As Week 2 of the 2024 NFL season ends, the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens appear to mirror images of each other. The AFC North rivals have both gotten off to alarming 0-2 starts that leaves more questions than answers. It's fair to ask which team is in a tougher spot as they both search for their first win of the season.
Bengals
The Bengals find themselves in a self-inflicted nightmare that could have easily been avoided if they had taken the contract demands of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins more seriously. Despite any claims from head coach Zac Taylorand the front office, the absence of Chase and Higgins in offseason practices has greatly impacted the team.
Higgins hasn’t made is 2024 day view due to a hamstring injury, with many questioning if he is injured. Chase has played in both of Cincinnati’s recent games, but his lackluster production has only created more unease. On top of that Chase hurt the Bengals late in their loss to the Kansas City Chiefs with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, as he furiously berated an official for not penalizing Chiefs defensive back Trent McDuffie for a hip drop tackle.
On top of the issues with their top two wide receivers, quarterback Joe Burrow still appears to be recovering from a wrist injury he suffered last season. The only positive for the Bengals is the play of their defense, which has picked up some of the slack. Against the Chiefs alone they managed to get 2 sacks on Patrick Mahomes and pick him off twice.
Even with an easier schedule in the next couple of weeks with the Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders, things do not look good for the Bengals.
Ravens
Nobody expected the Ravens would be winless after the first two weeks of the season. Baltimore was coming off a depressing performance in last year’s AFC Championship and was ready for redemption. They added Derrick Henry in free agency to bolster an already potent ground game.
Yet here we are wondering what’s wrong with Baltimore. For starters the loss of Mike Macdonald as the new coach of the Seattle Seahawks and Patrick Queen becoming a Pittsburgh Steeler have greatly hurt the defense.
New defensive coordinator Zach Orr is calling plays for the first time in his career and the growing pains are evident. The Ravens have struggled to contain opposing team’s top wide receivers as Davante Adams and Xavier Worthy both had 100+ yard games.
The loss of Queen has limited Baltimore’s ability to pressure the quarterback and slow down the run. On offense Lamar Jackson has missed critical throws in crunch time, and they haven’t been able to get Henry going until it’s too late in the game. Going into the season Baltimore’s struggling this much seemed unfathomable.
Jackson is coming off an MVP season and Henry’s aggressive powerful, bully ball like style of running seemed like a perfect fit in the Ravens offense. And yet here we are. The Ravens next test for redemption is the Dallas Cowboys who are coming off a depressing loss to the New Orleans Saints.
Verdict
Make no mistake both teams should be in full blown panic mode. However, the Bengals miscues have long been foreshadowed and don’t appear to be fixable. Chase and Higgins wanted to their much-deserved raises and Cincinnati decided to roll the dice with two disgruntled wide receivers.
The Ravens just need to find some consistency on both sides of the ball to get back on track. The defense will get better with time and the offense needs to simplify things by giving Henry the ball more often. And if any coach can help a team get out of a 0-2 hole its John Harbaugh.
