The Cincinnati Bengals would have trouble finding the end zone in Week 5 versus the Baltimore Ravens, but they would avoid a shutout by kicking a field goal with under a minute remaining. Following Cincinnati's choice to kick the field goal, Don “Wink” Martindale—the defensive coordinator for the Ravens—is upset about the Bengals' decision.
For 59 minutes and 23 seconds of the game, Baltimore held Cincinnati scoreless in the contest. However, with 37 seconds remaining in the game, Zac Taylor would choose to deploy the field-goal unit on the gridiron to avoid the dreaded shutout.
While Taylor was sending out the kicker to try the field goal, Martindale said, via ESPN's Jamison Hensley, he was yelling toward the second-year head coach.
“He knew what it was because it was awful quiet when I yelled it across the field. There are some people that take that as a victory. We'll see. We'll have plenty to talk about the next time we play them.”
It was discovered after the game that there has only been five instances since the 1970 merger that teams have kicked a field goal in the final minute to avoid a shutout. Furthermore, there have been two teams in the past 50 years to attempt a field goal while being down 20 points in the final minute to prevent a shutout.
Regardless of allowing a mere three points, the Ravens dominated the entire game and kept Joe Burrow under duress all day. Nevertheless, Martindale is still heated that his defense wasn't able to log a shutout against Baltimore's AFC North rivals.
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