The Ravens (4-2) will face the Cincinnati Bengals (3-2) on Sunday at 1 p.m. at M&T Bank Stadium. Here are game predictions from The Banner’s sports staff and a guest picker.
The Bengals were 1.5-point favorites as of Friday, according to DraftKings.
Trust issues
Kyle Goon, columnist (3-3): I already have as many incorrect game picks as I had all last year, which (to me) says something about the fluctuations of this Ravens team. The rushing attack, the offensive line, the secondary and the pass rush have all wavered week by week, and Lamar Jackson’s injury obviously casts a shadow over the Ravens’ prospects for the season. Six games in, we really just don’t know who this team is.
Without certainty under center, I’m leaning toward another loss. I think Jackson feels pressure to return after the team lost a winnable AFC North game, but even if he’s back, I’d expect rust. Add to that a retooled offensive line, with Cam Jurgens trying to settle in with a new group, and a defensive front that loses a valuable contributor in Tavius Robinson, and Baltimore has big questions at key spots. The Bengals aren’t perfect, but their offense is well oiled with Joe Burrowt and, if it is a shootout, I’m worried about the Ravens’ chances.
Bengals 31, Ravens 24
Trey brings fire and brimstone
Giana Han, reporter (3-3): It was always going to be hard to predict this outcome because it’s an AFC North game (see: last week). But not knowing whether Lamar Jackson will play makes it even harder. My biggest question is if coordinator Declan Doyle will spark the offense again, regardless of the quarterback. The Bengals’ run defense is a good place to start rolling with Cam Jurgens at center. Cincinnati allows 5 yards per carry, and if Derrick Henry gets going, it doesn’t matter how well Tyler Huntley passes the ball.
The Bengals present a dangerous matchup for this Ravens defense. Joe Burrow is the best quarterback it has faced by a long shot, and his wide receivers have given this secondary trouble through the years. The secondary has been leaky this year, but perhaps outside linebacker Trey Hendrickson (a former Bengal) will be mad enough to get after Burrow and keep him from finding his deep targets. I’m guessing the Ravens don’t lose twice in a row, but I’m also guessing it will be another imperfect performance.
Ravens 30, Bengals 27
High-ankle sprain, low confidence
Jonas Shaffer, reporter (4-2): High-ankle sprains are no joke. Most NFL players dealing with the injury need at least a month to feel like themselves again. And few players are as important as Lamar Jackson, who is less than three weeks removed from a sprain he called “very, very, very, very, very painful.”
Even if Jackson plays Sunday, is it fair to expect him to look significantly better than a healthy Tyler Huntley? This Bengals defense isn’t as talented as the Browns defense the Ravens struggled with last week, but it’s no pushover. And this Bengals offense is far more impressive than Cleveland’s. The Ravens will need a resurgent running game, a needle-moving home crowd and contributions from their replacements for Tavius Robinson and Jaylinn Hawkins on defense to avoid an 0-2 start in AFC North play.
Bengals 24, Ravens 17
A suboptimal matchup
Childs Walker, contributor (2-4): The Ravens are well equipped to attack a Cincinnati defense that struggles to defend perimeter runs. Look for a few productive carries from Zay Flowers, in addition to the usual work from Derrick Henry. A healthy Lamar Jackson would make that attack exponentially more potent, not just with his own running ability but with the attention he commands, the play-action threat he presents. Instead, the Ravens will either depend on a still-recovering Jackson or Tyler Huntley. They’ll do so behind an offensive line that remains in flux, with Cam Jurgens stepping in at center and left tackle Ronnie Stanley also hurting. It’s a suboptimal recipe for a vital AFC North matchup.
Even if Jesse Minter cooks up a decent plan to disrupt Joe Burrow and his corners don’t get torched by Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins — an iffy proposition given the Ravens’ track record against No. 1 receivers — it’s hard to imagine the Bengals not improving on their pitiful offensive performance in Cincinnati last December. The Ravens will need to approach 30 points to outscore them, and that feels like a difficult ask given Jackson’s uncertain status and all the troubles we saw during a tepid performance against the Browns.
Bengals 27, Ravens 20
Pound the rock
Brandon Weigel, editor (3-3): No trio has tormented the Ravens like Cincinnati’s group of quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Head coach Jesse Minter didn’t have answers for them when he last faced the Bengals in 2024 as defensive coordinator for the Chargers. Burrow threw for 356 yards and three touchdowns, with Chase hauling in two and Higgins getting the other.
The good news for the Ravens is the Bengals have trouble with the ground game — they can’t run it on offense (414 yards, 3.6 yards per carry) and can’t stop it with their rebuilt defense (5 yards per carry, an NFL-worst seven runs of 20-plus yards allowed).
With Pro Bowl center Cam Jurgens set to make his Baltimore debut, Declan Doyle and the offense should do everything in their power to establish a dominant rushing attack, which was lacking against Cleveland. That has the added benefit of keeping the ball out of the hands of Burrow, Chase and Higgins.
Ravens 24, Bengals 21
Guest pick
Ben Baby, ESPN: A lot of this outcome will hinge on Lamar Jackson, who is playing as well as any quarterback in the NFL. But over the years Tyler “Snoop” Huntley has shown the ability to push better Bengals teams to the brink (see: wild-card weekend 2022). With the expectation that Jackson plays against Cincinnati, the Ravens feel like the right pick. Not only have they done well recently (six wins in the last eight regular-season contests), but Baltimore demolished the Bengals in Cincinnati in the last meeting.
Between a Bengals offense still trying to find its footing and a defense that gives up far too many big runs, this feels like the type of game that Baltimore should win and extend its dominance in this AFC North matchup.
Ravens 27, Bengals 20
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