The Baltimore Ravens will take on the Cincinnati Bengals on Thanksgiving night. Both teams have a lot riding on this game, as the Ravens look to maintain their newfound lead in the AFC North while the Bengals hope to salvage their season in Joe Burrow’s return. The staff of Baltimore Beatdown gives their bold predictions for the divisional showdown.
Many are predicting a Thanksgiving shootout in Baltimore, so I’ll go against the grain and predict a relatively low-scoring contest. Sure, the Bengals’ bottom-ranked defense may offer a get-right game for the Ravens’ offense, but can they turn things around in such a short week? Baltimore‘s defense will handle Joe Burrow‘s return smoothly, but their turnover streak will be broken. Special teams will have another strong day when kicking and punting, but their return units will be less successful. LaJontay Wester will set up the offense to score with a long punt return, but otherwise, average field position keeps the Ravens from putting up many points. Ja’Marr Chase will come back from his suspension with a vengeance and be fed targets by Burrow. Chase’s impact will wane as the game goes on until a big fourth-quarter touchdown forces Jackson to get points on his last drive. He does, via a game-winning Tyler Loop field goal. 20-17 Ravens. - **_Nikhil Mehta_**
The Ravens have gotten by recently, playing good defense since their turnaround and allowing a struggling offense to try and figure things out each game. That won’t work this week. Whether it’s Joe Flacco or Joe Burrow, the Bengals offense is a high-flying machine and will be the first stumbling block for the newly imagined Ravens’ defense. Burrow airs the ball out all night with Ja’Marr Chase continuing to terrorize the Ravens as he has most of his career. More importantly, the Bengals run Chase Brown all over the field. The run game has been a struggle area for the Ravens’ defense, but teams have often abandoned it when playing them. The Bengals don’t, as Brown runs for over 150 yards and controls the game.
Meanwhile, instead of a shootout like we’ve become accustomed to, the Ravens’ offense continues their own struggles, despite playing the worst defense in the NFL. Lamar Jackson still looks slightly off as he simply can’t will the offense forward. Derrick Henry and the run game can’t get it going once more. The Ravens lose 27-17, having a 10-day break to once again try to reinvent this team on the fly. - **_Zach Canter_**
The Ravens finally figure some things out offensively against the league’s worst defense. Although they’re on short rest and in a two-game offensive lull, an advantageous matchup and high-stakes primetime environment at home will work in their favor. Derrick Henry has an efficient 100-yard performance, while Lamar Jackson throws multiple touchdown passes — including one to Zay Flowers for just the second time this season. Joe Burrow and the Bengals’ offense will put up points and put Baltimore’s defensive improvements to the test. Another forced takeaway by the Ravens will help flip a possession in a key moment, though, and win them the turnover battle. The Ravens hang on to secure a 27-24 victory and climb to two games over .500. - **_Frank Platko_**
In stark contrast to recent meetings between these two teams, Thursday’s game between the Ravens and the Bengals will be a relatively low-scoring slugfest for much of the contest. With Lamar Jackson clearly hampered by injuries at the moment and Joe Burrow making his first start since Week 2 of the season and without one of his top two wide receivers in Tee Higgins, the two quarterbacks will not replicate the high-scoring spectacles they put on against each other last season. It will instead be the run game that each offense relies on, as both Derrick Henry and Chase Brown cross the 100-yard mark and find the endzone at least once a piece.
Baltimore’s defense does a good job of limiting Ja’Marr Chase on the night and continues their turnover streak with an interception on Burrow as he knocks off the rust in his return to action. The pass rush gets to Burrow throughout the game as well, as Mike Green notches two sacks and announces to the viewing world that he has officially arrived. Ravens win 23-17. - **_Dustin Cox_**
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