Unsung heroes from the Ravens’ Week 11 win over the Bengals

The Baltimore Ravens beat the Cincinnati Bengals for the second time this season with a 34-20 primetime victory in Week 11. It marked the Ravens’ first series-sweeping of the Bengals since 2020 and improved their report to 8-3, whereas dropping their rivals to 5-5.

In a sport the place they had been favored to win, the Ravens had been capable of play complementary soccer. They constructed and held onto a double-digit lead because of a few of their less-heralded gamers on either side of the ball.

This text highlights the gamers whose performances flew below the radar however had been nonetheless clutch — the unsung heroes.

Offensive line

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Of their Week 10 loss to the Cleveland Browns, the Ravens misplaced the battle within the trenches and had been held to a season-low 106 speeding yards. The Ravens’ beginning blocking bounced again with a powerful efficiency of their win over the Bengals. They offered two-time Professional Bowl quarterback Lamar Jackson with sufficient time to carve up Cincinnati’s protection for 264 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns. Nevertheless, they did their finest work went it got here to run blocking.

The Ravens moved the ball properly via the air however had been held to simply 30 yards on the bottom within the first half. They had been capable of flip the script on the Bengals within the second half and racked up 127 of their 157 speeding yards within the last two quarters. Sixth-year veteran operating again Gus Edwards led the staff with 62 speeding yards and recorded a number of touchdowns for the third time prior to now 4 video games.

“They’ve been doing an ideal job down there,” Edwards mentioned of the Ravens’ offensive line. “[I give] plenty of credit score to them, too. It’s not a one-man factor. They’ve been getting nice push and making my job simpler.”

CB Brandon Stephens

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With Marlon Humphrey out with a calf pressure, Stephens shadowed Bengals’ vast receiver Ja’Marr Chase for a lot of the sport. The third-year professional answered the decision for the second time this season and put the clamps on Chase even higher than he did in Week 2 when Humphrey was out recovering from foot surgical procedure.

Cincinnati’s most harmful weapon was held to simply two receptions on seven targets for a measly 12 receiving yards. He had a rubbish time landing that minimize the Ravens lead from three possessions to 2 with simply 72 seconds left within the sport. Whereas the late rating snapped Stephens’ streak of consecutive protection snaps with out permitting a landing, he had already gained the day below a nationwide highlight.

TE Isaiah Probably

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Probably did recording a catch on two targets even after three-time Professional Bowl starter Mark Andrews suffered a season-ending harm on the opening possession. Nevertheless, the second-year professional was nonetheless capable of make some spectacular performs and have a profound impression.

Probably was made his presence felt as a blocker each within the run sport and downfield for his fellow cross catchers. He was on the sector for each of Edwards’ touchdowns close to the objective line. His finest blocks got here when he took out a pair of Bengals defenders on rookie vast receiver Zay Flowers’ record-breaking 33-yard reception.

CB Ronald Darby

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The ninth-year veteran stepped up in a giant method with Humphrey out and had his finest sport of the season as the opposite beginning outdoors nook. He performed a big position within the joint effort that restricted Chase and whereas he didn’t report a single deal with, Darby led the staff with three cross breakups. One in every of his finest performs was stopping Chase from getting his toes within the subject of play by forcing him out of bounds.

In line with Professional Soccer Focus, Darby allowed only one reception on 4 targets and an opposing passer score of 39.6.

FB Patrick Ricard

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The four-time Professional Bowler was simply as important to the Ravens’ success within the operating sport as any of their beginning offensive linemen and carried out exceptionally properly in cross safety too. Ricard helped pave the best way, open holes, and seal the sting for a number of of the Ravens’ greatest runs and each of Edwards’ touchdowns as properly.

One in every of his most spectacular performs was blocking on Edwards’ cutback to tear off the Ravens’ longest run of the sport to begin the the third quarter. One other was when he blocked Hendrickson one-on-one in cross safety with wonderful approach to offer Jackson sufficient time to finish a cross from a pristine pocket.