Ravens Seek Revenge In Cincinnati

NFL News - November 2nd, 2009 - Written by John

The very nature of the NFL enabled the Denver Broncos to be the darlings of the league, starting 6-0 after off-season turmoil, and the Baltimore Ravens to fall dramatically in the power rankings after losing three straight. It's the kind of what-have-you-done-for-me-lately attitude that begged for pause, wondering how one of the league's elite defenses could become so pedestrian in losses to the Patriots, Bengals and Vikings. It's also the same attitude that instantly flipped the praise after the Ravens after becoming the first team to beat the Broncos last Sunday, now asserting that the team is back and looking for blood.

They will get a rematch against Cincinnati this week, traveling to the Cincinnati Bengals in a crucial division game. The winner will be very much in contention with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the AFC North crown, while the loser will be at a disadvantage the rest of the year.

Being at home means the Bengals get the edge, according to BetUS. They are surrendering three points to the Ravens with an even payout. Picking Baltimore with the points allows a -120 return. The over/under is 43 1/2.

In the last meeting between these teams, penalties doomed the Ravens. They were flagged three times during Cincinnati's game-winning drive with mere minutes left on the clock. One of those penalties came when Ray Lewis popped receiver Chad Ochocinco after a pass sailed wide and Ochocinco was defenseless. Lewis was fined for the hit, and the extra yardage allowed Palmer to throw a touchdown pass late to win it 17-14.

The Bengals have won week-after-week in the final minutes of the game. Each of their first four wins were by seven points or less until finally breaking through with a 45-10 blowout of the Chicago Bears two weeks ago.

A large part of Cincinnati's success has come from their ability to keep teams out of the end zone. Despite ranking 20th in the league in yards allowed, they are surprisingly sixth in the league in points allowed per game, a mere .7 difference from fifth place Washington.

Carson Palmer has shot life into the Bengals offense, returning from shoulder surgery that shelved him for the better part of the 2008 season. But he is back and as good as ever, throwing for 1,608 yards and 13 touchdowns. A big chunk of that came when he threw for five touchdowns on only 20 completions against the Bears. Cincinnati has since been on a bye week, and recent history illustrates their struggles at this point of the year. In their last 10 games after a bye, they have only covered the spread once, and are 3-5 ATS in their last eight overall against the AFC North.

Both teams are carried by an elite pair of legs in the backfield. Cincinnati's Cedric Benson was the league's leading rusher until he was passed during the off-week. He has 720 yards and five touchdowns on the season, while also catching 10 passes.

Baltimore's Ray Rice has also been terrific. He has seen the bulk of the carries this year, racking up 525 yards and four TDs. But he has been a far better pass-catching option, leading the team with 38 receptions for 349 yards, including a long of 63 yards against Minnesota.

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