Before Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither suffered a season-ending foot injury, he spoke about how he always looked forward to facing the Baltimore Ravens.
For Davis-Gaither, the Bengals 2020 fourth round pick, the Ravens games weren’t just an opportunity for a division win. Davis-Gaither was the first linebacker off the bench for the Bengals, and the Ravens games have typically been the only ones all season where Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo uses three linebackers in the starting lineup.
Since 2020, Davis-Gaither played his most snaps against the Ravens because of that unique three-linebacker game plan. In Week 7, Anarumo’s Ravens-specific scheme led to a 41-17 win for the Bengals.