In Week 5, the Baltimore Ravens defeated the rivals the Cincinnati Bengals 41-38 in an overtime thriller on the road, but the tone afterward was anything but celebratory.

The Ravens defense, which has received plenty of deserved criticism throughout the season, couldn’t stop a nosebleed for about 55 minutes of play. Joe Burrow completed 30 of 39 passes for 392 yards and five touchdowns , while Ja’Marr Chase (10 receptions for 193 yards and two touchdowns) and Tee Higgins (nine receptions for 83 yards and two touchdowns) also had a blast.

Without a game-clinching interception from Marlon Humphrey, the Ravens would likely lose this game and miss out on a strong offensive performance. As such, the defense believes it has something to prove in Thursday’s rematch at home.

“We felt like we should have lost; I think that’s what we talked about today.” Humphrey said Monday. “We won the game, but we didn’t play well, especially the secondary alone. Like I said, there were a lot of contested catches, but (we allowed) big plays – too many big ones games – so we’re hoping to try to limit passing attacks and go for it. That’s the biggest thing we were looking for.

“I think it’s been a really good response in our room… Like Kyle Van Noy said, ‘He didn’t finish last for nothing,’ so with that (passing game rankings) being of 32, it’s not something we like. It’s not something we want to do, and it’s always a tough challenge, but I think we have the guys for the job, and we will. keep working on it – keep working on it until game time – and then turn it loose on Thursday night.

Baltimore’s defense has struggled throughout the season, currently ranking last in pass defense (280.9 yards per game) and 23rd in scoring defense (24.3 points per game ). However, Sunday’s win over the Denver Broncos was a notable step forward, as the Ravens allowed just 10 points, clamped down on the red zone and avoided the self-inflicted wounds that had doomed them previously.

There’s still a long way to go, but Humphrey and co. I think it’s a performance they can rely onespecially with a scary offense coming to town.

“I thought we played well,” Humphrey said. “I wanted to keep them under 200 (passing yards). I know in the end I think they figured it out, but we just have to keep looking for the details. It’s bad when you’re being coached … If you don’t have it down to the T, that’s what hurts us a little bit. So in our room we realized that as players we have to do it exactly the way we are. trained, exactly the way we do it. We can’t practice all week this way – practice this way – and then come into the game, and that’s not exactly the way you come to practice C. So that’s the most important thing.

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