Preview: Ravens Return to Cincinnati for a Wild Card Matchup

The Baltimore Ravens are heading back to Cincinnati for the second straight week, but this time around its win or go home. The Ravens and Bengals have become very familiar with each other as this will be the third meeting between the two teams with the season series being split. The Ravens took the first meeting 19-17. While the Bengals won last week’s regular season finale by a final of 27-16. Sunday’s wild card matchup will be the first playoff meeting between the two AFC north rivals.

Lamar Jackson will miss his sixth straight game, while backup Tyler Huntley who missed last Sunday with a right shoulder injury, practiced in full on Friday and is listed as questionable. Third-string undrafted rookie quarterback Anthony Brown would get his second straight start if Huntley is once again unavailable.

Marcus Peters (calf), who has missed the last three weeks is expected to start. Running back Gus Edwards (concussion) is out of concussion protocol and practiced in full on Friday. The Ravens however will be without wide receiver Tylan Wallace (hamstring), and cornerback Brandon Stephens (illness) as both have already been ruled out for Sunday.

The Bengals have ruled out guard Alex Cappa (ankle), Cappa was injured in last weeks game. Wide receiver Tee Higgins who was also injured in last weeks game missed practice on Wednesday, but was listed as missing due to an illness. Higgins practiced in full on Thursday and Friday and does not have an injury designation for Sunday.

Marcus Peters

Marcus Peters is set to return after a calf injury has sidelined the veteran corner for the last three weeks. Just one year removed from a torn ACL that forced Peters to miss the entire 2021 season, 2022 has at time been a struggle. Peters has missed four total games and because of that many of his numbers are lower then normal. But the most glaring stat for Peters thus far is only one interception, a career season low. Peters is a natural ball hawk with 32 career interceptions, but its not like teams aren’t throwing his way. Peters has allowed 44 receptions and four total touchdowns.

Peter’s is often known to take chances, but thats just what the Ravens are going to need to have a chance this Sunday. While Peters regular season was slightly disappointing to say the least, Peter’s is a big time player that plays his best in big time games. In the first meeting against the Bengals, Peters had five tackles including a big tackle for loss on a trick play to stall a Bengals drive deep in Ravens territory. Peters and the rest of the Ravens secondary will need to have one of their best games this Sunday to slow down Joe Burrow and this Bengals offense.

Ja’Marr Chase

Ja’Marr Chase is without a doubt one of, if not the best young receiver in the NFL. After a breakout rookie season Chase has backed up 2021 with a terrific 2022. Chase missed five games with an injured hip, but returned to finish the 2022 regular season with 87 catches for 1,046 yards, and nine touchdowns. Defensive coordinators around the NFL know how electric Chase can be and they know his big play ability that can take over games. In two games last season against the Ravens Chase went for over 100 yards receiving in both games, including 201 yards in his first matchup against the Ravens.

But 2022 has been a different year for Chase against the Ravens. The Ravens have held Chase to under 100 yards receiving in both games limiting Chase to 50 and 86 yards respectively. Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald has done a great job scheming up ways to best take away Chase and his ability to take the top off the defense. Macdonald and the Ravens defense will need to do it one more time as their is no room for big mistakes in the playoffs.

Prediction

Since Lamar Jackson went down six weeks ago the Ravens offense has yet to score more than 20 points. Over the last five weeks the Ravens have averaged 13.6 points per game putting them in the bottom half of the league in scoring over this stretch. With inconsistent quarterback play the Ravens will need to lean heavily on their rushing attack. The Ravens just don’t have the offensive firepower to get into a shootout with the Bengals and will need to control time of possession and make Sunday a low scoring game to even give them a chance at winning.

In both matchup’s this season the Ravens rushed for over 100 yards and averaged 132.5 yards on the Bengals in those two games. With a healthy J.K Dobbins and Gus Edwards, its no time for offensive coordinator Greg Roman to hold back in using both. Turnovers hurt the Ravens last week, and put the Ravens defense in some tough positions. Along with the offense utilizing the run game, the defense will once again need to play near perfect to give this Ravens team a chance. The Bengals rely on big plays offensively and in two meetings the Ravens defense has done a great job in limiting those big plays, that must continue on Sunday.

The Ravens will be prepared and ready for Sunday night, but the Bengals are simply just a healthier and better team at this point in the year. While the Ravens will put up a valiant effort unless it simply won’t be enough. The Bengals win 23-13, and continue on in the playoffs, while the Ravens head into was is anticipated to be a busy offseason.

Line: Baltimore -8.5

Over/Under: 40.5

All-Time Record: Baltimore leads series 28-26

Last Meeting: 1/8/2022 Cincinnati 27-16