Majority of Pundits Predict Ravens to Fall to Bengals Again
Two weeks ago, an overwhelming majority of the pundits we sampled (57 of 61) picked the Ravens to beat the visiting Cincinnati Bengals on Thanksgiving.
We know how that turned out. Quarterback Joe Burrow returned after being sidelined for 10 weeks and led the Bengals to a 32-14 upset of the Ravens, who committed five turnovers.
Baltimore is a 2.5-point favorite in the rematch Sunday in Cincinnati, but a majority of pundits (35 of 60) are predicting the Bengals (4-9) will win again.
With losses to the Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers in consecutive weeks, the Ravens (6-7) have almost no margin for error over the final four weeks of the season if they are to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Here's what pundits are saying about the game.
Will it really be an upset if the Bengals win?
Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame: "Why are the Ravens favored in this game? Yes, they have two more wins than the Bengals, but Cincinnati just blew them out on Thanksgiving night. Additionally, Baltimore is 6–7, and Lamar Jackson has ranged from average to awful since coming back more than a month ago from his hamstring injury. His weapons are also lackluster, as only receiver Zay Flowers has more than 500 receiving yards. Even against the worst-ranked defense in football, Baltimore is going to struggle throwing the ball. Meanwhile, the Ravens haven't exactly been a tower of strength defensively, allowing the low-wattage Steelers to score 27 points in a loss last weekend. Regardless of whether star receiver Tee Higgins clears concussion protocol for Sunday, the Bengals have more than enough firepower to not only cover but win on Sunday at home."
The Bengals will win and it might not be all that close.
The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec: "The Ravens' last two games were pretty close to must-wins, and they didn't play well. I'm not going to give them the benefit of the doubt here. The Bengals' offense is the one unit on the field Sunday playing consistently well, and it wouldn't surprise me if they won comfortably."
The Baltimore Banner’s Giana Han: "Yeah, I'm not betting on the Ravens again. We've switched from 'Prove me right' to 'Prove me wrong' mode."
The Bengals will be motivated to do further damage to the Ravens' playoff hopes.
NFL.com’s Dan Parr: "This is something I could regret by late Sunday afternoon, but I think it's time for me to finally quit the Ravens, my preseason pick to win the Super Bowl. … The Bengals' own faint playoff hopes were basically dashed by the Bills last week, so it's possible they come out lackadaisical, but something tells me Burrow won't allow it with a chance to deal a rival a death blow."
A desperate Ravens team will prevail.
Bleacher Report’s Ian Hanford: "We're one questionable Isaiah Likely TD reversal away from the Ravens winning last week and feeling differently than they do at the moment. The Bengals have been more exciting with Joe Burrow back in the fold, but this is a game the Ravens cannot afford to lose if they want to keep their playoff dreams alive. I'm sure Cincinnati would love to play spoiler to those hopes, but Lamar Jackson's desperation is just enough to earn a win on the road and keep Baltimore's season alive."
USA Today’s Lorenzo Reyes: "The Bengals essentially have no viable path to the playoffs, and the Ravens desperately need to stack some wins, so they should be motivated to handle business."
The Arizona Republic’s Jeremy Cluff: "Yes, these teams are both under .500, but this is one of the more intriguing games on the NFL Week 15 schedule. The Ravens have to win to stay in the playoff hunt. Lamar Jackson and company will get the victory in Cincinnati. Barely."
Bold prediction: Ravens G Andrew Vorhees will post a 98% pass block win rate or higher.
ESPN’s Seth Walder: "Vorhees should see a lot of Kris Jenkins Jr., who has the lowest pass rush win rate at defensive tackle (1.1%) of any qualifier this season."
| Source | Prediction | Commentary |
|---|---|---|
| ESPN | 6 of 11 panelists pick Ravens | |
| USA Today | 3 of 6 panelists pick Ravens | |
| NFL Network | 7 of 10 panelists pick Bengals | |
| Sporting News | Bengals 24, Ravens 20 | “The Ravens couldn't get swept by the Bengals in a span of three weeks, could they? Sure they can. Baltimore was ripped by Pittsburgh's dormant passing game, and Joe Burrow, before the game-sealing late interceptions, was blowing through Buffalo in the snow. The Bengals continue to match up well and the Ravens' secondary is vulnerable. Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry aren't doing enough to overcome that.” — Vinnie Iyer |
| CBS Sports | 4 of 7 panelists pick Bengals | “The Ravens have lost two straight, including one to the Bengals two weeks ago. Joe Burrow lit them up in that game at Baltimore. What's to think that will change here since the Ravens defense isn't playing well. But what will change is the Ravens offense. I think it will show better than it did the last time and the Ravens will find a way to pull this one out.” — Pete Prisco |
| Sports Illustrated | 4 of 6 panelists pick Bengals | |
| Baltimore Sun | 4 of 6 panelists pick Bengals | “Joe Burrow might not be having any fun, as he said earlier this week, but the Ravens have too often been a welcome tonic for those searching for a cure. The Bengals quarterback is also too good and would like to do nothing more than put a dagger in Baltimore’s season, which feels like it’s hanging by the thinnest of strings.” – Brian Wacker |
| NFL.com | 4 of 5 panelists pick Bengals | “This is something I could regret by late Sunday afternoon, but I think it's time for me to finally quit the Ravens, my preseason pick to win the Super Bowl. After a 1-5 start, a five-game winning streak created new hope, but the optimism has been vanquished by Baltimore's consecutive non-competitive showings at home against division opponents, including a 32-14 loss to the Bengals on Thanksgiving. It's been a Stunning Collapse, Part II. Meanwhile, Cincinnati has scored 30-plus points in each of the two games since Joe Burrow returned from injury. The Ravens haven't scored 30 since Week 8 – the last game they played without Lamar Jackson – and they produced just 36 points in the last two contests combined. I'm not sure they can keep up, even against the league's worst defense.” — Dan Parr |
| Pro Football Talk | 1 of 2 panelists pick Ravens | “I’m still hopeful the Ravens can turn around their offense.”— Chris Simms |
| Baltimore Banner | 4 of 6 panelists pick Ravens | “If not now, never, because the Ravens’ playoff chances will shrink to almost nil if they drop a third straight AFC North game. In this case, we shouldn’t dwell on the result from two weeks ago because of that extreme turnover margin. The Ravens will muster enough offense and enough stops to keep their season off the respirator for another week.” – Childs Walker |
Media Reaction to Travis Jones' Contract Extension
Travis Jones was one of the bigger priorities for the Ravens as they look to retain as many of their key players as possible, and they signed the dominant nose tackle to a three-year contract extension reportedly worth $40.5 million on Thursday.
Jones, 26, was projected to be one of the top free agents in the 2026 class, though he reportedly could have been a restricted free agent.
Here's a look at what the media is saying about the Ravens extending Jones
FilmsStudyBaltimore.com's Ken McKusick: "Fantastic news for the Ravens. … He's long been the Ravens' most significant pending [unrestricted free agent], more so in my opinion than Tyler Linderbaum and Isaiah Likely, who were also a big deal for the Ravens to try to get re-signed. This provides the Ravens with a little more breathing room in terms of money they'll have over the next couple years based on this price. He's been the heart of the Ravens' pass rush the last three seasons. He commands double-teams and creates opportunities for others."
Zrebiec: "This is a key signing for General Manager Eric DeCosta and the Ravens, as Jones, given his age and skill set, would have likely been coveted if he reached the open market. With uncertainty about Nnamdi Madubuike's status in the future, the Ravens couldn't afford to be without both of their key interior cogs. It is also another significant piece checked off of DeCosta's offseason to-do list."
Baltimore Beatdown’s Dustin Cox: "Although he rarely racks up impressive sack numbers, his presence is a force multiplier for the pass rush as opposing teams have to devote two offensive [linemen] to have a shot at blocking him. It is hard to find a nose tackle as disruptive against both the run and pass as Jones is. Rebuilding the trenches on both sides of the ball will be a major task for Eric DeCosta this offseason, so it is a massive help that he will not need to find a replacement for Jones as well."
Baltimore Beatdown’s Zach Canter: "Jones has Pro-Bowl level potential, with dynamite in his hands to shed blockers, both in the run and the pass game. If the Ravens can bolster the pass rush around him, he could be a real force. In the meantime, the Ravens get a steal."
Russell Street Report’s Rob Shields: "I'm glad this got done. When talking about the impending Ravens FA, he was #1 on my list. The CBA issue he had clearly helped make this deal a bit more team-friendly than I would have assumed. I'm glad the team was able to find a happy median there and get a deal that worked for both sides. Jones has more pass rush upside too … just need to put some other real pass rushers on the edges to take some of the double teams off of him. This could end up looking like a steal. As of now, it looks like a very good deal."
Todd Monken Among Sports Illustrated's Top Head Coaching Candidates
Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr compiled a list of the top 43 heading coaching candidates for 2026, and Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken was among them.
"Monken is steeped heavily in both the college and pro game, giving him a leg up when it comes to importing college talent," Orr wrote. "Monken has been a play-caller in the NFL for seven seasons, in which his teams have achieved top-10 finishes in major offensive categories four times. The Ravens have had the NFL's fifth best offense in terms of EPA per play since Monken took over the post [in 2023]."
Orr also identified position coaches he believes could bump up to the coordinator level, including Offensive Run-Game Coordinator Travis Switzer.
"Switzer has been the Ravens' run-game coordinator for the past three seasons," Orr wrote. "He interviewed for the Seahawks' offensive coordinator position last offseason before the Seahawks hired Klint Kubiak. An entrenched member of the Ravens' offensive staff, Switzer was a favorite of current Seattle Head Coach Mike Macdonald."
