Baltimore at Cincinnati

Time: NOON EST, CBS

Spread: BAL 14.5

Total: 44

Odds c/o 5dimes

The Baltimore Ravens are 10-5 and in second place in the AFC North. It trails the Pittsburgh Steelers by two games. The Ravens travel to face the Cincinnati Bengals as 14.5-point favorites at noon on CBS. The over-under is set at 44 points according to NFL oddsmakers at bookmaker 5dimes.

BAL

The Baltimore Ravens possess the NFL’s No. 1 ranked rush offense, generating 177.8 yards per game via the rush. It ranks near the bottom in passing yardage at just 174.5, but the Ravens overall possess the 8th most potent offense, generating 28.7 points per game while holding opponents to just 20.0 per. The Ravens have a +8.7 point differential.

Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson has been transcendent. He has 2,644 passing yards, but he has really wrecked havoc rushing the ball. Jackson averages over six yards-per-carry with 908 yards on a team-high 148 carries with seven touchdowns. Gus Edwards and JK Dobbins both average better than five per, and that tandem has contributed 13 rushing touchdowns. Even Robert Griffin III has seen great rushing usage with 5.8 yards per carry on his lone 12 attempts.

The top passing targets have been wide receiver Marquise Brown and tight end Mark Andrews. Brown leads in yardage (728) and targeted passes (92) but Andrew has more receptions (54) and leads the team in touchdowns with seven, while Brown has six. Willie Snead IV functions as the third receiver with 33 catches for 432 yards and three touchdowns.

Baltimore kicker Justin Tucker has hit 25 of 28 field goals, and two of his three misses have come from beyond midfield.

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Ravens are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing less than 90 yards rushing in their previous game.

CIN

The Cincinnati Bengals have won its last two to improve to 4-10-1, and it is in the last place in the AFC North. The Bengals began the season 0-2 before tying the Philadelphia Eagles, but little has gone well since that point. Cincinnati ranks No. 23 in passing yardage, No. 25 in rushing yardage, No. 26 in scoring and it has a defense that allows nearly 26 points per game, leaving it with a -5.2 point differential. The Bengals starting quarterback is Joe Burrow, a player with the immense promise that has done fairly well in spite of the team’s struggles.

Burrow is completing 65.3 percent of his looks and has 13 touchdowns with five interceptions. More problematic are his 32 sacks for 231 lost yards, and the fact that he manages just 6.7 yards-per-completion. Burrow has rushed fairly well with a 3.8 yards-per-carry average and two touchdowns, and Joe Mixon has been consistent though mediocre. Mixon averages only 3.6 yards-per-carry and has appeared in just six games, but leads the team in yardage with 428 and leads it with 20 first downs.

Tyler Boyd has been a big-time as a receiver in the NFL, with 106 targetted passes for 78 receptions, 840 yards, four touchdowns, and 43 first downs. Tee Higgins trails him with 58 catches for 778 yards with five touchdowns and a tea-best 44 first downs. Bernard has come out of the backfield for 39 catches, 275 yards, and a pair of touchdowns.

The Bengals have the makings of a relatively decent offensive team, but the defense has been too bad for it to result in many victories. With some offseason tweaking and the addition of some defensive playmakers, this team could make a leap next season.

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