The playoff clash between the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens was every bit as nasty as expected on Sunday night during Cincinnati’s 24-17 win.
Bengals players didn’t have anything nice to say about Ravens cornerback Marcus Peters after the game, for starters. That after going into the game having accused the Ravens of cheap actions during the Week 18 meeting.
And some Ravens players had some select quotes too, such as running back J.K. Dobbins commenting on his usage by coaches and suggesting that the Ravens would’ve won if starting quarterback Lamar Jackson had been on the field.
The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec captured Dobbins’ comments after he ran 13 times for 62 yards (4.8 yards per carry):
J.K. Dobbins said he’s tired of not getting the ball, tired of being held back. Said Huntley should have never been in that position on sneak. And then he added, “If we would’ve had Lamar, we would’ve won, too.”
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) January 16, 2023
ESPN’s Jamison Hensley also captured Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith saying the Ravens were the better team:
Roquan Smith said he felt Ravens had the better team “for sure” but the best team doesn’t always win pic.twitter.com/ygDAmmlSm0
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) January 16, 2023
It’s all semantics in the aftermath of a game, of course. All teams deal with major injuries this time of year and Jackson’s presence would have changed everything from game-planning a week out to on-field execution for both teams.
Either way, it’s just another notch in the rivalry timeline and something that all parties will keep in mind next year.
