NFL Odds Bengals at Ravens Betting Analysis

A huge AFC North matchup looms in Week 7 between first-place Baltimore and second-place Cincinnati.

Coming off a blowout win in Detroit, Joe Burrow and the 4-2 Cincinnati Bengals travel to Baltimore to take on Lamar Jackson and the first-place Baltimore Ravens. After dropping their first game of the season, Baltimore has won five in a row and are coming off a 34-6 thrashing of the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Ravens are currently six-point favorites, with the total listed at 47. The kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 pm EST at M&T Bank Stadium, and you can watch the game on CBS or DAZN. It’s time we take a look at both teams and how they arrive to this Bengals vs Ravens matchup so you can bet against their NFL odds.

NFL Betting Preview for Bengals vs Ravens

Burrow vs Lamar Analysis

Joe Burrow only faced Lamar Jackson once last season due to his ACL injury. It was maybe the worst game of his young NFL career, one in which he threw for only 183 yards and an interception in a 27-3 loss to the Ravens.

The Bengals are a different team this year however and have been solid on both sides of the ball. Offensively, Burrow and rookie wideout Ja’Marr Chase have picked up where they left off in college at LSU. Chase already has over 500 yards receiving and five touchdowns through six games and was named NFL Rookie of the Month for September.

Running back Joe Mixon is averaging 4.3 yards per carry, but maybe a non-factor in this game. One thing Baltimore’s D has been stout against is the rushing attack, boasting the third-best defense against the rush in terms of yards per game. Burrow and the company will also have a tough time on 3rd down, where Baltimore’s unit is tied for the fourth-best percentage for stalling drives and getting off the field.

Despite the Ravens blowout victory over the Chargers last week, Lamar Jackson struggled throwing for only 167 yards, including two interceptions. The former MVP will need a better showing this time around if Baltimore wants to come out of this game on top. Top receiver Marquise “Hollywood ” Brown has been a model inconsistency as well. After an electric showing on Monday Night Football against the Colts in Week 5, Brown only recorded four catches for 35 yards against Los Angeles the following week.

Ravens running back Latavius Murray and wide receiver Sammy Watkins are both questionable for Sunday with lower-body injuries.

Bengals Defense Making A Difference

After being a mess defensively for the last few seasons, Cincinnati is back to having a solid unit. The Bengals are top-10 in rushing yards against, and only allow an average of 240.5 passing yards per game. Corner Trae Waynes is still on the IR dealing with a hamstring issue, but that hasn’t been a problem so far thanks to Chidobe Awuzie and Eli Apple stepping up at the position. Linebacker Logan Wilson has been a beast so far in 2021 and is second in the NFL in interceptions with four. Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell may very well be the best safety tandem in the league and are names that are not talked about enough in mainstream sports media.

Prediction

Lamar Jackson has had more bad games than good games so far this season, and the Bengals have a real defense with a healthy franchise quarterback and a future All-Pro receiver. Zac Taylor’s squad is only going to go up from here, and I think getting six points in this spot is more than enough to consider laying the dough.

The Pick: Cincinnati Bengals +6

I have read enough, I need to place my bet now. What to do?