Ravens at a Crossroads: Divisional Clash with Bengals Could Define Their Season
The Baltimore Ravens are staring down a critical moment in their season, and there’s no sugarcoating it-things aren’t trending in their favor.
They’re heading into Week 15 on a two-game skid, and the last time they faced the Cincinnati Bengals-just two weeks ago-they got steamrolled, 32-14. That loss wasn’t just a blip; it exposed some real concerns on both sides of the ball.
The offense has sputtered, Lamar Jackson has struggled to find rhythm, and the defense hasn’t looked like the unit that carried them earlier in the year. Now, with the Bengals coming back into the picture, Baltimore’s margin for error is razor-thin.
This isn’t just another game. It’s a divisional showdown with massive implications.
The AFC North is as tight as ever, and the Ravens are quickly losing ground. After dropping last week’s game to Pittsburgh, the Steelers improved to 7-6.
They’ve got a tough matchup ahead against Miami, but if Baltimore loses again-especially to a division rival-it could put them two full games back with just three left to play. That’s a steep hill to climb, even for a team with playoff aspirations.
Let’s be clear: the stakes couldn’t be higher. A loss here wouldn’t just hurt-it could all but end Baltimore’s postseason hopes.
The Ravens would need a near-perfect finish and some help from the rest of the division just to sneak in. That’s not the position this team expected to be in, especially after entering the season with Super Bowl expectations.
NFL.com’s weekly picks tell the story of where the confidence level is right now. Out of five analysts, four are backing the Bengals to take this one. That includes Dan Parr, who admitted he’s finally jumping off the Ravens bandwagon-after picking them to win it all before the season.
“This is something I could regret by late Sunday afternoon,” Parr said, “but I think it's time for me to finally quit the Ravens, my preseason pick to win the Super Bowl.”
He pointed out that Cincinnati’s own playoff hopes were all but crushed in last week’s loss to the Bills, but he doesn’t see Joe Burrow letting this one slide-especially with a chance to deal a serious blow to a division rival.
For the Ravens, this is more than just a chance to stop the bleeding-it’s a gut-check moment. Can they rise to the occasion, reset the tone of their season, and prove the doubters wrong? Or will this stretch mark the unraveling of a team that once looked like a legitimate contender?
There’s still time to turn it around, but the clock is ticking. And if Baltimore wants to be playing meaningful football in January, it starts with showing up in a big way against Cincinnati.
This isn’t just about pride. It’s about survival.