Ravens vs. Bengals: Betting Preview

The Ravens host the Cincinnati Bengals in an AFC North show down featuring the first and last place team in the division. The two teams split the season series in 2018 with rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson picking up his first victory of his career. The Bengals come into this matchup with a 0-5 record, and they will be looking to rebound after dropping a close one against the Arizona Cardinals, 26-23. The Ravens come into this matchup with a 3-2 record and will look to extend their narrow lead in the division. Baltimore is the heavy favorite, coming in as 12-point favorites with a total point projection of 47.5. The weather calls for sunny weather with a high of 65 degrees in what should be a beautiful day at M&T Bank Stadium.

ATS (Against the spread)

· Ravens -12 (+110)

The Ravens come into this game boasting the number one rushing offense in the NFL and will be going against a team ranking 31^stin defending the run. This is a good chance to get the offense back in rhythm as the passing game has struggled in recent weeks. The Ravens were successful early on in the season by establishing the run and then utilizing play action throws to push the ball downfield. After playing from behind the last few weeks, they’ve had to go off script and start forcing things to happen, leading to struggles from Lamar Jackson. Despite the struggles through the air, the Ravens have the top scoring offense in the NFL and pose a bad match up for a Bengals defense that has struggles to stop anyone. Cincinnati is a very banged-up team right now and the Ravens will take advantage, carrying over the momentum from huge win in Pittsburgh.

Prediction: Ravens 30-Bengals 10

Over/Under

· Under 47.5 (-105)

The Ravens and Bengals have both experienced their fair share of struggles on the defensive side of the ball, allowing over 24 points per game. This would seem to bode well for the over, but with the injuries to the offensive line and star wide receiver A.J. Green, the Ravens should be able to limit their scoring. Joe Mixon is a talented back but will be going against a Ravens defense that has only allowed one 100-yard rusher this season. The under is 5-0-1 in the Bengals’ last six road games and it’s hard to see Cincinnati scoring enough points to push this one over.

Game Props

· Team to score first: Ravens -210

The Ravens have faced some struggles in recent weeks, but they are a team that starts fast and has found success finding the end zone early. The Bengals will be without some key names on offense and playing on the road will cause their offense some early struggles. After showing improvements from two straight weeks of allowing 500-plus yards of offense, the Ravens will look to build upon this momentum against a sub-par opponent. The Bengals currently rank 29^thin the NFL in points scored and will be going against the top scoring offense in the league, giving Baltimore a significant advantage in this one.

Player Props

· Mark Andrews total receptions- Over 4.5

· Mark Andrews total receiving yards- Over 54.5

It has been no secret who Lamar Jackson favorite targets are early on in the 2019 season. Marquise Brown and Mark Andrews have found great chemistry with the second-year quarterback and have emerged as an explosive trio for this offense. It looks like Brown will be unable to go in this game, leaving Andrews as the obvious choice to soak up those extra targets. He has been more than just a safety blanket for the quarterback as he has displayed explosiveness down field making him a very dangerous piece in this offense. His numbers have slipped the last few weeks due to the passing offense struggling as a whole but the Ravens will look to get back to what made them successful early on. Expect Jackson and Andrews to get back in rhythm as he safely exceeds these projected totals.

Week 5 Recap

Ravens -3.5 (+100) – Loss

Marquise Brown total receiving yards: Over 62.5 (-108) – Loss

Mason Rudolph total passing touchdowns: Under 1.5 (-166)- Win

Mason Rudolph total passing yards: Under 239.5 (-112)- Win

Mark Ingram total rushing yards: Over 65.5 (112)- Loss

Season Record: 16-9 (64%)