How to watch Bengals vs. Ravens: Time, TV, live stream, pick as Joe Burrow battles Lamar Jackson on ‘SNF’

To say that Joe Burrow had the Ravens’ number last season would be a colossal understatement. The Bengals quarterback lit Baltimore’s defense as Cincinnati won both games against its AFC North Division rival. Burrow burned in both games, throwing for a total of 941 yards and seven touchdowns. He threw for a franchise-record 525 yards during Cincinnati’s Week 16 blowout win over Baltimore.

After a slow start, Burrow and the Bengals are back on form from last year’s AFC Championship. Cincinnati goes into Sunday night’s game on a two-game winning streak after notching crucial victories over the Jets and Dolphins to even their record 2-2. Baltimore is also 2-2 after losing two heartbreaking games in the last three weeks. Ravens coach John Harbaugh faced backlash after making several questionable coaching decisions during last week’s last-minute loss to Buffalo.

Below is a full breakdown of Sunday night’s marquee matchup, along with information on how to catch the action in real-time.

How to Watch Bengals Ravens

• When: Sunday October 9th | Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
• Where: M&T Bank Stadium (Baltimore)
• TV: ABC | Electricity: fuboTV (Try it for free)
• Consequences: CBS Sports App
• Opportunities: BAL -3.5, O/U 48 (via Caesars Sportsbook)

When the Bengals have the ball

Cincinnati’s much-maligned offensive line has provided much better protection for Burrow during the team’s recent winning streak. With time to throw, Burrow continues to have success getting the ball to Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd. Burrow has also developed a relationship with Hayden Hurst, an offseason signing who has emerged as the Bengals’ best pass-catching tight end.

However, the Bengals are struggling to run the ball as Joe Mixon goes into Sunday’s game with an average of 2.7 yards per carry. While that average is alarming, in their most recent win against Miami, the Bengals were able to pull off enough on-site success to rack up multiple first downs while minimizing the Bengals’ down-and-distance on possession downs.

Baltimore’s defense has several weaknesses that Cincinnati can exploit. The Ravens rank last in the NFL in pass defense, 23rd in yards per carry allowed, and 25th in red zone efficiency. However, Cincinnati will need to further trim its third and long situations Sunday as Baltimore has the league’s eighth-best defense in third.

A pass rush will be necessary for the Ravens if they want to slow down Cincinnati’s offense. That responsibility will fall largely on the shoulders of Patrick Queen, Justin Madubuike and Odafe Oweh, who along with Justin Houston account for six of the team’s eight sacks in four games. However, Houston will not compete due to a groin injury.

When the Ravens have the ball

Lamar Jackson has shown no sign of rust after missing the end of the 2021 season with an injury. The former league MVP remains one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. In addition to 11 touchdowns and 65% of his throws, Jackson leads the Ravens with 316 rushing yards and two touchdowns while averaging 9.3 yards per carry. Jackson should see his rushing totals drop as running backs JK Dobbins and Justice Hill return from last year’s season-ending injuries. However, Hill will miss the game with a hamstring injury.

Mark Andrews continues to be Jackson’s primary target, with Rashod Bateman and second-year full-back Devin Duvernay proving to be reliable options for Jackson, particularly as goalscorers. However, the Ravens offense will be without Bateman Sunday night, who is out with a foot injury. Veteran Demarcus Robinson will likely see more targets if Bateman is out.

Baltimore’s offense meets a Bengals defense that, unlike Cincinnati’s offense, has been good since the start of the 2022 season. The unit is currently eighth in the NFL in scoring, fifth in rushing, third in third-down efficiency, and seventh in red-zone efficiency. Cincinnati’s defense was superbly played by Trey Hendrickson (2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles), Logan Wilson (26 tackles and one interception) and Vonn Bell (two interceptions). And while pass defense is still not his forte, Cincinnati has improved in that area after failing to stop Matthew Stafford in the Super Bowl in late February.

forecast

Latest Odds:

Baltimore Ravens -3.5

The third win will be key to the Ravens’ defense. But even if the unit is able to pull off its share of third-down stops, it’s hard to understand that Cincinnati’s offense doesn’t come close to matching the success against Baltimore last season, especially with its improved offensive line. On the other side of the ball, Cincinnati’s defense should be able to minimize Jackson’s run while minimizing his success through the air, especially if Bateman is out.

Don’t be surprised if this game features multiple clutch kicks from two of the NFL’s best in Evan McPherson and Justin Tucker. Both McPherson and Tucker are 3-on-3 this season and are attempting field goals of at least 50 yards.

Score: Bengal 26, ravens 17