Baltimore Ravens vs Cincinnati Bengals Betting Preview: Game Analysis
This weekend’s primetime matchup features an AFC North showdown between the 2-2 Cincinnati Bengals and the 2-2 Baltimore Ravens. Can the Ravens bounce back from a huge blown lead against the Buffalo Bills? Sportsmemo NFL handicapper Eric Pauly shares his thoughts and makes an expert Baltimore Ravens vs Cincinnati Bengals prediction.
Baltimore Ravens vs Cincinnati Bengals Betting Pick – What Are the Best Odds?
Sunday, October 9 | NFL Week 5 Betting Notes |
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Point Spread: | Baltimore Ravens -3.5 vs Cincinnati Bengals |
Total: | o/u 48 Points |
Location: | M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, MD |
Game Time: | 8:20pm ET / 5:20m PT (Odds Above Courtesy of DraftKings) |
TV: | NBC |
Baltimore Ravens vs Cincinnati Bengals Prediction : Bengals Off Extended Rest
This Sunday’s primetime matchup features two of the better teams in the AFC going head-to-head. These two AFC North foes know each other well, they are both 2-2 this season, and one of these teams will end the night in first place.
The Bengals are coming off Thursday Night win against the Dolphins in Week 4 and a beatdown of the Jets in Week 3. Cincinnati started their season 0-2 behind two brutal losses.
The Ravens almost took down the Bills last week, but they were unable to seal the deal after getting out to a 17-0 lead. Baltimore won Week 3 in New England but they are 0-2 at home so far this year.
Baltimore Defense Needs a Boost
Baltimore lost at home against the Bills last week, and there was a lot of scrutiny about a decision Harbaugh made in the 4th quarter. Harbaugh elected to go for the touchdown on fourth and goal instead of kicking a go-ahead field goal with little time left in the fourth.
Despite what the media thinks, Harbaugh made the right decision, and his coaching prowess provides a slight edge in this matchup.
The Bengals blew the doors of the Ravens twice last season and based on how Baltimore’s defense has been this year, more of the same is possible.
Baltimore’s defense still lets up a ton of yards, they are 32nd in the league in passing yards allowed and 20th in the NFL in rushing yards allowed, and they are 25th in red zone defense.
The Ravens force turnovers which are huge for them, but opposing teams too easily move the ball and score on the Ravens. A majority of the points they allow are in the fourth quarter which means this team gets off to hot starts defensively and then cannot close out games.
Offensively, the Ravens get out to hot starts but also cannot put games away by finding the endzone in the fourth quarter. Baltimore has just nine fourth-quarter points this season out of 119 points scored.
Lamar Jackson is the lifeblood of this team. Without his ability to improvise in the pocket, the Ravens would be in a much worse spot.
This offense is 12th in total yards, 1st in TD passes, 8th in rushing yards, and 3rd in rushing yards per attempt. Lamar turns broken plays into positive gains with his legs and he has been elite this year.
Burrow Still Bullied in Backfield
The Bengals have won two straight games and they seem to be back on track after an 0-2 start. Personally, I am not overly impressed by their two wins as they came against the Jets and the Dolphins without Tua.
The Bengals offense is their strength, but they are yet to break out in a meaningful way. The Bengals are 16th in the NFL in total yards, 25th in rushing yards, and eighth in passing yards. They score throughout the game which is great, but they only have 91 points on offense through four weeks.
The Bengals made a bunch of moves this offseason to strengthen their offensive line but it hasn’t worked. Burrow has been sacked 16 times, their run game is non-existent, and Burrow is frequently under fire. This was a huge issue for Cincinnati last year, and it persists so far this year.
Defensively, the Bengals have been playing really well, but they have played offensive teams. The Bengals are 11th in the NFL in yards allowed, 7th in turnovers, 5th in rushing yards allowed, 7th in red zone D, and 3rd in third down D.
These are fantastic stats, but they are not as meaningful as they came against the Jets, the Dak-less Cowboys, Teddy Bridgewater, and Mitch Trubisky.
Baltimore Ravens vs Cincinnati Bengals Prediction
The Bengals have been great at stopping the run, and the Ravens are the 8th best rushing team in the NFL. The Ravens are 32nd in the NFL in passing yards allowed, and passing is the name of the Bengals game.
As I mentioned earlier, the Bengals defensive stats are skewed as they played bad teams and got lucky with injuries so far this season. On the other hand, the Ravens have been dominant, but their 2-2 record does not showcase that.
In divisional games, anything is possible, but I think the Ravens are trying to exact revenge on the two beatdowns Cincinnati gave ‘em last year. I would lean toward the Ravens covering -3 but I would not take them -3.5.
Prediction: Baltimore Ravens -3 (but not -3.5)
Opening Line Report | NFL Week 5
Don’t just stop at this Baltimore Ravens vs Cincinnati Bengals betting pick! Listen to Teddy Covers and Drew Martin every Monday during the NFL season as they preview opening lines for next week’s games. This past Monday they previewed this AFC North clash between the Baltimore Ravens vs Cincinnati Bengals among other games giving their expert betting analysis.
NFL Odds Board
WagerTalk’s Live Odds Screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books. Track the NFL point spreads, totals and betting percentages for all of the Week 5 games, including this Baltimore Ravens vs Cincinnati Bengals showdown, from your desktop or phone.
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Meet the Author
Eric Pauly, @slimeaction on Twitter, graduated from Binghamton University with a degree in Finance. Eric is a die-hard Washington Commanders and New York Knicks fan and enjoys watching and writing about the NFL, NBA and MLB. His favorite gambling movements include hitting a +1000 future on Washington to win the NFC East in 2020 and predicting Jonathan Taylor’s breakout season with a +900 ticket for him to win the 2021 NFL rushing title. Aside from the sports betting industry, and making a brilliant Cleveland Browns vs Los Angeles Chargers betting pick, Eric also enjoys good eats, dynasty fantasy football leagues, daily fantasy sports and playing the guitar.
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