The two AFC North foes have met twice this season, with each team winning once. Their first duel saw Lamar Jackson leading the Ravens to a 19-17 win. However, he missed the second duel due to injury – and his team lost 27-16 in Week 18.
It’s a big question mark on whether he’ll return on Sunday. If he does, his team’s chances are bound to improve, but will it be enough for the Ravens to beat the last year’s AFC champions?
Baltimore Ravens vs Cincinnati Bengals Wild Card Odds
| Spread | Odds |
|---|---|
| Baltimore Ravens +7 | -105 |
| Cincinnati Bengals -7 | -115 |
| Moneyline | Odds |
|---|---|
| Baltimore Ravens | +250 |
| Baltimore Ravens | -320 |
| Points Over/Under | Odds |
|---|---|
| Over 42.5 points | -105 |
| Under 42.5 points | -115 |
*Odds taken from FanDuel on Wednesday, January 11, 2023.
When, Where, and How to Watch?
- Place: Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio
- Date: Sunday, January 15, 2023
- Time: 8:15 PM ET
- How to Watch: NBC
All Eyes on Lamar
It was December 4 when Lamar Jackson suffered a knee injury. He hasn’t practiced in six weeks, so even if he returns on Sunday, he probably won’t be at his best. However, many believe that even unfit, Jackson is a much better option than backup Anthony Brown.
Brown had a game to forget the last time his team took on the Bengals. In Week 18, we saw him for 19/44 for 286 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions. Meanwhile, in the first Ravens vs Bengals game of the season (Week 5), we saw Jackson go 19/32 for 174 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, while also making 12 carries for 58 yards.
Lamar’s return would almost certainly give a boost to the Ravens, but in order to win, his teammates would need to step up as well. Baltimore’s defense conceded 27 points in the final game of the regular season – their worse performance since Week 12.
Truth be told, they weren’t too bad in that game. It’s just that the Bengals’ offense was brilliant. A week later, the two meet again, but will Joe Burro & Co. do the same again?
Bengals Eying Their 9th Straight Win
After a rocky start to the season, the Cincinnati Bengals entered a fantastic run that saw them win nine games in a row. They ended the regular season with a 12-4 record after their duel with the Buffalo Bills was scraped due to the Damar Hamlin situation. If that game had gone as planned and they won, they’d finish the season as the no.3 seed.
This way, they finished third, which isn’t that bad. Otherwise, they’d have to play against the Miami Dolphins in the Wild Card game. And the Dolphins look stronger than the Ravens at the moment.
Still, regardless of the opponent, the Bengals have high hopes for the 2023 Playoffs. They’re playing top football right now, especially in the offense. Their quarterback Joe Burrow has been nothing short of sensational over the last couple of weeks, completing 68.2% of his passes in the past five games, while recording 12 TD passes along the way.
Baltimore Ravens vs Cincinnati Bengals Prediction
With or without Lamar Jackson on the field, the Ravens offense isn’t great. Their defense is much better, but still not good enough to stop in-form Joe Burrow. That said, we can see no other scenario but another blowout win for the Bengals.
Picks: Cincinnati Bengals to win and cover the spread; under to hit