NFL
By: Joey MacDonald
In Week 14, the Baltimore Ravens looked like they were ready to take 1st place away from the Pittsburgh Steelers, and it got taken away, thanks in large part to a controversial call that took a Isiah Likely touchdown late in the 4th quarter, and ended up losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers by the score of 27-22. Now, the Ravens are 2 games behind the Steelers, now face another divisional rival this week in the Cincinnati Bengals, a team that embarrassed the Baltimore Ravens on Thanksgiving night two weeks ago.
Two weeks ago, the Baltimore Ravens and the Cincinnati Bengals met on Thanksgiving night, and the Bengals cooked up a Thanksgiving feast with the Ravens by forcing five turnovers, and with the return of Joe Burrow, the Bengals had a dominant win, 32-14. Now, 2 weeks later, both the Ravens and Bengals are fighting for their playoff lives in this game. Both of these teams are coming off losses in their week 14 matchups, as the Ravens are coming off a controversial loss to the Steelers last week. While the Bengals are coming off a loss in a high-scoring affair to the Buffalo Bills, 39-34. When a division game takes place, it will always be a battle, and this one is no exception. While the Ravens are still in contention for the division title, the Bengals are looking like a team that is preparing for 2026 and beyond.
The Baltimore Ravens, after winning 5 straight ball games, have now dropped 2 consecutive games to division rivals in the Steelers and the Bengals, and are now 6-7 on the season. Lamar Jackson, in the last 3 games, has been struggling as he has only thrown 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions. And, as we get into the last four games of the season, these games will see if Lamar Jackson is ready for some postseason football this year or for next season. Derrick Henry is due for a big game, as he hasn’t run for over 150 yards in a game since Week 1. Last week, Henry went over a thousand yards rushing for the 4th consecutive season. One thing might change for the Ravens this week: they might get back 2 defensive players. Both A’Darius Washington and Tavius Robinson are working towards getting back on the field this week. And having those 2 can help this defense out tremendously, for the last 4 games. The Ravens this week need this win to keep up with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North.
The Cincinnati Bengals, on the other side, are coming off a tough loss to Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills in a 39-34 shootout. The Bengals, this year, looked like a team that looked lose when star quarterback Joe Burrow went down with an injury. And now, after the last 2 games, Joe Burrow looks like his old self, throwing touchdowns and running the ball as well. Tee Higgins, who had a monster game last week, is in concussion protocol and might be missed this Sunday, but when you have Ja’Mar Chase, that’s an awesome wide receiver to have. Also, Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson might be a no-go this Sunday, as he missed both Wednesday and Thursday practices with a hip/pelvis injury. The Bengals offense will still put up points, but the big question mark will be the defense. The defense will be prepared to try to stop Lamar Jackson, which will be no easy task. Even with a 4-9 record, the Bengals will still go out there and play like it’s postseason, get momentum for the last 4 games, and get prepared for 2026.
This week’s game for the Ravens is a critical one for sure. The Ravens need this win against the Bengals to keep up with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are 2 games ahead of the Ravens because of the tiebreaker. The team has been thinking about the rematch for the last two weeks, knowing that they want revenge against the Bengals for ruining their Thanksgiving. And, with a win would keep the Ravens in the AFC North race, while a loss could be the knockout punch to the Ravens and their season. The Ravens will bounce back strongly against the Bengals, and it will keep their AFC North Division title hopes alive with this game.
