Both the 5-4 Cincinnati Bengals and the 4-5 Baltimore Ravens are floundering of late, allowing the Pittsburgh Steelers to remain alone on top of the AFC North through 10 weeks of the season. The winner of this Sunday’s meeting in Baltimore, however, will be in a lot better position to challenge the Steelers atop the division, though, while strengthening their chances of making the playoffs. The Bengals and the Ravens are +400 and +800 to win the AFC North, respectively.
The Bengals probably needed a trip to the nearest trauma center after they got abused on both ends of the field by the New Orleans Saints in Week 10’s 51-14 loss at home. New Orleans can score like that against any team, which gives the Bengals some sort of a pass defensively, but to put up just 14 points against just the 23rd-ranked scoring defense in the league was something more unacceptable. Green, who is reportedly out until next month due to a toe injury, had three touchdowns in Week 2’s 34-23 home win over the Ravens, but he’s obviously not going to be on the field this coming Sunday, so it’s up mostly to the tandem of Tyler Boyd and John Ross to deliver downfield for Cincy. Dalton and Boyd weren’t too shabby in the first meeting with the Ravens with the former passing for 265 yards and four touchdowns, while the latter pulling down six catches for 91 yards and touchdown.
The Bengals are 8-2 SU and 7-3 ATS in their last 10 meetings with Baltimore. They are also 5-5 ATS in their last 10 on the road.
Betting on the Baltimore Ravens (4-5)
Perhaps the biggest talking point about the Ravens this week is the status of Joe Flacco. The quarterback is reportedly dealing with a hip injury that may cause him to miss at least this weekend’s date with Cincinnati, and if he gets eventually ruled out for that game, it’ll be a choice between rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson and veteran Robert Griffin III for Baltimore to start under center. The Ravens are on a three-game losing skid, a stretch that includes a 23-16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers at home in Week 9, before Baltimore had its Week 10 bye. The Ravens’ offense bogged down in that game, with Flacco passing for only 204 yards with zero touchdowns and the backfield coughing up just 61 rushing yards and touchdown care of running back Alex Collins. Regardless of who gets to start as quarterback for Baltimore, the Ravens are expecting to take advantage of Cincinnati’s seemingly rotten defense of late. The Bengals have allowed 43.3 points and 545.3 total yards over their last three games – both worst in the NFL during that span.
The under is 3-0 in the Ravens’ last three home games.
