The Baltimore Ravens are on a roll. They have taken sole possession of the top of AFC North with five wins in their last six games since their season opening loss to Cincinnati. In the meantime, the Bengals are reeling and need a big win to get them back on track, setting up an intriguing divisional showdown.
Line: Baltimore Ravens (+2.5) at Cincinnati Bengals (-2.5); total 46.0 – view all NFL lines
Betting on the Baltimore Ravens
An excellent defensive show led the Ravens to a lopsided 29-7 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. The win brought the Ravens to 5-2 SU/ATS this season.
[sc:NFL240banner ]The Ravens’ defense allowed only four first downs and held the Falcons scoreless in the first half. The Ravens pass rush totalled five sacks throughout the contest. Linebackers Elvis Dumervil and Pernell McPhee led the team with two sacks each. Meanwhile, LB Terrell Suggs sacked Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan for a safety. Should the Ravens’ defense carry on with their momentum, they’ll be able to challenge a Cincinnati offensive line which allowed four sacks on Sunday after allowing only two in their previous five games.
On the other side of the ball, QB Joe Flacco went 16-for-25 for 258 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Wide receiver Torrey Smith was at his best as he caught three passes for 81 yards and a score. An on-point Flacco and Smith should be able to exploit the Bengals pass defense which was burned for 904 yards and six touchdowns in the past three weeks.
On the ground, the Ravens should be well-prepared for the Bengals’ rush defense which has allowed 4.7 yards per carry in their three-game winless streak. Running back Justin Forsett will spearhead the rushing attack after racking up 206 yards on 37 carries over the past two games. Meanwhile, Bernard Pierce has been a valuable commodity in the red zone with two touchdowns from less than five yards in the past two games.
Still, the Bengals are Baltimore’s biggest test in AFC North. They are 1-3 SU/ATS in their last four games against Cincinnati.
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Betting on the Cincinnati Bengals
It was a bad day all around for the Bengals offense against the Indianapolis Colts. Quarterback Andy Dalton completed 18 of 38 passes for 126 yards, while running backs Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill combined for 2.7 yards per rush as the Bengals’ fifth-ranked offense in terms of total yards managed 135 in a shutout loss to the Colts. The loss was their latest result in a three-game winless streak.
Nevertheless, the Bengals are 4-1 in their last five home games against the Ravens. The Bengals are already one up on their AFC North rivals after taking their season opener 23-16 at Baltimore on September 7.
Dalton went 25-for-38 for 301 yards and a touchdown in the season opener. Meanwhile, leading receiver A.J. Green may return to action against Baltimore after missing the past two weeks due to a toe injury. Green had six receptions for 131 yards and a score in the first matchup against the Ravens.
On the other side of the ball, the Bengals are one of only two teams to record sacks on Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (the other was Indianapolis). Cincinnati finished with three sacks in the first game against the Ravens, led by defensive end Wallace Gilberry with 1.5.
However, the Bengals will need an extra kick from their pass rush to get past Baltimore’s stout offensive line. They have three sacks in their past three games and 10 overall (tied for 21st in the league).
Writer’s Prediction
The Ravens won’t be slowing down any time soon. Take Baltimore to win and cover +2.5 on the road.
