Emily: Tyler Huntley threw for nearly three hundred yards. He connected with Zay Flowers on a beautiful forty-eight yard touchdown drive. And yet, somehow, the Baltimore Ravens are staring down a thirteenth straight loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Chris: It is a brutal paradox. The stats look respectable on paper, but the tape tells a story of missed assignments, stalled drives, and a defense that simply could not contain Joe Burrow in the red zone. We are breaking it all down right now.
Emily: Welcome to the Beatline Podcast Network! I’m Emily, and this is your daily film review for the Baltimore Ravens. Joining me as always is our lead analyst, Chris. Chris, we talked about this yesterday. The prediction was clear: if Lamar sat, Tyler Huntley would lead to another loss. Well, he did. But what exactly went wrong?
Chris: It wasn’t just the loss, Emily. It was the inefficiency. Huntley finished twenty-three for thirty-four for two hundred ninety-eight yards. One touchdown, one interception. On the surface, that looks like a solid day for a backup quarterback. But when you watch the film, the decision-making issues pop up instantly. And frankly, the offensive line struggles we predicted against Cleveland? They followed us to Cincinnati.
Emily: Right. And let’s not forget the defensive side. Joe Burrow went twenty-two for thirty for two hundred ninety-two yards and four touchdowns. Four. In a game where the Ravens were trying to keep it close. So today, we’re diving into the film. First, we’ll break down the offensive tape—specifically Huntley’s mechanics and the receiving corps. Then, we’ll look at why the defense looked so lost against Burrow’s precision. And finally, we’ll do a deep dive on Derrick Henry’s struggling run game. Let’s get into it.
Emily: Let’s start with the offense. Tyler Huntley had his moments. He found Zay Flowers for that huge forty-eight yard score. But he also had that critical interception that killed a promising drive. What did you see in the tape on that turnover?
Chris: It was a classic case of holding the ball too long. Huntley was looking for something big downfield, probably targeting Mark Andrews or Rashod Bateman in the intermediate middle. But the coverage was soft, inviting him to throw it. Instead of checking down to Josh Cuevas, who was wide open in the flat, Huntley stepped up into pressure. You saw the edge rushers penetrate because the protection scheme didn’t account for the blitz. That’s a mental error, not just a physical one.
Emily: And that protection issue seems to be the theme of the week. Ronnie Stanley and the line looked vulnerable. How much of Huntley’s struggles can be blamed on the lack of time?
Chris: A significant amount. When you don’t have Lamar Jackson’s ability to extend plays with his legs, the pocket has to hold. Here, the interior line, specifically Cam Jurgens and Ethan Pocic, got pushed back. It gave Burrow’s pass rushers—like Boye Mafe with his half sack—an easy path to the quarterback. Huntley wasn’t throwing poorly; he was throwing under duress. You can’t make precise reads when you’re falling backward.
Emily: So, on the positive side, Zay Flowers was fantastic. Eight catches, one hundred thirty-seven yards, one touchdown. Is he becoming the primary safety valve for Huntley?
Chris: Absolutely. Flowers is running crisp routes. He’s using leverage to separate from the secondary. On that touchdown play, he beat his defender inside, created separation, and made the catch in stride. It’s a great play by Flowers, but it highlights the team’s reliance on him. If the defense doubles Flowers, who steps up? Devontez Walker and LaJohntay Wester haven’t been consistent enough to take the load off Flowers.
Emily: It feels like the offense is one-dimensional without Jackson. Can they sustain drives against a disciplined defense like Buffalo next week?
Chris: That’s the million-dollar question. Against Cincinnati, they scored thirteen points. Two field goals by Tyler Loop, one touchdown. That’s not enough. To beat Buffalo, they need to establish the run and keep Burrow-style offenses off the field. But right now, the offensive identity is murky.
Emily: Before we move to the defense, I want to pause for a second. If these daily breakdowns are part of your morning routine or your commute, a small contribution via the link in the episode description helps keep the show free and coming to you every single day. It really supports the work we do to bring you this level of detail.
Chris: Thanks, Emily. Let’s talk about the defense. Allowing four touchdowns to Joe Burrow is unacceptable. Burrow was efficient, yes, but the Ravens’ secondary seemed out of sync. Kyle Hamilton was everywhere, but he couldn’t cover everything.
Emily: Yeah, Hamilton had eight tackles, which is impressive, but he was often playing prevent defense, reacting after the fact. Did you see any specific mismatches that Burrow exploited?
Chris: Tee Higgins was a nightmare. Six receptions, one hundred forty-eight yards, one touchdown. The Ravens were putting Higgins in single coverage at times, or switching him onto Marlon Humphrey who was fighting through blocks. Burrow targeted Higgins early and often. He used play-action to freeze the linebackers, then hit Higgins over the middle. It was surgical.
Emily: And Ja’Marr Chase? He had that short touchdown, but he didn’t dominate the stat sheet like Higgins. Why focus on Higgins instead?
Chris: Chase drew the double teams. That’s what good quarterbacks do. They identify the mismatch and exploit it. By doubling Chase, the Ravens left Higgins isolated. And Higgins capitalized. Plus, Drew Sample and Samaje Perine scored. It wasn’t just one receiver; it was multiple threats finding holes in the zone coverage.
Emily: What about the pass rush? Chris Green had one sack, but Boye Mafe had one and a half for Cincinnati. Was the Ravens’ pressure insufficient?
Chris: It was inconsistent. Calais Campbell and Trey Hendrickson returned, but they weren’t disruptive enough. Hendrickson, facing his former team, looked a bit tentative early on. He needs to generate more push from the edge. Without that, Burrow has time to wait for his receivers to get open. The defensive line needs to collapse the pocket, not just chase quarterbacks around.
Emily: And the run defense? Samaje Perine scored on a one-yard run. The Ravens allowed thirty-five points total. Did they stop the run at all?
Chris: Chase Brown only had thirty-nine rushing yards on eleven carries. So technically, they stopped the runner. But Perine’s touchdown came when the defense was out of position, likely due to a blown assignment or a missed tackle. It’s hard to defend the run when you’re constantly chasing passes. The defense was playing from behind, which makes gap integrity difficult to maintain.
Emily: It feels like the defense is guessing now. They don’t know if they’re stopping the pass or the run. Does that hesitation hurt them against a team like Buffalo?
Chris: It’s fatal. Buffalo will test both sides. If the Ravens are guessing, they will get burned. They need to commit to a scheme. Either press coverage and force mistakes, or sit in zone and trust the front seven. Right now, they’re doing neither effectively.
Emily: Let’s shift gears to a deep dive on Derrick Henry. Seventeen carries for forty-five yards. That is below average for him. What happened to the power running game?
Chris: It’s frustrating. Henry is usually a force of nature. Here, he was met with stacked boxes. Cincinnati knew the Ravens wanted to run. With Huntley less of a threat to scramble, defenses can afford to put eight men in the box. Henry found no daylight. He was tackled at the line of scrimmage multiple times.
Emily: Did the offensive line fail to create gaps, or was it just the numbers game?
Chris: Both. The line wasn’t moving defenders vertically. John Simpson and Andrew Vorhees struggled to seal the edges. And even when they did, the linebackers filled quickly. It’s a schematic issue. The Ravens need to use play-action more to pull linebackers out of the box. But Huntley isn’t threatening the deep ball consistently enough to earn that respect.
Emily: So, Henry is being neutralized. How does this impact the rest of the season? Can they fix this against Buffalo?
Chris: They have to. If they can’t establish the run, the offense stalls. Look at the headlines: the Ravens are the NFL’s best team in the first half but the worst in the second half. This inability to sustain drives is killing them. Henry needs to find rhythm. Maybe Rasheen Ali or Justice Hill can provide a spark in the passing game to open things up.
Emily: What about Lamar Jackson’s status? Head coach Jesse Minter is optimistic he can return against Buffalo. Does that change everything?
Chris: It changes everything. Jackson forces defenses to respect the run. You can’t stack the box if he’s scrambling. If he’s healthy, Henry will have room to operate. Huntley is a capable quarterback, but he doesn’t have that dual-threat element. Jackson’s presence alone simplifies the offensive playbook.
Emily: But what if he’s not ready? What if he’s limited?
Chris: Then we’re back to square one. Huntley needs to make smarter decisions. Less hero ball, more quick releases. Trust the read progressions. And the offensive line needs to block better. It’s a combination of factors. But honestly, getting Jackson back is the biggest variable. His absence is felt in every aspect of the game.
Emily: So, there you have it. Huntley’s highs and lows, a defense that couldn’t stop Burrow, and a running game that needs help. The Ravens face the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. It’s a tough test. Chris, any final thoughts?
Chris: Just this: if Lamar Jackson plays, the Ravens have a chance. If he doesn’t, they need Huntley to be mistake-free and the defense to step up. Both are tall orders. But football is about adaptation. Let’s see if they can adapt before Week 9.
Emily: We’ll be here to tell you. Thanks for listening to the Beatline Podcast Network. Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review wherever you get your podcasts. Share this episode with a fellow Raven fan. Go Ravens!