Tight end Crockett Gillmore and wide receiver Kamar Aiken were heavily involved in the passing game. Even if Smith was still the team’s leading receiver, having two extra options will keep the defense honest.
Now, it is just up to the running game to get going. Justin Forsett has not looked like the explosive back he was last year but expect more of a three-headed monster with Forsett, second-year power back Lorenzo Taliaferro and rookie change-of-pace back Buck Allen.
When they establish the run and take pressure off Flacco and the passing game the Ravens are always at their best. That will be the key to a victory and saving their season.
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