A Week 7 clash between the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens quickly turned from Trey Hendrickson revenge game narratives to all things Lamar Jackson.
Hendrickson is the former Bengals player with weird things to say about the club, but Jackson is the star quarterback who was injured all week and ultimately ruled out.
Jackson’s absence doesn’t guarantee the Bengals anything on the road, though. Tyler Huntley has been adequate in relief as the starter for the 4-2 Ravens, with Derrick Henry bruising his way to seven scores already and the defense steady under new head coach Jesse Minter.
Some of the hesitation comes from the Bengals’ side. Are they going to hit the ground running out of the bye? Joe Burrow’s offense has eased off the sluggish
under-center attempts already after struggles. Chase Brown struggling to get going, to the point Samaje Perine looks more effective, remains a question mark.
Then there’s the defense.
The annual question around the Bengals still doesn’t have a solid answer. Will pain points like Jordan Battle and the linebackers correct angle, tackling and other issues enough to prevent big plays? Bengals fans don’t need to be told how dirty some backup quarterbacks have done the team over the years.
All valid questions, especially on the road. But when it boils down to prediction time, two big things stick out: Health and Ja’Marr Chase.
Things are so fresh in Cincinnati that they didn’t even list a player on the final injury report. The Ravens are battered and missing a star quarterback.
And Chase? He’s torched the Ravens his entire career. He averages 7.5 catches for 120.4 yards over 10 games against the Ravens.
Keep in mind, too, this is the exact reason the Bengals traded for Dexter Lawrence. Bully ball in the AFC North. He’s dominant in the middle and the edge rushers are strong, creating a good-looking front against a backup quarterback, a formula that should prevent Henry from controlling the game.
If the Bengals drop this opportunity against the Jackson-less Ravens, it’s time to start asking some serious questions. But the Bengals’ strengths align very well in a way that can hurt the hosts and help them move to 4-2 after the bye.
Prediction: Bengals 24, Ravens 20
This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: Final score predictions for Bengals vs. Ravens in Week 7
