The Ravens find themselves in another divisional matchup after falling short in Cleveland last week.
This Sunday, they’ll host the Bengals in an AFC North clash as Cincy looks to score a win after a bye week.
This will mark the fourth road game for the Bengals in six games.
So far, they’ve been really good in that spot with wins over the Texans and Dolphins and a close loss to the Steelers.
The spread for this game is narrow, with the Ravens listed as 1.5-point favorites.
Bengals vs. Ravens prediction
* Editor’s note: This article was written prior to Saturday’s update confirming Lamar Jackson has been ruled out and sidelined for Sunday’s contest *
Lamar Jackson’s injury was looming over this game in a big way and midday Saturday he was ruled out.
Jackson was limited at practice this week with an ankle injury, and it’s clear the Ravens were trying to confuse everyone about whether he’s actually still ramping up.
In his stead, Tyler Huntley has been able to keep the ship afloat, but his limitations as a passer are pretty clear when compared to Jackson.
The Bengals have an advantage with their pass defense because they generate enough rush without having to blitz the quarterback. They rank 31st in blitz percentage but fourth in pressure percentage and are tied for the fourth-most sacks in the league.
Where the Bengals need to be better in defending the run game. They allow 5.0 yards per carry, second-most in the NFL, and give up 123 yards per game, which ranks 24th.
That’s a dangerous place to be as a defense with Derrick Henry, who leads the league in rush attempts and is fourth in rushing yards, ready to run through any defense.
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The Bengals’ run defense is prone to giving up big plays, so they’ll need to force Huntley to beat them by being aggressive against the run.
On the other side, Joe Burrow will try to test the Ravens’ pass defense that likes to blitz and can get to the quarterback. But he’ll need to do a lot of heavy lifting with a subpar running game.
Burrow hasn’t been as effective against the blitz this season compared to a normal rush, so it may be a taller task than expected for him.
Even without Jackson, the Ravens have been competitive, and with a clear advantage in the running game, I’ll bet on them to win outright at home.
The Pick: Ravens moneyline (-115, DraftKings)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Malik Smith has been immersed in the sports betting industry since 2017. He’s a data nerd with a particular focus on the NBA and combat sports. He spends his weeknights in the winter looking for edges on plus-money NBA player props.
