Ravens at Bengals
THE STORY: The Baltimore Ravens’ Super Bowl aspirations have ended on the road as a wild card team in each of the last three seasons. Baltimore is in position to host at least one playoff game this season. A win over the AFC North rival Bengals in Cincinnati on Sunday will give the Ravens their second division title and a first-round bye. They could be playing for much more, though, if things break right. If Buffalo upsets New England earlier in the day, Baltimore can lock up home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. That’s a huge deal considering the Ravens went 8-0 at home for the first time in franchise history while struggling on the road (3-4). Cincinnati, meanwhile, will be playing for just its third playoff berth since 1990 in front of a rare sellout crowd. The surprising Bengals can clinch the AFC’s second wild card with a win. The teams have split the last six meetings with the Ravens winning the last game 31-24 on November 18. Baltimore, however, has dropped five of six in Cincinnati and could drop to the No. 5 seed with a loss and a Pittsburgh win at Cleveland.
TV: CBS, 4:15 p.m. ET. LINE: Ravens -1.5, O/U 38
ABOUT THE RAVENS (11-4): The Ravens have seven Pro Bowlers, including linebacker Terrell Suggs. Suggs (13 sacks, six forced fumbles) said he has no intentions of making his fifth trip to Hawaii because he plans on “being in practice with my teammates that week, getting ready for the Super Bowl.” Suggs’ and his teammates have the ability to back that bold statement up. The Ravens’ defense is third in the league in scoring (16.7 ppg) and second against the run (91.8 ypg), but Baltimore will only go as far as inconsistent QB Joe Flacco will take it. Flacco was just 11 of 24 with a season-low 132 yards in last week’s 20-14 win over Cleveland. He clearly missed WR Anquan Boldin, who is out until the playoffs after having knee surgery. Pro Bowl running back Ray Rice did his best to carry the offense, rushing for 87 yards and catching a 42-yard touchdown pass.
ABOUT THE BENGALS (9-6): Despite being one of the biggest surprises in the NFL, the Bengals have continually played in front of lackluster home crowds. Last week’s 23-16 win over Arizona sold a mere 41,273 tickets for a stadium with a capacity of 65,535. That will change this week. A “buy one, get one free” promotion for season ticket holders helped coax just the second sellout this season. It’s a shame so few people have come out to watch a pretty solid team. Receiver A.J. Green is the first Bengals rookie to make the Pro Bowl since Chris Collinsworth in 1981, and fellow rookie Andy Dalton is an alternate. Dalton threw two touchdowns in the win over Arizona. One of the scores went to Jerome Simpson, who did a somersault over a defender and landed on his feet in the end zone. Simpson racked up 152 yards in the first meeting with Green nursing a knee injury.
EXTRA POINTS:
1. The Bengals clinch their second playoff berth in three years even if they lose, but they would need both Oakland and the New York Jets lose as well.
2. The Ravens are seeking to finish 6-0 in the AFC North for the first time in franchise history.
3. Baltimore will clinch the division title and No. 2 seed if Pittsburgh loses to Cleveland. The Ravens own the tiebreaker by virtue of their season sweep of the Steelers.