The Cincinnati Bengals and the Baltimore Ravens will meet on Thanksgiving Day this week in a matchup that will have a ton of eyes on it because of the return of Joe Burrow. The Bengals’ chances are better with the return of Burrow, but Baltimore has been on a hot streak of its own.
This game is going to be a battle of elite quarterbacks and underperforming defenses, so there should be a lot of points scored. Let’s look a little more in-depth at this AFC North matchup.
Bengals vs. Ravens Week 13 Matchup Preview
The Bengals enter this week’s game against the Ravens at 3-8. They are 1-7 in their last eight games and have had one of the worst defenses in football over that span. However, things are about to look a little different for the Bengals. Burrow will play for the first time since Week 2 against the Jets.
The Bengals, however, will be without some important players for this game. Tee Higgins will miss the game with a concussion he suffered against the Patriots. They will also be without Trey Hendrickson again because of his hip injury. Tee Higgins missing Burrow’s first game back isn’t ideal, and the Bengals will have to get creative to make things easier for Burrow.
The Ravens, meanwhile, have been one of the hottest teams in football over the last five weeks. The Ravens are 5-0, with four of those wins coming when star quarterback Lamar Jackson returned from injury. They were once thought to be dead at 1-5 but are now 6-5 and leading the AFC North, just ahead of the also 6-5 Steelers.
The Ravens are also battling some injuries of their own. Lamar Jackson showed up on the injury report this week with a toe injury but was a full participant in practice and won’t miss this game. How it impacts him this week will be something to watch as the game progresses.
The Bengals Will Win This Game if…
The Bengals’ offense enters this game off two of its worst performances since they brought Joe Flacco in. Burrow’s return should give the team a shot of energy, but just how much rust will he show?
There are a few keys on offense if they are going to win. One of the biggest will be keeping the run game strong. Chase Brown will need to have a strong performance to help keep pressure off Burrow. The Bengals will also have to protect Burrow when he drops back to throw the ball. He won’t be as mobile as he usually is, and keeping Burrow upright will be crucial.
On the defensive side, the Bengals need to maintain momentum after a strong performance against the Patriots. They will need to tackle well, which is something they have struggled with. The Ravens have two players who are extremely difficult to bring down: Henry and Jackson. The Bengals have the worst defense in the league, according to the PFSN Defense Impact Score, and if they want to win, they will have to improve.
The Ravens Will Win This Game if…
The Ravens have been one of the hottest teams in football, winning their last five games. The Ravens’ defense has also been playing at an extremely high level after an awful start to the season. After giving up 37 or more points in four of their first five games, they haven’t given up more than 19 points since. The Ravens’ defense needs to make life difficult for a returning Burrow and force the Bengals’ defense to beat them.
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On offense, the Ravens need to do what they do best: run the ball through the Bengals’ defense. The Bengals have really struggled to tackle, and Lamar and Henry can exploit those issues. The Ravens also need to use their tight ends in the middle of the field, where the Bengals’ rookie linebackers have struggled in coverage.
Prediction
While the return of Burrow is exciting and the Bengals’ defense has looked better in recent weeks, the Ravens are playing better football, and that likely won’t change this week. The Ravens win this game 34-24 and spoil Burrow’s return.
