The Cincinnati Bengals (3-2) are preparing for the AFC’s game of the week against the Baltimore Ravens (4-2) on Oct. 25.
Despite it being early in the season, the matchup has significant ramifications. It’s the second division game for Cincinnati, and the Bengals are trying to avoid an 0-2 start in the AFC North.
The Bengals are also coming off a bye week, and expectations are always high when a team has extra time to prepare. Bengals coach Zac Taylor, his staff and quarterback Joe Burrow had an extra week to prepare for Baltimore.
“It's a big game,” Burrow said Oct. 21. “There’s no hiding from that. There’s a lot of football to be played after this, but anytime we play the Ravens with placing in the division on the line, it’s going to be a big game, so
we’re treating it that way.”
Sunday’s game will feature a lot of new. Baltimore fired former head coach John Harbaugh after 18 seasons with the club this offseason. Former Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter was hired as the new head coach, and he brought a brand-new staff.
Most of the players remain the same, but the schemes are different on both sides of the ball.
“The scheme is different in some ways, but in a lot of ways, it's similar as well,” Burrow said of Baltimore’s defense. “They're going to put their playmakers in position to make big plays, and they have some really good playmakers. You have to limit their opportunities to affect the game.”
One of the players Burrow is referring to is his former teammate, Trey Hendrickson. After five years together in Cincinnati, Hendrickson now plays for the Ravens. He signed a four-year deal with Baltimore in March.
The Bengals will be ready for Hendrickson after years of watching him at practice and in games. Hendrickson likely had his eye on this game when the NFL schedule came out after a few years of contentious contract negotiations with the Bengals.
“It'll be fun,” Burrow said. “I got to practice with him for a long time, and I'm sure he's excited to hit me a little bit after not hitting me for so long.”
Burrow was asked to summarize Hendrickson’s career with the Bengals and did so with one word: Productive.
Hendrickson logged 61 sacks in 72 regular-season games with the Bengals. He has two so far with the Ravens.
The Bengals head into this game with an advantage from a health standpoint. Baltimore listed 15 players on its injury report; Cincinnati had one. Former NFL MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson’s status for the game is in question as he deals with an ankle injury. He was a limited participant in practice Oct. 21 after missing the last two games for Baltimore.
Burrow put high expectations on his team prior to the start of the season. Winning against the division opponent who looks to be the Bengals’ competition for the AFC North crown is something Cincinnati needs to do if it wants to be true contenders.
“You don’t want to be 0-2 in the division; that’s certainly not a place of comfort," Burrow said. "We want to be 4-2, controlling our own destiny. It really starts this week. Recently, outside of last year, it's gone through Baltimore, and we want to go and get this one to set the rest of the season up right.”
Baltimore owned the AFC North in 2023-24. Pittsburgh won the division in 2025. The last time the Bengals won the division came in 2022, and Cincinnati is hoping to do it again his year.
“We (have) to go and get a big win this weekend,” Burrow said.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Joe Burrow sets stage for ‘big’ game as Bengals face Ravens
