Ravens Favored to Bounce Back Against Bengals

On the outset, the Baltimore Ravens have provided viewers with very little reason to believe in their odds of winning any further inter-divisional games, let alone anything with stakes attached.

All season, they've come up short against any high-leverage opponent they've stood across from, and back-to-back losses against fellow AFC North opponents have doomed the Ravens to another hole to escape. The Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers took turns embarrassing the Ravens in Baltimore over the last two weeks, leaving the former contenders with one last shot to keep the postseason dream alive in this weekend's trip to southwest Ohio.

Surprisingly, the Ravens were yet again granted the benefit of the doubt in a few Week 15 predictions. Even as the away team who showed up small in their last matchup just two weeks ago, DraftKings has Baltimore favored by -2.5.

"We're one questionable Isaiah Likely TD reversal away from the Ravens winning last week and feeling differently than they do at the moment," Bleacher Report's Ian Hanford wrote.

Baltimore Ravens Tight End Isaiah Likely — Dec 7, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely (80) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images | Peter Casey-Imagn Images

"The Bengals have been more exciting with Joe Burrow back in the fold, but this is a game the Ravens cannot afford to lose if they want to keep their playoff dreams alive. I'm sure Cincinnati would love to play spoiler to those hopes, but Lamar Jackson's desperation is just enough to earn a win on the road and keep Baltimore's season alive."

Adding Nuance to the Underperforming Participants

That overturned Likely touchdown was the sort of officiating controversy that did end up swinging the Ravens' most recent outing, as they lost that go-ahead score in a 27-22 loss. It allowed the Steelers to pull ahead in the divisional race, moving up to the No. 4 seed with a 7-6 record and sending the Ravens plummeting to the dregs of the Wild Card race.

And while the Bengals enjoyed their most inspiring win of the season on Thanksgiving, cleaning up in Joe Burrow's long-awaited return game, they still sit at 4-9 without much of a chance of catching up to Pittsburgh. It's a testament to the once-great division's fall that they're not eliminated from postseason contention, and they're certainly not dominant enough to have earned anything above the status of a nagging late-season upstart.

"I keep waiting for the teams that should be good to play good, and it just ain't happening. Like we're seeing with the Chiefs, the tide seems to officially be turning — at least for this season," Wes O'Donnell wrote. "Bengals play spoiler and sweep the Ravens for the first time since 2021. And even if they don't, this 2.5 is good enough insurance in a divisional home game."

Cincinnati Bengals Quarterback Joe Burrow — Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow runs to the sideline looking for an open receiver during first half action at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Dec. 7, 2025. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Another loss to Burrow and friends would be the final nail in one of the most disappointing campaigns that most Ravens fans can recall, dropping their hypothetical divisional record to 2-3 and blowing another shot at closing the gap between themselves and the Steelers. But a win in Cincinnati would bring the team right back to a .500 record and a little bit of momentum against one of the toughest remaining schedules, and adds that much more pressure to Baltimore's season finale in Pittsburgh.

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