Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens came away with a stunning 35-34 win against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 10.
It was a crushing loss for the Bengals, who are now 4-6 on the season and in danger of missing the playoffs.
Joe Burrow and the Bengals were aggressive from the jump but ultimately a failed two-point attempt from them, gifting the win to the Ravens.
On the failed two-point attempt, officials missed two calls that would have gone in favor of the Bengals. Firstly, they didn’t flag a defensive holding on Mike Gesicki and also didn’t throw a flag after Burrow took another big hit.
Fans Call Out Refs for Costing Joe Burrow’s Bengals
This Week 10 matchup between the Bengals and the Ravens was arguably the game of the season. It ultimately got decided by a double missed call by the refs, and the fans were fuming on social media.
Here’s how fans reacted to the missed calls:
Astonishingly bad.
— JD Sharp (@imjdsharp) November 8, 2024
“You would think the ravens were Mahomes with this treatment tbh,” said one fan.
“Absolute worst referees in all sports,” added another fan.
We can expedite complete passes but we can’t expedite a blatant face mask? Two weeks in a row. It’s disgusting that @NFL referees can be so bad at their job with no repercussions! https://t.co/k0mGC2vZjQ
— Aaron Biddle (@CoachBidds5) November 8, 2024
“How did they miss two calls on the same play that happened at different points of the play? Officials, umpires, refs, etc. remain the worst,” wrote one fan.
“100%. But the league doesn’t care. Controversy draws attention and that’s all they want. They know people will keep watching regardless,” added another fan.
Just so brutal. Every week the zebras are the stars of the game. https://t.co/VeHUcmBMoD
— kyla (@kylaer_) November 8, 2024
“An obvious missed defensive holding and forceable contact to the head of the QB on the 2 point conversion. NFL refs are just… bad,” wrote sports personality Trey Wingo.
As is the case for every big game, this one also got decided with the help of mistakes from the officials. The missed calls might cost the Bengals a playoff spot, and their fans’ anger is justified.
Hopefully, this missed call will help people understand that it’s just not the Kansas City Chiefs that get calls in their favor from the refs.
The Ravens improved to 7-4 after the win, and Jackson continues to strengthen his case for winning back-to-back MVPs.
Jackson finished the game completing 25 of his 33 throws for 290 yards and four touchdowns with a passer rating of 141.4.
The Ravens’ next game is against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and a win there would go a long way in helping either team in their aspirations of winning the AFC North.
Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase Had Legendary Performance Against the Ravens
The Bengals played very well in this game, and it’s unfortunate that they couldn’t convert the game-winning two-point attempt.
Ja’Marr Chase had a historic night, finishing with 11 receptions for 264 yards and three touchdowns on 17 targets, averaging 24.0 yards per reception.
Burrow threw the ball 56 times with a completion percentage of 60.7% — good for 428 yards and four touchdowns.
Former Raiders head coach Jon Gruden predicted that Burrow and the Bengals would exploit the Ravens’ secondary, and they did the same thing.
However, the Bengals’ defense once again got exposed. Had their defense been a little bit better, Burrow could have been the favorite to win the MVP this year.
Cincinnati’s next game is against the Los Angeles Chargers. Due to the loss to the Ravens, the Bengals now have to win all of their remaining games to have a shot at making the playoffs.