Baltimore Ravens vs Cincinnati Bengals | NFL – Oct. 24, 2021
After a very weak opening of the season and a defeat by the Raiders in Las Vegas, the Baltimore Ravens began to grind. They defeated the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions with a lot of trouble, but then they humiliated the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers and confirmed why they are perhaps the best team from the AFC at the moment. Lamar Jackson is progressing year after year and everyone in Baltimore expects it is finally time to bring the SuperBowl to Maryland. The Ravens defense may also play at the highest possible level as seen last weekend and when all the lines of the team are in the mood, hardly anyone can endanger this team, especially when they play in Baltimore on their field. This will be a direct showdown for first place AFC North as they are giving the match an extra weight.
It’s been more than 30 years since the Cincinnati Bengals achieved their last playoff win. Marvin Lewis was the head coach between 2003 and 2018 and he led the Bengals to the playoffs seven times and lost the first match there all seven times. The arrival of new head coach Zac Taylor and the drafting of Joe Burrow should be a guarantee of some new wind in Cincinnati and judging by the start of this season, that could really be the case. The Bengals after a few desperate seasons finally look like a team that could fight for the playoffs and if they shocked the Ravens in Baltimore, they would come very close to that success. Burrow is really playing great, the defense has progressed and the Bengals look good after five years.
Injuries
Latavius Murray will not play this week due to injury which means veterans Le’Veon Bell and Devonta Freeman could get plenty of room to prove themselves to head coach John Harbaugh. Wide receiver Sammy Watkins is also not ready, while it is uncertain whether Alejandro Villanueva and Tavon Young will be able to help.
Cincinnati Bengals have no major injury problems.
Previous results and H2H
After six weeks, the Baltimore Ravens have a 5-1 ratio, while the Cincinnati Bengals are at 4-2. As already mentioned, the Ravens recorded five consecutive triumphs after the defeat in Las Vegas. The Bengals have been better than the Vikings, Steelers, Jaguars and Lions so far this season, while they have lost to the Bears and Packers. The Ravens won both matches convincingly against the Bengals last year. The first time was 27:3, and then 38:3.
Prediction
Pick: Baltimore Ravens -5
Odds: 1.72
Bookmaker: Bet365
Ravens are much better on paper and they will take this match seriously because it is a direct duel for the first place in the division. Bengals were much inferior last year and it is hard to believe that they will now be able to compete for the victory. The triumph of the home team with a double-digit difference is to be expected.
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