Brian Bower
The Ravens have a tough challenge ahead on Sunday but steal one on the road in Cincy.
Ryan Mallett ends the drought of wins against the Bengals throwing for 300 yards and 3 touchdowns, two to Maxx Williams.
For the second straight week the Ravens defense handles a star wide out.
Ravens 24 Bengals 21
Joe Polek
The Bengals still have a chance to get the #2 seed in the AFC, which would give them a 1st round bye, and a better chance that Andy Dalton could return to QB their team in the playoffs. It’s very unlikely the Broncos lose to the Chargers at home, but stranger things have happened this season. That means the Bengals will likely be playing all-out on Sunday against the Ravens. However, QB AJ McCarron
suffered a sprained left wrist this week. The Bengals are preparing as if McCarron will start, but did sign Mike Kafka this week.
There have been murmur’s that Harbaugh is going to play some “young guys” to see what they can do as we head into the offseason… but hasn’t that already been happening? With the Ravens having the most players on IR, they have been having to play the “young guys” just to field a team.
The Ravens and Bengals are basically tied in the offensive and defensive rankings in the NFL. With the Ravens flying high from beating the Steelers, and the Bengals banged up after a tough loss to Denver, the Ravens have a real shot to play spoiler once again. If Mallett can produce on offense and the defense plays with the fire they had last week, the Ravens could pull the upset. I say Ravens win 27-24.
Ryan Jones
Last week was the high point of the Ravens difficult season. Ryan Mallett was sharp, the defense played well and Ravens fans finally had a reason to smile in 2015. This week however will be a much tougher task.
The big knock on Ryan Mallett is his ability to take big hits without getting frazzled. The Steelers were unable to do that last week but the Bengals defense is a much better unit. Look for Cincinnati to bring a lot of pressure on Mallett and hit him early and often. The defense will hold their own but a couple of big plays by A.J Green will be the difference in this one.
Bengals 24 Ravens 17
Mike Fast
If the Ravens win on Sunday, they will actually end the year with a winning record in the division.
Cincinnati’s pass defense is much better than Pittsburgh’s, but I think Ryan Mallett will still be given a handful of big play opportunities.
If Andy Dalton was starting, I don’t give the Ravens the win. But he’s not, so I’ll take Baltimore by the slimmest of margins, 24-23.
Buck Allen goes for 80 yards rushing and two scores while Kamar Aiken tops the century mark again and scores six points of his own.
A season sweep of the Steelers, a winning record in the division, and a Top 10 draft pick.
When you really think about all that happened to Baltimore this year, that scenario is actually pretty good.
Drew Forrester
I guess it’s possible the Ravens can pull off back-to-back miracles, but I’m not bettin’ on it.
I smell a blowout, mainly because that was Baltimore’s Super Bowl last week and I just don’t see how they can produce an effort like that in consecutive weeks. And while I think Ryan Mallet acquitted himself well against the Steelers, there’s a train of thought that says Gilman could score a couple of touchdown on that horrible Pittsburgh defense. Cincinnati won’t be quite as accommodating on Sunday, I’m afraid, and Mallet will pay the price for that.
Bengals 33 – Ravens 13
Ken McKusick
I don’t believe the Bengals are going to be playing as hard as the Ravens, because their motivations rest entirely on the slim chance San Diego can beat Denver later in the day to give them the bye. The Ravens fight hard and the game is close, but I won’t pick a winner, just say it will be within 4 points.
Ravens fans look forward to a draft to fill the team’s many needs. That’s not great, but Steelers fans watch their team get eliminated despite a 10-6 season after a sweep by the Ravens and just the 20th pick in the draft to begin mending a team with many holes.
Tony Lombardi
The Ravens “Super Bowl” was last week and after such an emotional win it will be difficult for them to maintain such high intensity for AJ McCarron & Co. The Ravens will lose but it won’t be because the Ravens got trucked on defense. Dean Pees will try and use his 6-in-the-box approach against the Bengals and force McCarron into mistakes. And it might work. But this game will be lost by the Ravens offense,
not the defense.
Look for Ryan Mallett to come crashing down to earth with the force of his crab namesake on newspaper during a July day by the bay. The Bengals will sit on all of those short throws that brought success against the Steelers. When Marvin Lewis’ zone coverage schemes coupled with Cincinnati’s ability to get after Mallett with 4 pass rushers, the former Texan will make familiar mistakes and Ravens fans will call for Matt Schaub or Jimmy Clausen or Bryn Renner or Anthony Wright.
Many will send Joe Flacco a get-well-soon card.
Hey, what’s the over/under for camera shots of McCarron’s wife in the press box? Brent?
Bengals 27, Ravens 16
Tyler Lombardi
I’m not certain that the Ravens will win this game, but what I am pretty certain of is that they won’t get blown out. This Bengals team isn’t the same one it is when it’s led by Andy Dalton. Not by a long shot.
I expect an ugly game with at least four total turnovers.
I expect at least three of them to come from the quarterbacks.
I expect fewer than 40 total points.
I think the Ravens might win this one, ending the season on a high note as we head into the offseason.
Ravens 16 Bengals 14
