The Baltimore Ravens are looking for revenge against the Cincinnati Bengals. Here’s a preview of what to expect on Thursday night between these clubs.
From 2008-15, the AFC North sent at least two teams to the playoffs in seven of those eight seasons. In both 2011 and ’14, the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers all made their way to the postseason. Over that span, the Steelers won Super Bowl XLIII in ’08 and the Ravens hoisted the Lombardi Trophy four years later.
But it’s been a one-team division as of late in terms of the playoffs. Pittsburgh has been their four consecutive seasons and counting. The Ravens have missed out the last three years. The Bengals, in the playoffs five straight years from 2011-15, have finished below .500 the past two seasons.
However, it’s a new year and after one Sunday of action in 2018, no team in the AFC North has a lost on its ledger. That’s because the Steelers and Cleveland Browns played to a 21-21 overtime on Sunday. Meanwhile, John Harbaugh’s club and Marvin Lewis’ team are coming off Week 1 wins. And the latter two teams will square off in primetime this week.
What time, channel is Ravens at Bengals on?
Yes, Thursday Night Football is back and Fox has the package for the next five seasons. And the network is bringing out the heavy hardware in play-by-play standout Joe Buck and Pro Football Hall of Fame signal-caller Troy Aikman, who has been Buck’s sidekick for years. Both Erin Andrews and Kristina Pink will be on the sidelines while Mike Mike Pereira will be around to sort out an officiating questions. But this week, the game will be exclusively on NFL Network.
TV: NFL Network
Time: 8:20 pm ET
Announcers: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews, Kristina Pink, Mike Pereira
Odds: Baltimore (-1.5), Over/Under: 44
Online streaming: NFL Sunday Ticket MAX, NFL Game Pass (subscription required)
Ravens blog: Ebony Bird
Bengals blog: Stripe Hype
As the week goes on, continue to check the current line, and spread at OddsShark.com.
Despite the recent history of this series, the Ravens are a road favorite on Thursday in a place where they have had limited success as of late. A year ago, Baltimore kicked off the season with a 20-0 win at Cincinnati. That snapped a five-game road losing streak to the Bengals.