Ravens-Bengals Week 5 Predictions
BALTIMORE — The pundits are split on their Ravens and Bengals predictions.
Here's the Roundup
Analysis: "This is almost a must-win, Week 5 game for the Ravens, who have lost five straight games at home. The Ravens are 2-2 in the AFC, but this game would give the winning team at least a share of first place in the AFC North. The Bengals will be confident after blowing out the Ravens twice last year. Burrow particularly gets fired up for this matchup after some trash talk last season. The Ravens are the more desperate team and this time they finish the game."
Prediction: Ravens 27, Bengals 23
Analysis: "The Bengals’ defense is great at preventing big plays, while the Ravens’ offense is great at making them. The Ravens’ defense, meanwhile, has given up plenty of big plays, while the Bengals are among the league’s least explosive offenses despite the presence of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins."
Prediction: Ravens, 27, Bengals 23
Analysis: "The Bengals have turned their season around with two straight victories, mostly because the offense has started to play better. That's not a good thing for a Ravens defense that is struggling. Look for Joe Burrow to win a shootout here with Lamar Jackson. First one to 35 wins. It's the Bengals."
Prediction: Bengals 36, Ravens 33
Analysis: "Cincinnati’s new offensive line hasn’t exactly gelled so far this season and that’s forcing Joe Burrow to rush his throws and consistently be under pressure. The good news for the Bengals is the Ravens’ pass defense is one of the worst in the NFL and it’ll give Ja’Marr Chase plenty of opportunities for the long play. Burrow threw for 941 yards and seven touchdowns in the two meetings against Baltimore last season."
Predictions:
Jay Morrison — Ravens
Josh Kendall — Ravens
Ben Standig — Ravens
Mark Kaboly — Bengals
Larry Holder — Bengals
Zach Berman — Ravens
Tashan Reed — Ravens
Austin Mock — Ravens
Nick Kosmider — Ravens
Michael-Shawn Dugar — Ravens
Analysis: "At some point, you are what you are. We’re probably not at that point yet with the Ravens, but another choke job would become a central part of Baltimore’s identity. They not only have coughed up two three-score leads in the last three weeks, but they’ve also done so at home. In fact, the Ravens have not won at M&T Bank Stadium since Thanksgiving Weekend 2021. They’ve also lost six straight one-score games. The Bengals, meanwhile, have outscored their opponents 54-27 since an 0-2 start and are starting to look like the team we all expected."
Predictions:
Beasley: Ravens 27, Bengals 25
Miller: Ravens 33, Bengals 31
Robinson: Ravens 27, Bengals 23
Analysis: "Not sure what to make of either team just yet. The Bengals have bounced back from their 0-2 start and handed the Dolphins their first defeat of the season. The Ravens have gone 2-2 against the AFC East, despite John Harbaugh’s short-sighted stubbornness to adhere to analytics."
Prediction: Ravens, 32-31
Analysis: "AFC North divisional matchups can be some of the toughest games to predict all season. These teams know one another well and both want to gain an edge in the race for a title. Baltimore has a chance to bounce back in front of its home crowd, but it's Cincinnati that has the edge in this battle."
Prediction: Bengals: 24, Ravens: 21
Analysis: "Interestingly, the Ravens are 0-2 at home and 2-0 on the road this season."
Prediction: Bengals 27, Ravens 24
Analysis: "The Ravens' pass defense isn't living up to expectations because it still needs to blitz to create pressure and its cover cornerbacks are disappointing. The Bengals'' passing game is back to starting hot with Joe Burrow and he can again look for the right mismatches for his wide receiver trio. The Ravens will have success throwing downfield with Lamar Jackson but they don't have the same type of firepower and can't effectively play ball control with their traditional running game."
Prediction: Bengals 27, Ravens 24
