The Baltimore Ravens (8-6) travel to Cincinnati to play the Bengals (8-6) in a showdown with implications for the AFC North title. The Bengals won the first meeting in Baltimore in a shocking 41-17 rout. Since that game, the Ravens have gone 4-4 – and have lost their last three games in a row (by a combined four points). Struggles in the running game have placed a lot of pressure on quarterback Lamar Jackson, who went down to injury in favor of Tyler Huntley. Jackson remains day-to-day going into Sunday’s matchup, although Huntley played well in the team’s 31-30 loss to Green Bay, throwing for 215 yards and accounting for four touchdowns, two through the air and two on the ground. The Bengals had dropped two in a row but edged out a tough 15-10 win in Denver last Sunday.
Read our thoughts before you lock in your NFL betting choice for this game.
NFL Preview: Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals (Sunday, December 26)
When: Sunday, December 26, 2021, 1:00 pm ET
Where: Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, OH
TV: CBS
Radio: WBAL 1090 AM Baltimore / WLW 700 AM Cincinnati
Live Stream: Hulu
NFL Odds: Cincinnati -3 / O/U 45 // Cincinnati -160 / Baltimore +140
Why should you bet on the Ravens?
Lamar Jackson did not practice Wednesday, but coach John Harbaugh said that he remains hopeful Jackson will be able to start. One wonders how well he will do, given his recent propensity for turnovers. He had four interceptions against Cleveland, and although the Ravens were able to hold on for the win, Jackson’s typical tenacity at extending plays actually worked against him, because he was forcing balls into tight windows and running into contact (and fumbling), instead of sliding on scrambles. Jackson’s high ankle sprain could significantly limit his running, in which case Huntley might be the better option.
The Bengals struggled on offense, as Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase had a hard time getting open, leaving Tyler Boyd (five catches for 96 yards) as the only difference-maker. The Bengals will need more than 15 points to beat Baltimore, though. The Bengals need more traction out of Joe Mixon and the running game, and Higgins and Chase need to do a better job getting separation against a Baltimore secondary that has plenty of holes due to injury.
Why should you put your money on the Bengals?
Cincinnati’s defense came up huge against Denver last week; as backup quarterback Drew Lock had the ball snatched from him by Khalid Kareem on a key second-and-goal play. Lock had been supposed to hand the ball to Javonte Williams but instead had the ball snatched by Kareem. The Broncos had two more possessions after that, but they only managed 18 yards on 10 plays. That kind of defensive focus will serve the Bengals well against either a hobbled Jackson or a Huntley still gaining familiarity with the offensive scheme.
If you like the Bengals, you see Joe Burrow torching a Baltimore secondary that is running on fumes due to a number of injuries, and you see the running game creating a more effective rhythm than it did against Denver. You also see the Cincinnati defense pressuring either Jackson or Huntley and forcing quick throws.
Final Score and Betting Prediction
The Ravens have had some difficulty in terms of injuries but have been right there at the end of games all season long. In this case, though, I see Burrow taking advantage of the Baltimore pass defense to start pulling away in the second half. I predict a final score of Cincinnati 30, Baltimore 24.
Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals: Bet the Game Today
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