The Baltimore Ravens will enter Week 17 with total control of their own playoff destiny. But the Cincinnati Bengals would love nothing more than hurting the Ravens’ chances of making it to the postseason. Will the Ravens clinch a playoff spot with a win? Or will the Bengals complicate things with a victory? Check out our preview of this game below.
The Ravens are peaking at just the right time. And now, they are just a win over the Bengals away from making it to the playoffs. The Ravens are coming off a 27-13 home win over the New York Giants in Week 16, Baltimore’s fourth victory in a row. Baltimore’s rushing attack is looking unstoppable right now, as the team has racked up at least 200 rushing yards in each of its last four games. Expect that dominance on the ground to continue in the last week of the regular season, with just the Bengals’ defense in front of the Ravens. Cincinnati is 25th in the NFL against the run with 131.1 rushing yards allowed per game. In Week 5’s home win over the Bengals, the Ravens had 161 rushing yards on 24 carries.
The Ravens, who are No. 1 in the league with 177.8 rushing yards per game, are 2-0 against the spread in their past two meetings with Cincinnati.
The Bengals are having a nice finish to an otherwise forgettable 2020 NFL season for the franchise. The Bengals have won their last two games. After scoring an upset 27-17 home win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 15, the Bengals took down the Houston Texans on the road last Sunday, 37-31. The offense is suddenly clicking for the Bengals, who got 371 passing yards and two touchdowns with zero interceptions on 29-of-37 completions from Brandon Allen in the Houston game. The Bengals’ own ground attack went off for 169 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 33 carries. Like Baltimore, the Bengals’ rushing attack has been on a roll of late, having rushed for at least 152 yards in their last two games. Allen hasn’t been too shabby under center, as well, as he has thrown for three touchdowns against zero interceptions in his last two appearances.
The Bengals are 7-2-1 against the spread in their last 10 games at home.
