The Cincinnati Bengals are still mathematically alive for a playoff berth, but even in a weak division the reality is that they are most likely done after another lackluster performance in a loss to the Bills. They can make things interesting in the AFC North, however, and deal a blow to the Baltimore Ravens when the teams hook up in Week 12 in the first of two meetings over the final six weeks. Cincinnati also has a game with Pittsburgh in a few weeks and their postseason hopes could be revived with a victory.
This contest in Week 12 of the regular season will go down Sunday, November 27, 2016, at 1 p.m. ET at MT Bank Stadium.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Cincinnati Bengals +4.5
Baltimore Ravens -4.5
Over/Under 41.5
Odds Analysis
Any support the Bengals might have had vanished after Sunday’s loss. Baltimore opened as a 3-point favorite and early money on the home team drove the spread up to -4.5 fast. The Ravens are getting over 80 percent of the spread bets but it’s hard to envision the line going much higher. Cincinnati has enjoyed success recently in the series winning five straight while going 4-1 ATS, but this Bengals squad is beat up and looks defeated.
Injury Report
A.J. Green – Cincinnati’s bad season got a little worse when Green was helped off the field due to a hamstring injury. Not that the Bengals offense was a well-oiled machine, but losing one of the best receivers in the game hinders the unit even more. The Bengals have no one on their roster that can do what Green can, and there are few in the league who can match his production.
Jimmy Smith – The Ravens have one of the top defenses in the league thanks to cornerback Smith, who is usually assigned to cover the opponents’ top receiver. Smith sat out last game with a back injury and Dez Bryant took advantage. In time that Smith has missed this season, opposing quarterbacks are completing 75 percent of their passes with five touchdowns.
Matchup to Watch
Part of Cincinnati’s decline on offense can be attributed to an offensive line that hasn’t been as good as advertised. Of course the passing game has suffered with the departures of Mohammad Sanu and Marvin Jones Jr., as well as the loss of Tyler Eifert for most of the season. In previous years Andy Dalton was given time to pick defenses apart and he expertly did the job. It’s been a different story in 2016.
The Bengals allowed a total of 32 sacks last season while Dalton and A.J. McCarron compiled a 104.1 passer rating and tossed just nine interceptions. Dalton has been sacked 29 times already this season and has been under constant duress. He was sacked just once on Sunday, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. Dalton has some impressive numbers, but due to the lack of a run game, he’s been launching a lot of passes. And with Green likely out for some time, the passing game could be in for more difficulty moving forward against one of the stingiest defenses in the NFL.
Free ATS Pick
The Bengals were one of the healthier clubs entering play on Sunday, but they got hit hard with the injury stick against the Bills. Two major offensive weapons are out of the lineup after Green and Giovani Bernard were felled. It’s not like the Bengals were lighting it up with those guys in the huddle, but it’s hard to imagine them doing any better without them. Green is one of the best at his position and a big reason for Dalton’s lofty passing stats. Bernard was the team’s featured back and formed a nice duo with Jeremy Hill. Now Cincy will struggle to find capable replacements and the offense will certainly suffer.
And that should make things a bit easier for the Ravens, who were trampled by the Cowboys on Sunday to put the division leaders at 5-5. While the Bengals still have a chance at winning the AFC North and sliding into the playoffs, it’s an unlikely scenario given their recent play and now the injury concerns. The Bengals said at the beginning of the year that this team is different from the ones that made an early playoff exit. And it looks like they were right, because the postseason is all but a dream right now.
NFL Odds: Ravens 24, Bengals 20
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