Ravens-Bengals Week 18 Odds, Line and Spread

The Bengals are favorites at home against the Ravens, who beat them earlier in the season.

The Bengals close out the regular season at home against the Ravens with an opportunity to even the season series.

Baltimore beat Cincinnati, 19-17, on a 50-yard Justin Tucker field goal in Week 5. But that was accomplished with quarterback Lamar Jackson under center. The former MVP has missed more than a month with a knee injury, which forced the team to turn to Tyler Huntley, who’s also questionable for Sunday.

The Ravens punched their ticket to the playoffs without their dynamic playmaker, but they’re nearly a touchdown underdog against their division foe without him.

The Bengals haven’t lost since Week 8 and were rolling heading into last Monday’s game against the Bills, which was suspended after Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field. There has been talk of resuming the Week 17 game next week or canceling it altogether, but the Week 18 schedule, including Patriots-Bills, is set—for now.

Baltimore Ravens vs. Cincinnati Bengals Odds

Moneyline: Ravens (+240) | Bengals (-300)
Spread: BAL +6.5 (+100) | CIN -6.5 (-118)
Total: 41.5 – Over (-110) | Under (-110)
Game Info: Jan. 8, 2023 | 1 p.m. ET | CBS

Ravens Straight-Up Record: 10–6
Ravens Against the Spread Record: 6–9–1

Bengals Straight-Up Record: 11–4
Bengals Against the Spread Record: 12–3

Bet on Ravens-Bengals at SI Sportsbook

Joseph Maiorana/USA Today Sports

Baltimore is 2–2 without Jackson and has yet to score even 20 points a game in his absence. He was already making do with a largely depleted group of pass-catchers and Huntley hasn’t been able to mirror the magic that Jackson made happen early in the year. As the Ravens are prone to do, they’ve leaned on the run to move the chains.

J.K. Dobbins has eclipsed 90 yards three times during that stretch and Gus Edwards added 99 on the ground against the Falcons. Still, the offense is hurting. The most yards Huntley threw for this season in relief of Jackson was 187 against Denver of all teams. It’s been tough sledding, though he has thrown a touchdown in two consecutive games.

Despite their No. 2 rushing attack, Baltimore ranks 20th in points per game (20.9). They make up for that like few teams can, with the third-best scoring defense in the league (18.0 ppg). Opponents can pass on the Ravens, but good luck running against them.

Cincinnati has put it all together throughout the back stretch of the season to set itself up well for the playoffs. It hasn’t lost a home game since Week 1 and Joe Burrow and the offense are a big reason why. Burrow has compiled 17 passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns over the team’s seven-game winning streak. The defense, meanwhile, has held three opponents below 20 points and limited the Chiefs to 24 in Week 13, winning that AFC Championship rematch.

The Bengals possess a top-10 scoring offense (24.4 ppg), the bulk of which lies in Burrow’s hands as the passing attack is seventh in yards per game (252.4) and the run game is 28th (92.1 yards per game).

Ravens vs. Bengals Betting Insights

This is the Ravens’ fifth game as an underdog this season, and it’s the most points they’ve gotten all year. Baltimore is 2–1–1 against the spread in those games, with two outright wins. Ravens games hit the under 75% of the time this season, the highest mark in the NFL. The under has also cashed in every game with Huntley at quarterback.

The Bengals have been the best team to bet on this season with a league-best 12 covers this season, including as an underdog against the Ravens in Week 5. Despite how explosive Cincinnati’s offense is, the over has only hit in five of its games and just once in its last five.

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