The Cincinnati Bengals have reached their Week 6 bye, which is maybe earlier than they would like, especially with a trip to Madrid in the middle of the season. But it gives them the chance to recover and prepare for their next game, and they'll certainly need to be ready.
Cincy faces off against division rival Baltimore Ravens a week on Sunday, hoping to close the gap at the top of the AFC North. It means keeping Lamar Jackson quiet, as he will be expected to play despite missing Week 5 with a sprained ankle. As of Wednesday, ESPN's Jamison Hensley reported Jackson has a realistic chance to play at Cleveland in Week 6.
The Bengals come off a 31-24 win over Miami, in which the defense was able to make life very difficult for quarterback Malik Willis. The Dolphins QB threw two interceptions, both to Jordan Battle, as well as losing a fumble and getting sacked three times.
However, one aspect of Willis' game that the Bengals didn't account for much was his legs. Willis has always been a mobile QB since he came out of college, and because he can't always rely on his read, he will escape the pocket and use his legs to get out of trouble and downfield.
This is exactly what he was able to do in Week 5, scrambling for 74 yards on eight carries, which is an average of 9.2 yards per carry...and he also scored a touchdown.
The Bengals can't make the same mistake against Jackson
With a game against the Ravens coming up, the Bengals need to take note of what Willis was able to do with his legs against this defense, as they'll be facing, arguably, the best scrambling quarterback in NFL history.
Already this season, Lamar Jackson has 144 yards and a touchdown rushing, including a 50-yard game against the Dallas Cowboys. His record against the Bengals also speaks for itself; He has 139 carries for 837 yards and two touchdowns in his career against Cincy.
That works out to almost 60 yards per game and an average of six yards per carry. The Bengals need to address this ahead of next weekend because if Malik Willis can go for 74 yards, Lamar could go upwards of 100.
Al Golden needs to specifically scheme his defense to counter Lamar's rushing ability. He needs to either place a spy on Jackson for the majority of the Ravens' passing plays, or he needs to ensure that his defensive line doesn't let Lamar escape the pocket by putting him under constant pressure from both sides. If they don't, Jackson could have a field day.
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