Griffin convinced Glenn to revive the segment last season after a hiatus from the program for a few years, and it’s relatively simple how it works: on Tuesdays following Sunday’s game, we will sit down and map out the Five Plays That Told The Story Of Sunday’s Game.
It’s as simple as it sounds, if the Ravens lose, we’ll pick the five plays that we perceived embodied the loss, not all necessarily scoring plays, sometimes no scoring plays. And of course on the inverse, when the Ravens win, the five plays that most embodied the win.
The Ravens fall right back down to .500 at 6-6 following a highly disappointing effort against the Bengals at home on Thanksgiving night. No reason to belabor the point any further, here are the Five Plays That Told The Story of the game according Glenn Clark and Griffin Bass:
Glenn’s Five Plays That Told The Story of Sunday’s Game:
5. 7:22 – 3rd (3rd & 9 at BAL 14) (Shotgun) J. Burrow pass short right to T. Hudson for 14 yards, TOUCHDOWN. E. McPherson extra point is GOOD, Center-W. Wagner, Holder-R. Rehkow.
For everything going against the Ravens, they had still held the Bengals to field goals only at this point. If they did again, it would have remained a one score game. Alas, Hudson made a phenomenal play and “bend but don’t break” proved to be fully broken.
4. 0:36 – 2nd (1st & 10 at BAL 20) (Shotgun) L. Jackson sacked at BLT 13 for -7 yards. FUMBLES, touched at BLT 15, RECOVERED by CIN-C. Johnson at BLT 19.
It was a 9-7 game and the Ravens had plenty of time to get some points and, despite everything, take the lead to the half.
3. 1:46 – 2nd (3rd & 10 at CIN 36) (Shotgun) L. Jackson sacked at CIN 45 for -9 yards (J. Ossai).
This was after the controversial OPI that wiped a would-be Zay Flowers TD off the board. They were still within field goal range to take the lead and obviously could have converted and got the touchdown back. They didn’t. Of course.
2. 3:36 – 1st (3rd & 9 at BAL 15) (Shotgun) L. Jackson sacked at BLT 6 for -9 yards (J. Ossai). FUMBLES (J. Ossai) [J. Ossai], RECOVERED by CIN-C. Johnson at BLT 6. C. Johnson to BLT 2 for 4 yards (L. Jackson).
The reality is that the Bengals failed on 4 plays after the fumble. But the Ravens never really got out of the field position hole and this truly set the tone for what was going to come.
1. 8:32 – 2nd (2nd & 9 at CIN 44) (Shotgun) L. Jackson pass short middle to I. Likely for 44 yards, TOUCHDOWN. The Replay Official reviewed the runner broke the plane ruling, and the play was REVERSED. (Shotgun) L. Jackson pass short middle to I. Likely to CIN 1 for 43 yards (J. Battle). FUMBLES (J. Battle), ball out of bounds in End Zone, Touchback.
This would have made it 14-6 and put the Bengals behind the 8 ball. Would have.
Still the dumbest rule in sports no matter how many weirdos yell about it.
Griffin’s Five Plays That Told The Story of Sunday’s Game:
5. Sack Opp Fumble Recovery. 3:36 – 1st. (Shotgun) L.Jackson sacked at BLT 6 for -9 yards (J.Ossai). FUMBLES (J.Ossai) [J.Ossai], RECOVERED by CIN-C.Johnson at BLT 6. C.Johnson to BLT 2 for 4 yards (L.Jackson). 3rd & 9 at BAL 15.
It was a third down, and we’re under the shadow of our goal post. Everything about this was terrible, it’s Emery Jones’ first series and they drop back deep as Faalele and Rosengartern get DESTROYED. A horrible spot for this to happen, technically didn’t lead to points but it really did because they never got the field position back.
4. Sack Opp Fumble Recovery. 0:36 – 2nd. (Shotgun) L.Jackson sacked at BLT 13 for -7 yards. FUMBLES, touched at BLT 15, RECOVERED by CIN-C.Johnson at BLT 19. 1st & 10 at BAL 20.
Lamar, what were you doing, man?
3. Sack. 1:46 – 2nd. (Shotgun) L.Jackson sacked at CIN 45 for -9 yards (J.Ossai).. 3rd & 10 at CIN 36
Two plays after the nullified Zay Flowers TD on the phantom OPI. But you still had a chance to get points, do anything but lose 10 yards on a sack and take a 10-9 lead via a FG. That’s not what happened, instead they missed all kinds of blocking assignments, Ossai came free off the edge and they’re knocked out of FG range.
2. Interception. 13:04 – 4th. (Shotgun) L.Jackson pass short middle intended for M.Andrews INTERCEPTED by D.Knight (M.Murphy) at CIN 8. D.Knight to CIN 47 for 39 yards (E.Jones). 3rd & 9 at CIN 15
This was so killer because this was going to be a touchdown, Andrews was wide open… But Likely is pass blocking and gets backed into Lamar, pass is tipped. Another seven points off the board, and it’s three for Cincy the other way.
1. 8:32 – 2nd (2nd & 9 at CIN 44) (Shotgun) L. Jackson pass short middle to I. Likely for 44 yards, TOUCHDOWN. The Replay Official reviewed the runner broke the plane ruling, and the play was REVERSED. (Shotgun) L. Jackson pass short middle to I. Likely to CIN 1 for 43 yards (J. Battle). FUMBLES (J. Battle), ball out of bounds in End Zone, Touchback.
Too big of a swing not to be #1. Should’ve been 14-6… instead it’s 9-7 Bengals now.
You can listen as the boys break it down here:
Due to the holiday, the guys didn’t get together to discuss their Slaps to the Helmet but we did still write about them digitally if you want to see which Ravens individually received the most wrath from Glenn & Griffin. Monday on GCR we also recapped the weekend in the GCR Picks Contest, you can listen to that segment below as we discuss all the moving parts in the College Football Coaching carousel amid Lane Kiffin’s departure from Ole Miss:
And here is the updated standings in the GCR Picks Contest:
Photo Credit: Kenya Allen/PressBox
