The Cincinnati Bengals look for a crucial AFC North win in Week 5 against the reigning AFC North champions.
The importance of Sunday’s game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens cannot be overstated.
For the Bengals, if they want any shot at winning the AFC North, this is a game they need to win.
Last year, the Bengals went just 1-5 in the AFC North. Since sweeping the Ravens and Steelers in 2021, the Bengals are just 4-8 in the AFC North. We can talk about how they stack up against the Chiefs and Bills, but the Bengals are coming off a last-place finish in the AFC North. A win on Sunday would be huge for the Bengals.
Remember how Joe Burrow said before the season he was going to give NFL fans something to talk about this season?
Well, Sunday is an opportunity to do just that.
Burrow is off to a great start this season with 978 passing yards and seven touchdowns, with three straight games with multiple touchdown passes. In addition, Ja’Marr Chase and Andrei Iosivas each have three touchdowns. Plus, Tee Higgins is regaining his status as an excellent wide receiver with a six-catch, 60-yard performance at Carolina last week.
All week, some national analysts have been signing the Ravens praises and hyping them as the best team in the NFL. A Bengals win on Sunday would put the Bengals ahead of the Ravens in the AFC North.
On the other side, the Ravens are rolling offensively. Derrick Henry looks like how he ran the ball in 2020, when he was named the AP Offensive Player of the Year with over 2,000 yards rushing. Henry has 350 yards rushing in his last two games, including 199 yards against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday Night Football last week. Henry leads the NFL with 480 yards rushing and five rushing touchdowns.
Lamar Jackson looks like the reigning MVP through four games. Jackson has 858 yards passing and five touchdowns with an additional 308 yards rushing and two rushing touchdowns.
There’s a lot of nervousness surrounding the Bengals fanbase with the Ravens running the ball at a ridiculous 220.3 yards per game. The Bengals are allowing 145.5 yards per game. But reinforcements along the defensive line are returning this week in B.J. Hill, Myles Murphy, McKinley Jackson and Trey Hendrickson. That should help immensely.
Right now, the Bengals are 2.5-point underdogs for this game. Right now on Pro Football Pick ‘Em on Yahoo!, the Ravens are getting 85% of the picks.
What do you think the outcome of this Sunday’s matchup will be? Let us know in the poll and in the comments section!
Who Dey!
