Avoiding an 0-2 hole to start the season won’t be easy for the Cincinnati Bengals with the Baltimore Ravens in town.
Those Ravens arrive 1-0 after a 25-9 win over Houston. Lamar Jackson didn’t throw a touchdown, but he led the team in rushing and posted a 17-of-22 line in a new-look offense that boasts two great receivers and a tight end in Mark Andrews who has given the Bengals fits for years.
More Bengals-centric and important, though, is the simple fact the Bengals look rusty.
That includes Joe Burrow, who threw for a paltry 82 yards on a 14-of-31 line last week in the 24-3 loss to Cleveland.
Coaches have remained adamant the issues were more about the rainy weather than anything else. Yet it’s hard not to point toward the preseason calf injury and general rust and lack of reps with his weapons and reasons too.
So…the question becomes whether Burrow and the offense can bounce back. The knee-jerk reaction is yes—especially because the Ravens won’t have anyone of Myles Garrett’s caliber collapsing the pocket on nearly every play. And the Ravens will miss starting defensive backs Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Williams.
That’s a key point too — the Ravens just can’t stay healthy. They’ll miss those defensive starters, plus offensive linemen Tyler Linderbaum and Ronnie Stanley. Jackson’s suite of weapons will put a stress test on new Bengals starting safeties Nick Scott and Dax Hill, but the offensive line should be exploitable and Lou Anarumo’s unit remains strong in all facets, never mind being comfortable against passers like Jackson.
Even with the issues last week, it’s hard not to like the Bengals, which is something the odds and lines have reflected all week. Burrow and Co. have taken four of the last five in this series and fare much better against the Ravens than they do against the Browns. An injury advantage at home, familiarity with Jackson and a steady upswing in offensive production should see the Bengals to 1-1.
Prediction: Bengals 23, Ravens 20
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]