The Ravens had only three points in the first half in Week 3.
Mark Andrews had two difficult passing games in Week 12, yielding only two yards. That output should be considered when justifying why the Baltimore Ravens only had three points in the first half in their 23-10 win over the New York Jets last weekend. So, offensive coordinator Todd Monken should get right to business against the Cincinnati Bengals and avoid anything that poses more risk than reward this Thanksgiving holiday.
Three-and-outs on the Ravens’ first drive resulted in seven plays and a total of only 18 yards. Sure, Monken may be able to waste seven games against a struggling Jets offense, but against the Bengals, he will have more meaningful snaps to prevent the opposing offense from finding a rhythm. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is expected to start in his return from injury, and with wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins in the lineup, it’s safe to assume that three points in the first half won’t be enough to stay ahead of the foe in Week 13.
However, Andrews could be an asset to Monken’s plans on Thanksgiving. New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry scorched the Bengals defense last Sunday with seven catches and 115 yards, so Monken should let Andrews and teammate Isaiah out on vacation cause more havoc for the Bengals. Quarterback Lamar Jackson has not been at his noteworthy best lately, and while some blame injuries, a deeper look reveals that the play-calling has been unprofessional. Tonight, Monken can change his approach and begin to transform his mastermind into an approach suitable for postseason play. That means saving those complicated trick plays, hyper-motion and extravagant signals for another time. Monken must utilize the strength of running back Derrick Henry and feed his tight ends in the passing game as much as possible to earn a win on primetime television.
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