Joe Burrow and the Bengals will host AFC North rival Baltimore in a wild-card showdown under the prime-time lights of l.
Cincinnati has been an amazing team to back at the betting windows since early November, winning seven consecutive games while also posting a perfect against the spread (ATS) record. Since losing their season opener at home to the Steelers, the Bengals have ripped off six straight victories while displaying an impressive 5-0-1 ATS mark at Paycor Stadium.
The Bengals have won 12 of their last 14 games with an amazing 12-1-1 ATS (92.2%) record over that span. The Bengals have been a tremendously lucrative team to invest in dating back to last postseason, recording an amazing 15-4-1 ATS (78.9%) record over their last 20 games.
After upsetting the Bengals, 19-16, as three-point home underdogs back in Week 5, the Ravens were beaten soundly last week by Cincinnati, 27-16. Baltimore has won six of the last 10 meetings against Cincinnati but—more importantly for bettors—the Bengals hold a decisive 6-3-1 ATS edge.
The status of Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson, who has not played since suffering a knee injury against the Broncos in Week 13, is easily the biggest storyline ahead of the matchup on Sunday night. The betting line, which opened with the Bengals as 6.5-point favorites, has ticked up to a full touchdown demand as rumors have begun to mount that Jackson will not play.
Heading into wild-card weekend, respected money information from Vegas is on a roll. The information helped the SI Betting community go 4-0 on player proposition wagers in Week 18, while also going 2-0 on both teaser investments. Let’s keep the train rolling along and stay hot!
Baltimore Ravens vs. Cincinnati Bengals AFC Wild-Card OddsSpread: Baltimore +7 (-110) | Cincinnati +7 (-110)Moneyline: BAL (+275) | CIN (-350)Total: 42 – Over (-110) | Under (-110)Public (Spread) Betting Percentages: BAL 37% | CIN 63%Game Info: Jan. 15, 2023 | 8:15 p.m. ET | NBC
Ravens Straight-Up Record: 10-7
Ravens Against The Spread Record: 6-9-2
Bengals Straight-Up Record: 12-4
Bengals Against The Spread Record: 12-3-1
Bet on Ravens-Bengals at SI Sportsbook
Odds and Betting InsightsBengals Offense vs. Ravens Defense
The Bengals finished the regular season with the fifth-best passing attack (265 yards per game) and should move the ball via the air against a Ravens’ defense that ranked as the seventh-worst pass defense (232.2 passing yards per game).
Burrow has thrown 12 touchdowns over his last five games and finished second in the NFL in that category, tossing 35 scores. The former Heisman trophy winner produced only pedestrian numbers against Baltimore this season, throwing for 432 yards and two touchdowns while adding one rushing score in the two regular-season games.
Joe Mixon leads the Bengals with 814 rushing yards and has been solid in the passing game as well, hauling in the third-most receptions (60) on the club. The versatile back has been a major factor in the passing game of late, talying 17 receptions for 117 yards.
Ja’marr Chase scored three touchdowns in four games in December and has returned to peak form since his hip injury earlier this season. Against the Ravens, the star wideout has hauled in 15 receptions for 136 yards and a touchdown. Chase was dominant last postseason, averaging 14.7 yards per reception.
It is interesting to note the move on the total, which has witnessed a two-point drop of 44 down to 42. The steam to the under could be linked to Baltimore only surrendering four touchdowns to wide receivers over its last nine games.
The Ravens own the league’s second-best rushing attack (160 yards per game) and will encounter a Bengals’ defense that ranks seventh in rush defense and allowed just 106.6 rushing yards per game.
J.K. Dobbins, Kenyan Drake and Gus Edwards, who have combined to score 11 touchdowns, find a difficult matchup against a Bengals’ defense that has only allowed an average of 72.7 rushing yards per game to running backs over the last six games.
The Ravens have struggled after Jackson's injury, scoring just 13 points per game. Baltimore simply has no reliable passing game without the versatile signal-caller under center. Backups Tyler Huntley and Anthony Brown have combined to throw two touchdowns and five interceptions in his five-game absence.
Ravens vs. Bengals Best Bet
Respected money believes that Burrow, who is 8-1 in his last nine starts at Paycor Stadium, will beat Baltimore and move on to the divisional round. Due to major issues at quarterback, John Harbaugh's squad simply does not have enough firepower to keep pace in this matchup. Covering the spread at an outrageous 92.2% clip over their last 14 games, there is no way to step out in front of the Bengals against a Ravens squad that could potentially be without one of the NFL’s best players.
Let’s play this game in the form of a two-team teaser backing the Bengals in a low scoring game.
EXOTIC BET: Two-team seven-point teaser (-120) CIN ‘PK/Under 49
