They say keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
Behind Enemy Lines brings you your weekly recap of the rest of the AFC North, as the Ravens strive to be back on top of the division.
Cincinnati Bengals
Record: 2-2
Result: W 22-7 vs. Miami Dolphins
Offensive Recap:
Andy Dalton was very efficient against the Dolphins on Thursday night, completing 22/31 passes for 296 yards and a TD. A.J. Green hauled in 10 of those passes for 173 yards and the score. The running game was inefficient, gaining just 77 yards on 37 carries.
The biggest offensive star for the Bengals outside of Green was the combined offensive line. Dalton was sacked just once and hit three total times. He was given plenty of time to throw and giving Dalton that kind of time to find Green is never a good plan. Ravens fans should keep their eyes on this, as Green has been a consistent “Raven Killer” and a pass rush (non-existent) like the one we saw against Oakland would be bad news.
Defensive Recap:
Take away the big 74-yard TD from Ryan Tannehill to Kenny Stills and you’ll see just how dominant the Bengals defense was on Sunday. This is a big bounce back for a group that was picked apart by Trevor Siemian a week ago. Tannehill was sacked five times, picked off once, hit 10 times and had seven passes defensed.
The Dolphins seemed to almost never have the ball, possessing it for just 21 minutes of the game (compared to 38 minutes of possession for the Bengals). The only thing that could have made this defensive performance better is if they took away the one big touchdown play to Stills.
Key Performer:
Carlos Dunlap – 5 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 pass deflections, 3 QB hits. Tannehill is probably going to have nightmares of Dunlap for a few days.
Look forward to Week 5:
The Bengals travel to Dallas for a matchup against Dak Prescott and the Cowboys. If Dez Bryant is unable to go you can expect another dominating performance, as Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott will have their hands full.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Record: 3-1
Result: W 43-14 vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Offensive Recap:
After one of their worst offensive performances in recent memory, Pittsburgh rebounded to lay an absolute beat down on the Chiefs. Ben Roethlisberger had a Madden-like performance, completing 22 of 27 passes for 300 yards and five TD. Le’Veon Bell returned and gained over 178 all-purpose yards and Antonio Brown caught four balls for 64 yards and two TD.
There wasn’t a single thing that went wrong for this offensive group. Hopefully Marc Trestman took notes on how to prepare for your opponent and put the pedal down when you start strong.
Defensive Recap:
The defense was all over Alex Smith and the Chiefs early. To summarize, the Chiefs offensive possessions went: punt, fumble, interception, punt, punt, punt, missed FG. It wasn’t until the 4th quarter, and good ole “garbage time,” that they were able to score.
Vince Williams was the star of the defense, collecting 16 tackles and a sack, while Cameron Heyward took Alex Smith down for three sacks.
It’s hard to find a flaw in this defensive unit as well. It was a dominant performance for the Steelers and they showed just how easily they can explode for a big game.
Key Performer:
Ben Roethlisberger – 22/27, 300 yards and 5 TD. Everything went Ben’s way on Sunday. A sight that no lover of the purple and black ever wants to see.
Look forward to Week 5:
The Steelers look to continue this momentum as the Jets travel to Pittsburgh for a slobberknocker.
Cleveland Browns
Record: 0-4
Result: L 20-31 @ Washington Redskins
Offensive Recap:
Believe it or not, the Browns actually had a chance in this one. Going into the 4th quarter they held a 20-17 lead. In classic Browns fashion they decided to get outscored in the 4th quarter 14-0.
Cody Kessler was surprisingly efficient against the Redskins defense, finishing 28/40 for 223 yards with a score and a pick. However, the interception proved to be costly as it led to the game-clinching touchdown for the Skins.
Isaiah Crowell continues a very strong season gaining 112 yards on 15 carries and a score. Crowell is second in rushing yards amongst all NFL backs behind Ezekiel Elliot. He will be crucial for the Browns team as they continue to search for that elusive first win.
Defensive Recap:
The defense did a good job of holding Kirk Cousins to shorter passes and eliminated the deep ball, which included holding Desean Jackson to just one catch for five yards. However, I think the Browns forgot to cover Jordan Reed. Reed had nine catches for 73 yards and two TD.
The Browns pass rush was just brutal. Cousins was sacked just one time and wasn’t hit otherwise.
Key Performer:
Isaiah Crowell – 15 carries, 112 yards and 1 TD. He continues to be the bright spot on an abysmal Browns team.
Look forward to Week 5:
That first win will likely continue to elude Cleveland, as they host New England for Tom Brady’s return.
