Bengals shouldn't have much issue putting pressure on Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco

Much has been said this offseason about the demise of the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens while the Cincinnati Bengals have enjoyed nothing but positive press as the team on the rise in the AFC North.

The downfall of the Ravens has been extremely over-exaggerated.

Baltimore lost Ed Reed and Ray Lewis. That's a valid thing to point out when analyzing the offseason for Baltimore. The problem is, Lewis was a liability on the field, and one opposing teams were quick to expose in the passing game.

The same goes for Reed, now a member of the Houston Texans. Reed was good for a big play every now and then but would oft times show his age in coverage and fragility in run support.

There's something to be said for the leadership qualities Reed and Lewis brought to the table, but many are acting as if great leaders such as Haloti Ngata and Ray Rice are gone as well.

Despite what many may lead you to believe, the Ravens had a great offseason. Reed has been replaced by Michael Huff and a first-round rookie in the form of Matt Elam. Expect the same quality of play from the safety position as last season, if not better.

The heart of the defense was neutered with the loss of Lewis and Dannelle Ellerbe, but a promising rookie in Arthur Brown will man the middle with a more athletic presence.

Much has also been said about the loss of outside linebacker Paul Kruger to the rival Cleveland Browns, but he played his best only when Terrelle Suggs was on the field. For whatever reason, the acquisition of one of the NFL's best pass-rushers in Elvis Dumervil has been getting swept under the rug as well.

Did we mention Lardarius Webb is set to return from injury? Webb gave Darrelle Revis a serious run for his money as the best corner in the league before going down with a season-ending injury last year.

If you couldn't tell, defense is why the Ravens won't skip a beat in 2013.

All of this equates to serious issues for the Bengals in the two matchups against Baltimore.

For one, the young Bengals have yet to prove they can get it done consistently in high-pressure games. Every game against Baltimore means something.

Two, the offense could struggle against the Baltimore defense, even if it doesn't have familiar faces. There won't be a slower middle linebacker to exploit anymore. No cornerback to exploit for Andy Dalton when he tosses it up to A.J. Green. Instead, Green will have to battle an elite corner in Webb.

Defensively the Bengals shouldn't have much issue putting pressure on Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco. Running back Ray Rice is another story as he has always given Cincinnati issues. There are holes at both cornerback and strong safety the Bengals have to answer before going against Baltimore or Flacco could pick the defense apart. Can rookie Shawn Williams have an impact at safety? Can Dre Kirkpatrick stay healthy and perform under the pressure of being thrown at constantly in what essentially amounts to his rookie season?

These questions and more will dictate whether or not the Bengals can win against the Ravens in 2013.

It's unlikely the Bengals are taking the Ravens lightly, but it's worth detailing why fans and media should not. The media can tell plenty of stories as ridiculous as Tim Tebow being a starting quarterback.

Cincinnati may be the talk of the town in the AFC North after back-to-back playoff appearances and multiple exceptional drafts, but it's Baltimore that went out and won a Super Bowl.

The Bengals still have plenty to learn from the Ravens.

-- This article from: sports.yahoo.com

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