Lewis will focus on fixing Bengals, not on Ravens QB
Ravens coach JohnHarbaugh is trying to be coy about which quarterback, veteran Joe Flacco (hip injury) or rookie Lamar Jackson, will be his starter Sunday, but Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis probably doesn’t care.
He has he is own problems to be worried about.
The Bengals have owned Flacco, and even if Jackson, a first-round pick out of Louisville, starts, it’s not like the Ravens will have a total overhaul of their offense.
Theywouldprobably put in more short passing plays off bootlegs, waggles and sprint-outs and use run-pass-option plays for Jackson. The basic concepts, though, won’t change. It’s easier for one player to adjust than trying to make wholesale changes for 10.
As for the Bengals, the basic way they play the Ravens won’t change regardless of who starts. They’ll concentrate more in keeping Jackson inside the pocket if he plays, but they usually play a lot of Cover 2 against Flacco, denying him the long ball. They force him to be accurate and patient to conduct long touchdown drives.
This will work, too, against Jackson, who isn’t nearly as accurate as Flacco. A lot of the Bengals’ problems are self- inflicted, whichis whyLewiswillconcentrate more on his team than on the Ravens.
It appears that the secondary lacks communication, and in the past four games, Cincinnati has gone 1-3, allowing 2,117 yards and158 points. They were so embarrassed in a 51-14 loss to the NewOrleans Saints that Lewis fired defensive coordinator Teryl Austin.
Actually, I never understood why Lewis hired Austin to start this season. His defenses weren’t that impressive during his three years as the coordinator with the Detroit Lions, and I didn’t get the impression he was a great leader whenhewassecondarycoachwiththe Ravens from 2011 through 2013.
Lewis is now calling the defenses for the Bengals, and I am interested to see how he directs them. He also hired former Cleveland Browns coach Hue Jackson, as his special assistant Tuesday.
Lewis also has that Blitzburg blood in him from his days as an assistant in Pittsburgh. He brought that style with him to Baltimore, and it’s still the basic approach the Ravens use today. Lewis knows the psyche and weaknesses of Flacco and probably spent more time with Lamar Jackson before the draft than any other NFL head coach.
That’s why he isn’t concerned with either quarterback. His focus is on fixing the Bengals, who are No. 32 and ranked last in yards (454.6 per game) and passing yards (313.3) and next to last in points (32 per game) and rushing yards (141.2).