W2L4: Bengals Look For Elusive Road Primetime Victory In A Game That Could Determine Their Playoff Path

Bengals (5-4) at Ravens (7-3) Thursday, Nov. 16 at M&T Bank Stadium (natural grass), 8:15 p.m. ET, TV: WCPO-TV Ch. 9 (Cincinnati), Streamed nationally on Prime Video. Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit, Kaylee Hartung, Radio: Dan Hoard, Dave Lapham. 700 WLW-AM, WEBN-FM (102.7 FM), ESPN1530. Nationally Westwood One, Tom McCarthy, Jason McCourty

CINCINNATI — The time is now for the Bengals and their fading AFC North hopes.

If the Bengals want to rescue their chances for making a run back to the top of the division, they had better think of a way of going into a hostile environment and doing something no Bengals team has done in 11 years – winning a road game in prime time.

As a matter of fact the Bengals have lost 25 of their last 26 road primetime games. They are 7-45 all-time in primetime games away from Cincinnati, with wins over the Eagles, Bears, Steelers (2x), Browns (2x) and Rams.

The last time it happened was on Dec. 13, 2012 against the Philadelphia Eagles, four days after dropping a heartbreaker to the Dallas Cowboys, 20-19, on a last-second field goal at Paul Brown Stadium. Sound familiar?

This time around, there’s a lot more at stake.

Two teams reeling from Sunday losses at home look to regroup and claim a key AFC North division win when the division-leading Baltimore Ravens (7-3) host the Bengals (5-4) in Thursday night football.

The Ravens blew a golden opportunity to put more distance between themselves and the Browns and Bengals, losing leads of 17-3 and 31-17 at home to Cleveland in a 33-31 loss. The setback snapped a four-game win streak.

Cincinnati also had a four-game win streak snapped when they fought back from a 27-17 hole in the final three minutes, only to watch rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud lead Houston down the field for a game-winning field goal.

“We live, we grow, we get better. Every team is tested, and we’re getting tested. So, I’m excited for (Thursday),” said Ravens tight end Mark Andrews, who enters Thursday just one touchdown shy of matching Todd Heap for the all-time tight mark of 41.

The game against Cincinnati marks the end of a three-game homestand for Baltimore while Cincinnati is in a stretch of four games where Thursday is the only road contest.

Baltimore claimed a 27-24 victory at Cincinnati in Week 2.

Zay Flowers needs just one catch for 51 on the season, which would break a tie with Torrey Smith for the all-time Ravens rookie record.

The Bengals defense is looking for a better effort after surrendering 17 plays of at least 20 yards in Sunday’s loss to Houston.

Both teams are also dealing with a multitude of injuries heading into a game on only three days of rest.

Starting right tackle Morgan Moses (shoulder) has missed two straight games while Pro Bowl cornerback Marlon Humphrey (ankle), starting left tackle Ronnie Stanley (knee) and linebacker Trenton Simpson (concussion) left Sunday’s loss to the Browns and did not return.

“I think we’re dealing with it right now. We’ve done a good job of that,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said of the injury woes. “We’ve been on the road (a lot). We’ve [played] very tough teams in very physical games, and I feel like our guys have handled it very well.

“We have to continue to do it. That’s probably the main point right now: It’s how we handle that and how we approach it. Our job is to handle it better than our opponents do.”

Trey Hendrickson suffered a hyperextended left knee when Houston receiver Noah Brown rolled into him on the play before the game-winning field goal. An MRI revealed just the strain but no structural damage.

Then Hendrickson surprised many Tuesday night when he showed up and went full speed in early drills during practice inside Paycor Stadium and is now expected to play in Thursday’s game. Hendrickson’s bookend edge Sam Hubbard is dealing with a right ankle injury and missed last Sunday’s loss.

Rookie receiver Andrei Iosivas suffered a knee injury but finished the game Sunday against Houston.

The Bengals also missed the services of star receiver Tee Higgins, who is nursing a hamstring injury suffered Nov. 8 in practice. He also sat out last Sunday’s game vs. Houston.

“You’ve got to cram a whole game plan into really about two and a half days,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. “And so the team’s got to understand that. We walked off the field Sunday, it was a Wednesday afternoon, post-practice is really the point of the week you’re at. And so, you’ve got to get your bodies right after a physical long game like we had.

“Baltimore had the same thing. I mean, it really similar styles of games that were just played. And our guys have to get themselves ready and our coaches have to do a good job preparing them in a short span this week.”

Here’s what to look for:

• Joe Burrow vs. Geno Stone, Ravens secondary:

The NFL is a sport of give and take. Burrow’s health is much better than it was when he faced them in Week 2, tweaking the right calf late in the game and he said Tuesday that he’ll have his “full toolbox” Thursday night. But he won’t have Tee Higgins for a second straight week to deconstruct the Ravens defense. It was Higgins who caught both of Burrow’s TD passes in the Week 2 loss. That responsibility will fall on Ja’Marr Chase, who flashed glimpses of his 2021 self when he read Burrow’s scramble and darted to the deep middle, allowing Burrow to hit him for a 64-yard bomb. Stone ruined Burrow’s day in Week 2 when he picked off Burrow at the Baltimore 5 when it looked like the Bengals were driving for touchdown in the third quarter.

• Tyler Boyd vs. himself:

Tyler Boyd had perhaps the signature play of his career in this building in 2017. As a rookie, he caught a fourth down 49-yard TD pass from Andy Dalton with 44 seconds left to lift the Bengals to a stunning 31-27 win, knocking the Ravens out of the playoffs and sending Buffalo to the postseason. Last week, he caught a 64-yard deep slant from Burrow and put the Bengals in position to win the game before moments later dropping the potential game-winner in the end zone. Boyd was very hard on himself after the game and Joe Mixon lifted him up and consoled him on the way to the locker room. This is the chance to redeem himself and Burrow won’t hesitate giving him the chance.

• Bengals interior OL vs. Broderick Washington, Michael Pierce:

A big, big problem last week was Houston’s interior rush over Alex Cappa, Ted Karras and Cordell Volson. The Bengals could answer by dedicating themselves to the run, running traps and delays. But as we’ve learned over the years, that’s not very likely with the Zac Taylor offense. They’re just not committed to it. And with Joe Mixon getting the bulk of reps, their running options are limited. Of course, the answer for the Bengals the last two weeks has been to involve the tight ends much more in the pass game, with a degree of success. Burrow targeted tight ends six times and a running back once on the opening TD drive. Then the offense died.

• Sam Hubbard replacements vs. Ravens OL.:

Cam Sample, Joseph Ossai and rookie Myles Murphy had a bit of an uneven day against Houston’s veteran line last week. What can’t happen is big defensive ends getting handled by wide receivers at the point of attack. On Devin Singletary’s TD run last week, receiver Noah Brown had his way with rookie Myles Murphy, allowing Singletary to breeze by. There needs to be more aggression this week. Stay with technique but still, shed blockers and make the play. There might be some chances for all three and Hendrickson, assuming he plays, as Ravens tackles Ronnie Stanley and Morgan Moses enter the game banged up and may not suit up.

• Trenton Irwin, Charlie Jones vs. Texans secondary:

Assuming Andrei Iosivas can’t go with a knee injury, this would figure to be the game that fellow rookie Charlie Jones is activated off injured reserve following his thumb surgery. It was against the Ravens in Week 2 that Jones flashed the speed and explosiveness they drafted him for when he broke down the Bengals sideline for an 81-yard punt touchdown return.

• Bengals D vs. Lamar Jackson:

Jackson can run the ball all over the field. That’s not breaking news. His run late last year in Week 5 set up the game-winning field goal in Baltimore. His 12-yard scramble on third-and-3 after the Bengals drew to within 27-24 late in the fourth quarter in Week 2 salted away the win for Baltimore. But Jackson no doubt watched what C.J. Stroud did last week to a secondary that forgot the basic Lou Anarumo “plaster” concept taught to every defensive back in deep pass coverage. 17 explosive plays allowed represents the fourth-highest number since 2000 in the NFL.

The Bengals defense desperately needs to answer the bell in this game, and it would be nice to see the Bengals not rely entirely on the turnover as a last line of defense. The three-and-out forced by the defense when the Bengals drew to within 27-24 last week was a great example. So, too, was the three-and-out they held Buffalo to at the start of the third quarter on Nov. 5. Pray that Cam Taylor-Britt’s quad holds up, DJ Turner has a solid game, Chido Awuzie finds the next gear and Mike Hilton has a solid game on Mark Andrews. A lot has to go right but the Bengals have shown in the recent past that they’re more than capable. And oh, safety Nick Scott needs a bounce back game in the secondary in the same way Tyler Boyd does.

• Bottom Line:

There is every reason in the world to go against the Bengals in this game. They are coming off a hideous home loss to the upstart Texans, a game in which their offense again went dormant for two quarters and their defense was gridiron Swiss cheese. They are going up against a quarterback that is one of the most dynamic in the game and fully healthy. They are on the road in a hostile environment against an AFC North rival coming off a brutal home loss of their own on Sunday to the Cleveland Browns. The Bengals haven’t won a road prime time game since Andy Dalton’s second year in the NFL. They’ve dropped 14 straight in such situations and a stunning 25-of-26 at night on the road, with the only break coming against a bad Philadelphia Eagles team in Dec. 2012. The Bengals are banged up but so are the Ravens. Tee Higgins will miss his second straight game. Sam Hubbard is out again. Andrei Iosivas will sit out the game on a short week with a knee injury. Of course, I’m going with the Bengals to flip the score from last year in Baltimore on a last-second Evan McPherson field goal.

Bengals 19, Texans 17