The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly from Arizona vs Baltimore

The Good:

Run Defense: Excluding the damage Lamar Jackson did on the ground, the defense again played the run surprisingly well. Limiting lead Ravens back Mark Ingram to just 47 yards on 13 carries. Worth noting he was hurt after Swearinger did his best to transform into a living spear, but surprising results nonetheless given how worrying this aspect of the defense was in the preseason and last season.

Zane Gonzalez, still perfect: Okay, this is officially the last time I’m including Gonzalez in this. Despite copious, and I mean copious amounts of knocking on wood, I feel like I’m tempting fate here. He continues to be perfect, and man, what a relief it is not to have to cringe when your kicking unit gets called on (one too many times...)

Okay, I’m done.

Christian Kirk bounces back: After a concerning performance in week 1, Kirk bounced back in a big way with 114 yards on 6 receptions. Here’s to hoping this isn’t just a byproduct of a wounded Baltimore secondary, because he’ll be needed.

Big Play Larry: After years as a psuedo-TE in previous regimes, it’s a treat to see Fitzgerald rip off big play after big play. Here’s to hoping the crafty vet can keep it up.

The Bad:

The Offensive Line... again: Having been sacked 8 times already, only two other quarterbacks have been sacked more than Kyler Murray. The Ravens front got the better of the OL, and things were only further compounded with a listless run game.

Playing it safe: I frankly did not expect Kingsbury to play things so safe, and it’s frustrating to say the least. Yes, there was the 4th and 1 conversion at midfield, but again settling for field goal after field goal when you’re on the enemie’s doorstep is just asking for... well, asking for what you got.

The Ugly:

Another tight end, another career day: After allowing T.J. Hockenson to set the record for a tight end in their debut, Mark Andrews had himself a career best 112 receiving yards. Uh, not great guys. Do yourself a favor, and don’t look at the tight ends on the schedule. (Or do, if you’re streaming tight ends in fantasy.)

The Red Zone Offense... or lack thereof: Despite several trips to the red zone, only once was the team able to walk away with a touchdown. I already touched on how playing it too safe was an issue here, but the downs that led to that were obviously problematic, especially after issues in this area last week.