Cincinnati Bengals: 3 Takeaways vs. Ravens in Week 1
3. Poor play in the red zone
Though the Baltimore Ravens were just 1-of-3 from the red zone, the Bengals were even worse at 0-for-3 and turning over the ball with interceptions a couple times. The first trip to the red zone for Cincinnati was in the second quarter, starting at the 12-yard line. On a third-and-7 play from the Baltimore 9-yard line, C.J. Mosley intercepted an Andy Dalton pass in the end zone.
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In the third quarter, the Bengals received the ball on the Baltimore 26-yard line after a defensive interception. It took the Bengals three plays to get inside the 20-yard line, where they eventually saw Dalton be sacked and fumble, which the Ravens recovered on their own 12-yard line.
By the time the Bengals were in the red zone for a third time, they were trailing by double digits, needing to get a touchdown. That didn’t happen with Cincinnati going in shotgun all four chances from the 18-yard line, with the sequence going incomplete, sack, six-yard pass and an incompletion as Dalton had to throw the ball away.
The Bengals finished the day with two rushes in the red zone, Dalton being sacked twice and the quarterback also going 1-for-3 for six yards.
Having six yards passing and three yards rushing (excluding yards lost on the two sacks), the Bengals were doomed with their red zone play, and it showed in the final score. The Cincinnati offense didn’t look like a team that was completely comfortable with their overall plays and the play-calling in general.