Ravens vs Bengals Prediction - NFL Picks 9/17/23

The Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals face off on Sunday in a Week 2 NFL showdown at Paul Brown Stadium. 

Can Ravens Move to 2-0?

The Ravens faced off against the Houston Texans in Week 1, and it was a big third quarter that was the difference on the way to the victory. The defense also had a big game giving up only nine points. Lamar Jackson completed 17 of his 22 passes for 169 yards and an interception. He also rushed six times for 38 yards. Even though the Ravens were able to secure the victory, they did suffer a bad injury. J.K. Dobbins tore his Achilles and he’s now out for the season. Justice Hill finished with eight carries for nine yards and two touchdowns. He and Gus Edwards are going to need to be strong here. 

Ravens Betting Trends

• The Ravens have won each of their last three games as road underdogs following a home win.
• The Ravens have covered the spread in each of their last five Sunday games as underdogs.
• The Ravens have won the first quarter in six of their last seven games as underdogs following a home win.
• The Ravens have scored the first touchdown in nine of their last 12 games following a win.
• The Ravens have won the first half in each of their last five games in September.

How do the Bengals Bounce Back?

This is a Bengals team that believes they can win the Super Bowl, but they need to find a way to forget about the first game if that’s going to happen. Joe Burrow looked lost in Game 1 and the Bengals ended up losing 24-3. Burrow completed 14 of his 31 passes for 82 yards. Joe Mixon was the top rusher finishing with 13 carries for 56 yards. The defense also wasn’t great but in this game it’s going to come down to the offense. If Burrow struggles here, the Bengals are going to fall 0-2.