Ravens-Bengals: Who Holds the Advantage in Week 17?

Baltimore favored by 11 points.

The Ravens travel to Cincinnati in Week 17 with a playoff spot on the line. Baltimore beat the Bengals 27-3 in Week 5.

Here's how the teams match up.

Rush Offense

Ravens:  Baltimore leads the NFL with 177.8 yards rushing per game. That dominant running attack has paved the way for their four-game winning streak and surge into the postseason. Baltimore has averaged 233.3 yards rushing in wins over the Cowboys, Browns, Jaguars, and Giants. Quarterback Jackson needs just 92 yards rushing to become the first quarterback in NFL history to eclipse 1,000 yards on the ground in two seasons. 

Bengals: Joe Mixon has been ruled out, which means Giovani Bernard (409 yards rushing) will handle most of the load. Samaje Perine (250 yards rushing) has made the most of his opportunities and could also get some carries. Overall, the Bengals are ranked 25th in the NFL with 101. 4 yards rushing per game. 

Advantage: Ravens

Pass Offense

Ravens: Over the Ravens' recent four-game winning streak, Jackson has thrown for 696 yards with eight touchdowns and two interceptions (111.7 rating). Hollywood Brown has shaken off a mid-season slump and is finishing the year at a high level. He had four catches for 25 yards and a touchdown in last week's 27-13 victory over the Giants. Dating back to 2019, tight end Mark Andrews has recorded 26 receptions of 20 yards or more, trailing only Chiefs’ Travis Kelce (34) and Raiders Darren Waller (28) for the most among tight ends during that span.

Bengals: Bengals quarterback Brandon Allen has been efficient subbing for the injured Joe Burrow. Allen has thrown for 877 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions. He threw for 371 yards with two scores in last week's 37-31 win over the Texans. The Bengals managed their first two-game winning streak of the season. Rookie Tee Higgins caught six passes for 99 yards with a touchdown. Both Tyler Boyd and A.J. Green have traditionally played effectively against the Ravens. 

Advantage: Ravens

Rush Defense

Ravens: Calais Campbell has been able to return to the lineup after missing four games with a calf injury. Nose tackle Brandon Williams has been solid in the middle of the field, and defensive end Derek Wolfe is one of the team's best tacklers. Baltimore is ranked ninth in the NFL allowing 106.2 yards rushing per game. Patrick Queen is a Defensive Rooke of the Year candidate and leads the team with 101 tackles.  

Bengals: Safety Vonn Bell has done a solid job flying to the ball with a team-leading 111 tackles and he'll provide run support, especially spying Jackson. Overall, Cincinnati has struggled to stop the run and is ranked 25th allowing 130.9 yards per game, They'll have some matchup problems against the Ravens, who ran for 161 yards in the first meeting this season.

Advantage: Ravens

Pass Defense

Ravens: Cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Jimmy Smith could be back on the field after missing the two past two games. Baltimore had six sacks last week against the Giants, including sacks on three-straight plays in the fourth quarter. Among those sacks from five different players, two came from linebacker Chris Board, while outside linebacker Matthew Judon recorded his team-high sixth, and rookie defensive tackle Justin Madubuike registered his first career sack. 

Bengals: Jessie Bates III leads the team with three interceptions. Cornerbacks William Jackson III and Darius Phillips have mostly solid in coverage but they're not getting much support from the front seven that has managed just 17 sacks. The lack of pressure could be especially damaging against Jackson. 

Advantage: Ravens

Special Teams:

Ravens: Justin Tucker converted 25 of 28 field-goal attempts. However, Sam Koch was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list and is likely out. Baltimore signed punter Johnny Townsend, who was with the team in training camp. Townsend would be eligible to play against the Bengals because he has already passed all of the COVID-19 protocols. Devin Duvernay showed he can be effective returning punts last week against the Giants after fellow rookie James Poche was a healthy scratch. 

Bengals: Randy Bullock has mostly consistent, making 21 of 26 field-goal attempts. Kevin Huber averages 42.7 yards per punt, which ranks seventh in the NFL. Alex Erickson .averages 9.8 yards on punt returns, while Brandon Wilson averages 27  yards on kickoffs.

Advantage: Ravens

Prediction

The Ravens can earn a trip to the postseason for a third consecutive year with a victory. Baltimore will not be taking Cincinnati lightly. The Bengals have already wrecked the Ravens' playoff hopes once. In the 2017 regular-season finale, Andy Dalton threw a 49-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Boyd with 44 seconds that gave Cincinnati a 31-27 victory that knocked Baltimore out of the playoffs. Ravens coach John Harbaugh doesn't want a repeat of that performance. Baltimore is playing its best football and the Ravens will keep rolling into the playoffs.

Prediction: Ravens 34, Bengals 17