Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens, November 16, 2023
- Winning four of their past five games, the Baltimore Ravens (7-3)
host the Cincinnati Bengals (5-4) for a primetime divisional battle
at M&T Bank Stadium this Thursday (8:15 p.m. kickoff). - Baltimore stands atop the AFC North standings, while Pittsburgh
and Cleveland are tied for second at 6-3. (The AFC North is the
NFL's only division with each team sporting a winning record.) - This marks the third-straight season and sixth-ever campaign
(also 2004, 2010-11 & 2021-22) that Baltimore has produced a 7-3
record through 10 games played. - The Ravens lead the regular season series vs. Cincinnati, 29-26.
Under head coach John Harbaugh, Baltimore is 16-15 against the
Bengals, with a 10-5 mark in Charm City. - In Week 2 earlier this season in Cincinnati, the Ravens emerged
with a 27-24 victory behind a balanced offensive attack that totaled
415 yards (237 passing & 178 rushing). Baltimore's defense was
equally impressive, limiting the Bengals to 282 yards – including
just 66 rushing – and recording an INT (S Geno Stone). - The Ravens fell to the visiting Browns last Sunday, 33-31. Baltimore
essentially led the entire contest, until K Dustin Hopkins' decisive
40-yard FG sealed a Cleveland win as time expired. The Ravens
jumped out quickly with a S Kyle Hamilton INT-TD on the game's
opening series and then added a 39-yard rushing TD by RB Keaton
Mitchell on their first offensive possession. But despite being
sacked four times overall, QB Deshaun Watson led a furious
comeback, completing 14-of-14 second-half passes for 134 yards
and 1 TD, helping position Cleveland for the clinching FG.