Seeking their third straight win, the Ravens (2-2) will play their first AFC North game on the road against the Cincinnati Bengals (1-3).
Basics
Kickoff: Sunday, 1 p.m., Paycor Stadium
TV: CBS, WJZ Ch. 13 (Baltimore), WUSA Ch. 9 (Washington), and more. CBS crew Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Trent Green (analyst), Melanie Collins (sideline)
Radio: WBAL (1090 AM), 98 Rock (97.9 FM), SiriusXM Radio Ch. 132 or 382. Ravens crew: Gerry Sandusky (play-by-play), Rod Woodson (analyst). Compass Media Networks: Chris Carrino (play-by-play), Brian Baldinger (analyst)
History
The Ravens lead the all-time series, 30-27, including the postseason. They last faced the Bengals on Thursday Night Football in November of 2023, when Baltimore prevailed, 34-20, at M&T Bank Stadium to sweep the season series. Both teams lost a star player to injury. Ravens tight end Mark Andrews suffered an ankle injury that required surgery, and he didn't return to action until the AFC Championship game in January. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was lost for the season due to a wrist injury suffered in the second quarter.
Stakes
The Ravens can climb above .500 for the first time this season and win their third straight game. They can also win their third in a row over the Bengals. This is a huge game for the Bengals after their 0-3 start. Moving to 2-3 would put the Bengals squarely back into the division race, but falling to 1-4 would put them in deep trouble. Washington was the last 1-4 team to make the playoffs, winning the NFC East at 7-9 in 2020.
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Key Storylines
Will the Ravens' rushing attack remain dominant?
The Ravens have rushed for at least 270 yards in back-to-back games, the first team to do that since 2016. Cincinnati ranks just 25th against the run, and Derrick Henry ran for 122 yards against Cincinnati last season while playing with the Tennessee Titans. Henry's comfort level with Baltimore's offensive scheme seems to be improving each week, and Baltimore's league-leading rushing attack could keep Burrow off the field and make it a long day for the Bengals' defense.
Can Joe Burrow have success against Baltimore's pass defense?
The Ravens have done well containing Burrow in recent seasons, holding him to fewer than 225 yards passing in his last four starts against them. However, Baltimore's pass defense got off to a rocky start and is still ranked 28th after a strong showing against the Bills. The Bengals will attack Baltimore's secondary with Burrow targeting star receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. It will likely be a busy day for Ravens corners Marlon Humphrey, Brandon Stephens, and Nate Wiggins trying to keep Burrow and his weapons in check.
Can the Ravens make an early statement in the AFC North?
This is the first divisional game for both teams, and Baltimore has an opportunity to put the Bengals in an early-season hole. The Ravens are the defending AFC North champs and appear to have righted themselves after their 0-2 start. The Bengals still have questions to answer, with their lone victory coming in Week 4 against the Carolina Panthers. It's only Week 5, but if the Ravens win their third straight game and drop the Bengals to 1-4, Baltimore's outlook would be trending up while Cincinnati's would clearly be trending down.
Players to Watch
OLB Kyle Van Noy
The reigning AFC Defensive Player of the Month has six sacks over the last three games and has been making game-changing plays. Van Noy hopes to continue his torrid stretch by disrupting Burrow, who's the key to Cincinnati's offense.
QB Lamar Jackson
Jackson has an 8-1 career record as a starter against Cincinnati and has completed 78.1% of his passes over the last two games, with three touchdown passes, no interceptions, and a 137.4 quarterback rating. The Bengals need to find an answer for Jackson and may not have one.
ILB Roquan Smith
Talking about this game, Smith said, "Truth be told, [the Bengals] don't like us, and we don't like them." The Ravens' defense has picked up its level of play and Smith has been a big part of that. Smith loves physical games and will try to set the tone for another strong defensive effort from Baltimore.
Here are six matchups to look out for in Sunday's AFC North matchup.
QB Lamar Jackson vs. S Geno Stone
Stone led the AFC in interceptions last season as a Raven, but now he's on the other side. He will roam the Cincinnati secondary as he looks for his first interception as a Bengal, but it won't come easy against Jackson, who has thrown only one pick this season. It will be fun to see Stone face his former teammates, but don't expect anyone to be buddy-buddy once the game starts.
WR Zay Flowers vs. CB Cam Taylor-Britt
Flowers has been quiet the last two weeks with Baltimore's run game exploding, but Sunday could bring more targets if the Bengals sell out against the run. Flowers will have reps against Taylor-Britt, who has been a big trash talker so far this season, so look for some back-and-forth between the two.
LT Ronnie Stanley vs. DE Trey Hendrickson
Hendrickson was tied for second in the NFL with 17.5 sacks last season, and he already has three this year. He will face Stanley as the left tackle is having his best season in years now that he's fully healthy. If Stanley, who missed both games against the Bengals last year, can contain Hendrickson, this could be a statement that he's back to his Pro Bowl self. "He's a good player. He's a leader for that whole defense," Stanley said of Hendrickson. "I expect it to be a battle for the whole game."
TE Mark Andrews vs. LB Logan Wilson
The last time these two faced off, it resulted in a crushing injury for Andrews that virtually ended his season. Since then, the hip-drop tackle that caused Andrews' broken leg has been banned and the tight end is now fully healthy. Andrew has gone two games without a catch for the first time in his career, but Sunday could be a revenge game as he faces Wilson.
CB Marlon Humphrey vs. WR Ja'Marr Chase
The key matchup on Sunday is Baltimore's secondary against the Bengals' pass catchers. Just ask Humphrey. "It's a tough task but that's the biggest thing," he said. The Ravens secondary struggled the first three weeks but bounced back against the Bills. Now it faces two stud receivers in Chase and Tee Higgins with a franchise quarterback in Joe Burrow throwing them the ball.
RB Justice Hill vs. CB Dax Hill
Two brothers facing each other is aways fun to watch, but it's even better when they're on the field at the same time. Dax and Justice have met a few times in the hole, including Dax tackling his brother on back-to-back plays last season, but Justice doesn't hear a lot from him during the game. "I didn't even know because he's quiet," Justice said. "If I was on defense and I was tackling him, he would know. I'm talking about stuff right then and there."
