CINCINNATI BENGALS @ BALTIMORE RAVENS 
Vegas Line: Bengals + 7
Rob’s Line: Bengals + 7.5
This promises to be a contest not for the faint hearted. Of course, it pales into insignificance against the Ravens/Steelers rivalry, but as an individual game this features two of the league’s best defenses…well, the best (Ravens) against fourth (Bengals). However, there’s one ingredient missing and that’s the spiciest of them all – Ray Lewis doesn’t play due to a toe injury.
He may be out longer than just Sunday and not only is it significant in the context of this week, but, almost incredibly (I say almost because this is Lewis we’re talking about here), he hasn’t missed a game since December 2007. Go figure that one out for a ferocious, hard hitting linebacker.
The Bengals have their own injury concerns though as rookie wide receiver A. J. Green has missed practice this week and it’s looking increasingly unlikely he’ll suit up. He leads Cincinnati in receptions and the rapport he’s built with fellow rookie, quarterback Andy Dalton, has this franchise very pleased with themselves right now…and that doesn’t include the draft bounty they received from the Oakland Raiders for Carson Palmer. The future’s bright, the future’s, ahem…orange?!
On the defensive side of the ball, cornerback Leon Hall was lost for the season in last week’s loss to Pittsburgh and as the one player guaranteed to line up against the best opposition receiver, this is a heavy blow. Nate Clements and Kelly Jennings will start, but they’re not in Hall’s class, particularly Jennings. Worrying for Cincy is that Baltimore possess the league’s 11th ranked pass offense, but more of that in a little while.
Last week’s home loss to Pittsburgh was disappointing for the Bengals, particularly in light of Baltimore’s shocker in Seattle, as it means they yielded control of the AFC North to the Steelers and the fact that they travel to Steel Town in just two weeks time means a run of games against playoff calibre teams.
So, Baltimore and that 11th ranked passing game. In Seattle last Sunday they seemed to decide to give it a proper airing with quarterback Joe Flacco throwing the ball 53 times, compared to Ray Rice running the ball a pathetic five. I mean pathetic in terms of a gameplan that basically forgot to use its best offensive player. Maybe the Ravens thought they’d breeze the game without him and had really bought into Flacco’s 92 yard game winning drive in Pittsburgh the week before. Be that as it may, they yet again underperformed against what is not a good team and one wonders how they’ll view Cincinnati this weeek, perennially something of a doormat franchise, give or take the odd year.
With Lewis definitely out, one of two things will happen: they’ll either rally round and play even harder or, without the voice of the defense on the field, lack some leadership. This shouldn’t even be a matter for debate, but the Ravens faithful will have been wondering all week just which Baltimore team will show up.
I like Cincinnati plus seven with a healthy Green at wide receiver. However, that looks far from certain so even if he does suit up there’s no guarantee of him lasting the whole game. I take the Ravens to cover the spread.
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