Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) … [+]
The NFL Thursday Night Football matchup on Nov. 16 is drawing more watch and wager interest as the game approaches between the Cincinnati Bengals (5-4) and Baltimore Ravens (7-3). The Ravens lead the AFC North, and Baltimore beat the Bengals 27-24 back in Week 2.
The Ravens are a -3.5 point favorite, and game total is 46 points. Playbook Sports notes that the Ravens blew leads in their three losses this season, and Baltimore has trailed a total of less than 29 minutes this season. The Ravens are No. 1 in the league in DVOA, one of Football Outsiders proprietary metrics that stands for Defense-adjusted Value Over Average. Despite injuries to key running backs, the Ravens are rushing the ball for a league-high 155 yards per game and 32.4 attempts per game – second-highest in the league. Lamar Jackson leads all NFL quarterbacks in rushing with 481 yards, while Bengals RB Joe Mixon (536) and Ravens RB Gus Edwards (502) are the teams leading rushers.
In Baltimore’s Week 2 win at Cincinnati, the Ravens rushed for 178 yards on 37 attempts to the Bengals 66 rushing yards on 15 attempts. Lamar Jackson also had 237 passing yards and 2 TD’s to Joe Burrow’s 222 passing yards and 2 TD’s plus an INT when he was playing less healthy than he is now.
That rushing dominance and matchup edge favors the Ravens again in this division duel. The Ravens 155 rushing yards per game is No. 1 in the league, and the Bengals average of 75 rushing yards per game is No. 32 while averaging just 20.7 rushing attempts per game (31st).
Four things to watch for in Bengals-Ravens AFC North Thursday night showdown
Note too that the Bengals defense is allowing 136 rushing yards per game at 5.0 yards per rush – both bottom-3 in the league. Cincinnati will also be without one of their better run stoppers Sam Hubbard (ankle) again for this game. Both Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson threw two interceptions last week as both teams suffered last second losses on the final play of the game.
Joe Burrow will be unable to target WR Tee Higgins (hamstring), who misses his second-straight game. The Bengals defense leads the AFC with 12 interceptions. But the Ravens have been one of the NFL’s top pass defenses all season (10 INT’s), and will put more pressure on Joe Burrow with their league-high 39 sacks. If Jackson protects the football and avoids turnover troubles, the Ravens are in position to win and cash in again.
Pick: Ravens
Player Props
Beyond the moneyline odds, spread and over/under bets including on the quarterbacks, fans and bettors will be adding many prop bets on the Bengals-Ravens players to kickoff Week 11 at the leading online sportsbooks.
Types of bets and how to read the odds.
FanDuel Sportsbook has the following player props and yardages for some of the popular players.
- Bengals QB Joe Burrow: Over/Under 252 passing yards and 12.5 rushing yards
- Ravens QB Lamar Jackson: Over/Under 223.5 passing yards and 44.5 rushing yards
- Bengals RB Joe Mixon: Over/Under 54.5 rushing yards
- Ravens RB Gus Edwards: Over/Under 44.5 rushing yards
- Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell: Over/Under 37.5 rushing yards
- Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase: Over/Under 82.5 receiving yards
- Bengals WR Tyler Boyd: Over/Under 43.5 receiving yards
- Ravens TE Mark Andrews: Over/Under 57.5 receiving yards
- Ravens WR Zay Flowers: Over/Under 51.5 receiving yards
Target Joe Burrow to throw an interception (yes, -114) as one of you’re player props.
Bettors are cashing in on more NFL games going under the total at a 62% rate through 10 weeks. It’s been much stronger in the 33 prime time NFL night games this season on Thursday, Sunday and Monday night with 26 of those games going under the total.
Follow the NFL teams, odds and betting news as the Bengals-Ravens prime time game is one of the best of the season thus far ahead of the Nov. 20 Monday Night Football showdown and Super Bowl rematch between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. Then it’s Thanksgiving and a fulfilling time of the football season as teams push for the playoffs.
You can bet on it.
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