The Baltimore Ravens will battle the Cincinnati Bengals for first place in the AFC North when they meet on Sunday Night Football.
Both teams enter the game at 2-2, the same record as the Cleveland Browns, and no team has stood out as the clear favorite in the division.
The Bengals, fresh off of an appearance in the Super Bowl, have won their last two and have some momentum. The Ravens, meanwhile, are 0-2 at home, hoping to win their first home game in this one.
Where to watch?
The game will air live on NBC at 8:20 p.m. on Sunday night.
What to know about the Bengals
They are going to hope to run the ball better than they have. They have just 358 yards on the ground, seventh-worst in the league. Joe Mixon had a solid first game of the season against the Steelers, but he hasn’t surpassed 61 yards in any of his last three games. He’s averaging just 2.7 yards per game. The Ravens have the ability to win in the trenches, while the offensive line of the Bengals has been a weak spot. Expect them to pass on early downs in order to try and open up the run game.
What to know about the Ravens
That loss to the Bills really hurt because they had the chance to take the field goal and the lead late in the fourth. They didn’t, they went for it, and it cost them as the Bills went down and scored as time expired to clinch the victory. You love the confidence that Jim Harbaugh shows in his team, but he has to be smarter in those instances. Another game like that and they can be playing themselves out of the playoff picture. As a result, expect a bit more simplicity in their playcalling in the red zone.
Prediction
Ravens 31, Bengals 23