The Cincinnati Bengals (0-1) will host the Baltimore Ravens (1-0) in their home opener for Week 2 of the NFL season. Kickoff from Paycor Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 17 while airing on CBS.
The Bengals check in as 3.5-point favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook. Below, we’ll provide a game preview and look into which team makes for a solid pick against the spread.
Ravens vs. Bengals, Week 2: Pick against the spread
The Bengals beat the Ravens twice in Cincinnati last year, once in the regular season and then in the Wild Card Round. However, Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson did not play in either of those contests.
Cincinnati looked sluggish last week, losing 24-3 against another AFC North opponent in the Cleveland Browns. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, the $275 million man, only threw for 82 yards on 14-of-31 attempts. Cleveland was able to rack up 206 rushing yards, control the football, and pull away in the fourth quarter.
Meanwhile, the Ravens cruised past the Houston Texans 25-9 without much issue last week. Baltimore’s defense did not give up a touchdown while recording five sacks in the victory.
The Bengals will look to bounce back with a statement in their home opener, and Burrow himself has plenty to prove after receiving that new contract extension. However, this will be a tough, back-and-forth divisional battle between two teams that know each other very well. This should be a tight one that could swing either way, so give me the underdog Ravens getting more than a field goal.