Both the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals were delivered wake-up calls with losses in Week 10. Subsequently, both will be looking to rebound in Week 11, when they face off on Thursday Night Football, on November 16, at 8:15 p.m. eastern standard time, inside M&T Bank Stadium, in Baltimore, Maryland.
Which team will emerge victorious? The latest NFL online betting odds are favoring the home team:
Please remember to double-check these online NFL betting odds until you actually submit your wager. Our Ravens vs. Bengals Week 11 betting odds are accurate entering Tuesday, November 14. That gives the best NFL online betting sites plenty of time to make adjustments leading into opening kick-off on Thursday night.
Some might be a little surprised to see the Ravens decidedly favored over the Bengals. Baltimore just blew a two touchdown lead against the Cleveland Browns, during which time the offense under quarterback Lamar Jackson was mistake-prone when it mattered most.
Still, Cincinnati isn’t coming out of their Week 10 loss looking any better. They were thoroughly outplayed by the Houston Texans and made more than their fair share of mistakes. Their betting lines to win Super Bowl XLIII were also hit harder than Baltimore’s in the aftermath.
So, which team’s the best bet to win in Week 11? We’re here to get into it.
The Baltimore Ravens May Be Catching the Cincinnati Bengals at the Right Time
Cincinnati has looked like one of the most lethal teams in recent weeks. Entering Week 10, they had one four in a row and five of six games, displaying explosive potential on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. That shine doesn’t just evaporate because they lost to Houston. The Texans have been sneaky competent this season, in no small part thanks to the play of quarterback C.J. Stroud.
However, the Ravens might actually be catching the Bengals at the right time. Not only is Cincinnati coming off a gut-wrenching loss in advance of a short week, but they’re pretty banged up at the moment. Four first-string defensive players from their base 3-4 defense package are listed as out or questionable at the moment. The questionable guys may obviously still play. But who knows whether they’ll be limited if they do.
Either way, whether it’s absences or guys trying to play through injury, the Bengals will have their work cut out for them. Teams have tried blitzing Lamar Jackson a ton to contain him. Only four quarterbacks have faced more blitzes on the season. But will Cincinnati have the healthy legs to get after him? Debatable. And on the other side, will the offensive line be able to protect Joe Burrow? He has struggled at times when he’s not afforded real decision-making time in the pocket. He’s also been hit more times than all but four other quarterbacks. Baltimore’s defense, meanwhile, has the third highest sack percentage in the NFL. Even if they don’t get Burrow on the ground, they’re going to have him scrambling.
That’s not the end of the world. Burrow is averaging 6.4 yards per scramble—a better mark than Lamar Jackson’s 5.5. But we shouldn’t pretend the former is equipped to win a game with his legs. And given how good the Ravens’ overarching passing defense has been, it makes you wonder whether Burrow is in for a rough performance.
OSB Prediction: Baltimore Ravens (-178)
The Ravens vs. Bengals Point Spread Feels Too Close to Call
Cincinnati has been involved in some mind-meltingly close games this season. If the latest point spread betting odds for Week 11 are any indication, they could be headed for another one vs. Baltimore:
- Baltimore Ravens, -3.5 (-110)
- Cincinnati Bengals, +3.5 (-110)
Though we just finished discussing how Baltimore may be built to aggravate Cincinnati, they’re not guaranteed to pick up the W. Their rushing defense has been burned on a number of occasions, and they’ve started to show cracks and fissures on third downs.
Yet, we’re having a little trouble making a strong case for the Bengals. Joe Burrow has thrown more bad passes than Lamar Jackson. He has less time, on average to operate, in the pocket. And Cincinnati’s red zone offense now ranks 14th compared to Baltimore’s top-three placement.
Bake in all the injuries—including the potential absence of wide receiver Tee Higgins—and this game feels like it’ll be determined by a more definitive margin than what we saw the last time these two teams faced off in Week 2.
OSB Prediction: Baltimore Ravens (-3.5)
Oddsmakers are Expecting the Offenses of Cincinnati and Baltimore to Shine
Both the Bengals and Ravens are working off games in which the final total was at least 57 points. Could they each be headed for an encore? Here are the latest NFL over/under betting lines for their matchup:
- Over 45.5 (-115)
- Under 45.5 (-105)
Defaulting to a 45-plus point total feels like the right call. Cincinnati and Baltimore combined for 51 points in Week 2. Plus, the Ravens’ offense is currently on a tear. They have eclipsed 30 points in each of their past four games.
Cincinnati’s offense has also turned in a handful of big-time performances over the past five weeks. That includes last week’s loss to the Texans. They needed a furious comeback to remain within striking distance and ended up tallying 27 points despite a relatively uninspiring performance.
For the time being, the markets appear to agree without our inclination. A majority of the action is on the Ravens vs. Bengals “over.” Needless to say, we’re boarding that bandwagon, too.
OSB Prediction: Over 45.5 (-115)
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