CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Bengals return from their bye week with a 3-2 record and an opportunity to make some noise in the AFC North. Sunday's matchup against the Baltimore Ravens could go a long way toward determining where Cincinnati stands in a division where nobody has managed to pull away.
The Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, and Pittsburgh Steelers all sit at 4-2, while Cincinnati enters the week just behind them at 3-2. With the Bengals heading to Baltimore, Sunday's game presents an opportunity to gain ground on one of their biggest rivals.
After watching Cleveland knock off the Ravens on Sunday, Cincinnati knows Baltimore is beatable. But doing so will require the Bengals to build on the improvements they showed before their bye week.
A Different Bengals Team?
Cincinnati entered its bye week following a 31-24 victory over the Miami Dolphins, a game that provided some encouraging signs on offense.
Joe Burrow completed 23 of 32 passes for 190 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. While his passing yardage wasn't particularly impressive by his standards, the Bengals showed better offensive balance than they had in previous weeks.
Cincinnati rushed for 117 yards on 31 attempts against Miami, a welcome improvement after managing just 23 rushing yards against Jacksonville the previous week.
That balance helped take some pressure off Burrow, who also went through the Miami game without being sacked.
The Bengals have shown they can move the football through the air, but their offense becomes far more difficult to defend when opponents also have to respect the running game.
Maintaining that balance against Baltimore will be important, particularly against a Ravens defense that gave Cleveland problems for much of Sunday's game.
Baltimore Has Problems of Its Own
The Ravens enter Sunday's matchup coming off a frustrating 13-10 loss to Cleveland. Baltimore scored 10 points in the opening quarter but couldn't manage another point over the final three quarters.
The Browns' defense shut down the Ravens after their strong start, allowing Cleveland to rally for 13 unanswered points and steal the victory on a last-second field goal.
Baltimore played without starting quarterback Lamar Jackson, who has been recovering from an ankle injury suffered earlier this month. Ravens coach Jesse Minter said Monday that Jackson has made progress but remains day-to-day, with more information expected when practice resumes Wednesday.
Whether Jackson returns could have a major impact on Sunday's matchup.
Backup Tyler Huntley threw for 165 yards against Cleveland, while Derrick Henry managed just 58 rushing yards on 17 carries.
The Ravens have also dealt with injuries along their offensive line, adding another concern as they prepare for a Cincinnati defense looking to build on its performance against Miami.
Still, Baltimore remains a dangerous opponent, especially at home. The Bengals cannot count on the same offensive struggles the Ravens experienced against Cleveland carrying over into another divisional matchup.
An Opportunity Cincinnati Can't Waste
The Bengals have already lost one AFC North game this season, falling 30-27 to Pittsburgh in Week 3. Another division loss would leave Cincinnati playing catch-up despite having a winning record.
Sunday offers an opportunity to change that. A victory would move the Bengals to 4-2, hand Baltimore its third loss, and put Cincinnati right back in the middle of the division race.
The Bengals have had an extra week to prepare, Burrow is coming off an efficient performance, and Baltimore has questions surrounding its starting quarterback.
Cincinnati couldn't ask for a much better opportunity to make a statement. Now it needs to take advantage of it.
What's Next
The Bengals visit the Ravens on Sunday, October 25, at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on CBS.
