A fierce rivalry has developed between the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens over the past couple of years, and Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson just added more fuel to the fire with a social media post.
The Bengals recently made headlines by re-signing their top wide receivers, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. But those moves don’t seem to faze Jackson.
Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson Still Not Scared of Cincinnati Bengals
While contract negotiations between the Bengals and their star receivers weren’t exactly smooth, the team got both deals done. Now, Cincinnati has arguably the best wide receiver duo in the NFL locked in for the next few years.
That said, Jackson doesn’t seem the least concerned based on his latest post on X.
— Lamar Jackson (@Lj_era8) March 19, 2025
While we can’t say for sure what Jackson was referring to, it’s fun to speculate that he’s sending a message to the Bengals that he’s still not scared of them.
This is a good offseason for Jackson to talk trash, as the Bengals missed the playoffs for the second straight season despite having Joe Burrow healthy the entire year.
Cincinnati’s offense put up some big numbers, but the defense let them down. The Bengals allowed Jackson and the Ravens to score 41 and 35 points in their two meetings this past season — both wins for Baltimore.
The Bengals scored 38 and 34 points in those games, but it wasn’t enough. The Ravens also went 2-0 against the Bengals in 2023, though one of those games saw Burrow leave at halftime with a wrist injury that ended his season.
If Jackson is taking a shot at the Bengals, it could come back to haunt him. It wasn’t long ago that Cincinnati made back-to-back deep playoff runs.
The Bengals reached the Super Bowl in 2021 and lost a heartbreaker to the Chiefs in the AFC Championship the following year. Meanwhile, the Ravens have made just one AFC title game during Jackson’s career — a loss to the Chiefs at home, where Baltimore only managed 10 points.
This rivalry will be one to watch when the teams square off next season. If both squads are at full strength, we’re in for another classic battle between two AFC heavyweights.
Where Did Ravens, Bengals Finish in 2024 NFL Offense Rankings?
Per PFSN Offense+ metrics, Baltimore ended it’s season with a C+ (79.7) grade in another disappointing playoff exit. Historically, that’s been good enough to win with Jackson, as the team is 41-10 (.804 winning percentage) when posting a C+ grade or better in Offense+ since 2019. However, their Divisional Round loss to the Bills fell in the other 19.6% of games.
While the league-best rushing attack started slow, it gained momentum in the second half, finishing with its fourth-best rushing success rate (56%). But Baltimore’s passing game struggled without Zay Flowers and with key mistakes from Mark Andrews, leading to the team’s fourth-lowest passing success rate (45%). The Ravens also picked the worst time to struggle with turnovers, posting their highest turnover rate (33%) of the year.
Despite leading the NFL in EPA per dropback, EPA per rush, and red-zone efficiency — thanks to standout seasons from Jackson and Derrick Henry — Baltimore again fell short of its championship aspirations.
The 9-8 Bengals were one of the most explosive non-playoff teams in recent history. Burrow led the NFL with 43 passing touchdowns, joining Dan Marino (1986) and Drew Brees (2012) as the only quarterbacks to throw 40+ TDs without making the playoffs.
Cincinnati ranked second in pass success rate, trailing only the Lions, despite a struggling run game (23rd in success rate). Chase Brown’s versatility was key to the passing game’s success, providing valuable underneath production. However, the Bengals missed him in the season finale due to an ankle injury. He is expected to be the clear-cut starter in 2025.
While the offense had playoff-caliber production, defensive struggles led to a wasted season. With Tee Higgins potentially leaving in free agency, it’s uncertain if this unit will reach the same level next year.