So which team will we see today? A team that left four points on the board and nearly lost to Cleveland last week? Or a team that hung 31 points on the Packers at Lambeau Field and then knocked off the Steelers home?
The Ravens will be starting rookie left tackle Michael Oher, who will have the task of protecting Joe Flacco's blindside from Antwan Odom and the Bengals pass rush. And if the Bengals can't generate a pass rush today, they will lose...and lose big.
The Bengals head back to Baltimore, a place where they have enjoyed a small measure of success. However, they haven't really won a game in Baltimore where the Ravens were 'good' since 2004, the game where Carson Palmer led a stirring comeback with 24 points in the fourth quarter.
Regardless, it's going to be a tough, tough task to get out of M&T Bank Stadium with a win today. The Ravens are still steaming over last week's loss to the Patriots (where they fought the refs as much as Tom Brady) and it's a division game on the road. As the Bengals (and fans) found last week...it's never easy to win on the road period in the NFL, let alone inside the division.
No sane person would predict a Bengals win today.
Posted by: MikeBrownPleaseDieSoon | October 11, 2009 at 11:54 AM
The TV announcers said: "They call them the 'Cardiac Cats!" Who the fuck calls them the 'Cardiac Cats?' "Who’s the slimy little communist shit, twinkle-toed cocksucker down here who just signed his own death warrant?” Nobody? Outstanding! Oh? Yes? WHATTTTTTTT? Er... Mikey BOy Brown?
Posted by: WCH | October 11, 2009 at 12:58 PM
Nice snap, Mr. St. Louis. Nice kick, Mr. Franchise.
Oh wait.
Posted by: Mockenrue | October 11, 2009 at 01:18 PM
Seriously. If someone doesn't fire Brad St. Louis immediately, I am hopping a plane and going to take care of him myself, Tonya Harding-style.
Posted by: BuzzKillington | October 11, 2009 at 01:33 PM
A good GM would have taken care of this in 2006.
Ooops.
Posted by: MikeBrownPleaseDieSoon | October 11, 2009 at 01:50 PM
Why is Dan Coats still being used in the passing game? He's proven time and time again he can't catch a ball. Stop trusting him.
Posted by: Mockenrue | October 11, 2009 at 02:02 PM
Great play by Ed Reed to force the Chad fumble, but replay also showed the ball was far from secure. Typical.
Posted by: Mockenrue | October 11, 2009 at 02:19 PM
There should be (note 'SHOULD BE') two cuts this week -- Dan Coates and Brad St. Louis. Both were pathetic performances, I actually have to give it to St. Louis as I think that he is going through what former Mets Catcher Mickey Hatcher went through -- and eventually ruined his career. He got a tick and never got through it. Golfers call it the yips. Either way, there's a viable explanation about things. With Coates, he just sucks. That's his problem.
Posted by: WCH | October 11, 2009 at 03:58 PM
WHO DEY BABY!!! We beat the mighty Ravens!
Posted by: Bengals4Ever | October 11, 2009 at 04:06 PM
Dave Lapham summed it up pretty nicely: "Vicky Zimmer, this one's for you."
But enough sad stuff.....
AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! 4-1! 4-1! 4-1!
Posted by: Who Dey Boston | October 11, 2009 at 04:12 PM
Holy shit!!! Viva la revolution!
Posted by: Counting_Saturn | October 11, 2009 at 04:14 PM
I took the liberty of keeping track throughout the game:
Discarding the final Bengals drive (in which the 2 minute drill dictates passes), I tracked how many times the Bengals ran on second down. Just to see.
11 of 17 second down plays were run plays.
More importantly, of the second downs that were 8 yards or more to go (second and long), 5 of 7 were run plays. One of the passes, however, came on a 2nd and 20 after a penalty.
The announcers said that the Ravens were very anticipatory of Benson's rushes and that they "seemed to have a head in the huddle." But this isn't new. Bratkowski is probably the most predictable play caller in the league. Get him out.
Posted by: Mockenrue | October 11, 2009 at 04:15 PM
WHO DEYYYYYYYYY!!!!!
Posted by: The Slushovsky in NYC | October 11, 2009 at 04:19 PM
Bengals defense did a great job stopping #2 rated offense. I totally agree in firing St Louis and Coates. WHOOOOOO DEY!!! Viva Revolution
Posted by: Michael | October 11, 2009 at 04:25 PM
Two things...
1. Benson is the first 100yard gainer vs. Ravens in 39 games. They could have the head in the huddle as much as they want... Didn't seem to stop Benson.
2. Did I miss the untimely death of Chase Coffman? Wasn't he supposed to be our TE savior? Seriously... Did he get injured and I didn't see it? Did he get cut? Where the hell is he?
I wasn't on the train until this game. Don't get me wrong... I am certainly a douchebag. But Up until this game, I wasn't sure. Now, I am drinking the Kool-Aid. Just WOW! And we had THREE Bengal fans at Nikki Lee's in Vegas today. First time in about four years that I wasn't the only douchebag in the joint. Viva!
Posted by: VegasKev | October 11, 2009 at 04:42 PM
I really found myself losing a bit of my fan hood the first have of this year. I suspect it was just through anger towards Mikey and his tragically halarious clown-car-full-of-family-members of a front office. But over the last few weeks, I have cautiously felt my love for the team come back much like a pissed off lover who just needs time to realize what truly matters - the players and coaches. Its unfortunate that Mikey has control over both of these when he should...well, that part has been covered many of times.
That being said, I couldn't have asked for a better 25th birthday present today! Now, I will not contribute any money towards Mikey but I am becoming a believer in this team! As said by everyone else, two big things today that need to be corrected...
1) New long snapper
2) Move Daniel Coats to a new position...the bench. Where is Chase Coffman? I would also like to know!
Posted by: Whodeydiddy | October 11, 2009 at 04:58 PM
Coffman is third string because he sucks. No, really. They were so disappointed with his performance in training camp that he was repeatedly demoted.
Also:
http://www.whodeyrevolution.com/whodeyrevolution/2009/10/quarterseason-reevaluation-of-preseason-prediction-featuring-a-superhyphenated-title.html#comments
Kiiiiiind of eerie. Don't know what it bodes.
Posted by: Mockenrue | October 11, 2009 at 05:22 PM
If BSL was on the Raiders, Cable would have punched him in the face by now.
Posted by: Danimal, Destroyer of Worlds, Eviscerator of Steeler Fans | October 11, 2009 at 05:51 PM