ESPN
| PUNDIT | PROJECTED WINNER | COMMENTARY |
|---|---|---|
| Matt Bowen |
 |
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| Dan Graziano |
|
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| Kimberly Martin |
 |
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| Seth Wickersham |
|
BALTIMORE SUN
| PUNDIT | PROJECTED WINNER | COMMENTARY |
|---|---|---|
| Childs Walker |
|
Ravens 26, Bengals 20 “Familiarity has bred contempt between these AFC North rivals, both of whom need a win to put the stink of last weekend behind them. Expect a desperate game with chunk plays and wild swings. The Ravens have checked Joe Burrow effectively and are equipped to pound on Cincinnati’s lesser defense. They’ll get back on track but not without tense moments.” |
| Brian Wacker |
|
Ravens 24, Bengals 20 “Cincinnati has one of the worst run defenses in the NFL, and the Ravens have more yards on the ground than anyone else. Expect to see a good dose of the thunder and lightning combo of Gus Edwards and Keaton Mitchell, along with some runs sprinkled in by Lamar Jackson. Still, these teams usually play each other close with the average margin of victory in their past four meetings, including last year’s wild-card game, a shade under six points.” |
| C.J. Doon |
|
Ravens 27, Bengals 24 “A stunning six NFL games ended on field goals as time expired last weekend, and it feels like we could see another Thursday night. History certainly favors the Ravens, with Lamar Jackson boasting a career 7-2 record against the Bengals, including 4-1 at home. With Tee Higgins out and Ja’Marr Chase playing through a back injury, Joe Burrow is going to have a tough time against the NFL’s best defense.” |
| Tim Schwartz |
|
Ravens 24, Bengals 23 “The Ravens said all the right things after blowing another fourth-quarter lead against the Browns on Sunday, and the short week has to help get the bad taste out of their mouths. The same could be said of the Bengals, who are in desperate need of this win to remain in the race for the AFC North title. The Ravens are at home, so they get the edge in what should be a slugfest on the national stage. The Ravens just don’t lose consecutive games with Lamar Jackson under center.” |
THE ATHLETIC
| Pundit | Projected Winner | Commentary |
|---|---|---|
| Jeff Zrebiec |
|
Bengals 26, Ravens 23 “To their credit, the Ravens didn’t appear to dwell on the awful loss to Cleveland. They were loose during the practice week and seemed locked in on the Bengals and the opportunity at hand. If the Ravens are as good as people around the league seem to think, they’ll take care of business in front of what should be a raucous crowd. It’s just hard to ignore that the Bengals absolutely have to win this game, and it’s easier to trust them if the game is tight in the fourth quarter. It probably will be, too.” |
NFL NETWORK
| Pundit | Projected Winner | Commentary |
|---|---|---|
| Adam Rank |
|
Bengals 23, Ravens 20 |
| Colleen Wolfe |
|
Ravens 21, Bengals 17 |
| Marcas Grant |
|
Bengals 27, Ravens 23 |
| Maurice Jones-Drew |
|
Bengals 23, Ravens 22 |
| Daniel Jeremiah |
|
Ravens 20, Bengals 17 |
| Nick Shook |
|
Bengals 27, Ravens 23 |
| Marc Sessler |
|
Bengals 30, Ravens 27 |
| Kevin Patra |
|
Ravens 28, Bengals 23 |
| Grant Gordon |
|
Ravens 27, Bengals 23 |
| Eric Edholm |
|
Ravens 24, Bengals 21 |
SPORTING NEWS
| PUNDIT | PROJECTED WINNER | COMMENTARY |
|---|---|---|
| Vinnie Iyer |
|
Bengals 24, Ravens 23 “The Bengals made some critical mistakes against the Texans and also had sudden trouble vs. the run. Their defense should rebound here as the Ravens' offense tends to be inconsistent with the idea. Joe Burrow is still playing at a high level since healing, while Lamar Jackson isn't taking over games of late. Cincinnati has played Baltimore well during the Burrow era, and it continues here in a thriller as the visitors split the season series.” |
CBS SPORTS
| PUNDIT | PROJECTED WINNER | COMMENTARY |
|---|---|---|
| Pete Prisco |
|
Ravens 29, Bengals 24 “This game lost a little luster when both lost last week. The Bengals looked bad on defense, while the Ravens blew a fourth-quarter lead in losing to the Browns. I think Lamar Jackson will get back on track against a Bengals defense that was shredded last week. The Ravens take it.” |
| John Breech |
|
Bengals 23, Ravens 20 “If the Bengals lose on Thursday, that's going to essentially kill any shot they have of winning the AFC North, which is why I think we'll see them in desperation mode. I am mildly concerned at the fact that the Bengals have lost 13 STRAIGHT road prime-time games, but no one has been better than Burrow at ending these ugly franchise losing streaks and I'll say he ends another one on Thursday. … I'll go ahead and say the Ravens blow a fourth quarter lead and the Bengals win on a field goal.” |
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED
| PUNDIT | PROJECTED WINNER | COMMENTARY |
|---|---|---|
| Albert Breer |
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| Mitch Goldich |
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| Claire Kuwana |
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| Gilberto Manzano |
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| Connor Orr |
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| John Pluym |
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| Matt Verderame |
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