The AFC North’s latest slugfest comes with the Bengals trying to climb out of last place and the Ravens trying to steady themselves after a costly loss. Cincinnati sits at 3-2, good enough to be above .500 but still staring up at Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland, all of whom are 4-2. That’s the backdrop for Week 7, and it feels like another one of those games where every snap matters.
Cincinnati’s offense has been humming well enough to keep them dangerous. The Bengals rank No. 9 in the NFL in points per game, and Joe Burrow has been sharp through the air, completing 71.4% of his passes with 11 touchdown passes and three interceptions.
The formula for staying hot is simple enough: keep the ball clean. Zac Taylor made that point plainly, saying, “The turnovers is what screams at you,” and adding, “That leads into field position.”
Taylor also made it clear the Bengals know exactly what kind of stage this is. “It’s exciting,” Taylor said.
“I think our guys really get fired up for this game. Not that they don’t get fired up for every game, but whenever we play in Baltimore in a road divisional game, it’s a fun one to get up for, and our guys will be up for it.”
That should mean plenty of opportunities for Burrow’s pass catchers, and Ja’Marr Chase is in line for another impactful afternoon. The backfield could also matter in a bigger way than the public conversation suggests. Chase Brown is expected to have a good day even while sharing work with Samaje Perine, and Bengals offensive coordinator Pitcher said that role balance will keep evolving.
“I think we’ll continually assess how that touch share between (Perine) and Chase Brown should play out,” Pitcher told Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “Every game’s different.
What type of scheme we lean into is going to factor into that. Obviously, what we ran more of yesterday leans into what Samaje does well, which is get downhill and run through contact.”
Pitcher also laid out how Cincinnati views the run-pass split. “You strive for balance when it comes to run-pass,” Pitcher said.
“You’re always wanting to be the most balanced and versatile version of yourselves. It’s like those are high-level goals that you set out to attain.
But never in any given situation are we going to let a high-level theoretical goal get in the way of what it means on Sunday to win a game and what is the feedback we’re getting in a game on a given Sunday.”
On the Ravens’ side, the pressure point is Derrick Henry after last week’s fumble helped swing the loss to the Browns. Henry owned it afterward, telling ESPN, “I got to take care of the ball,” he said.
“There's no excuses for that. I got to be better.
I put the team in harm's way. I sound like a broken record with this, but I got to go back to work on it.
Can't put the team in that situation.”
Kyle Hamilton backed him up, saying, “Obviously, he's Derrick Henry, Hall of Fame running back [who] wants to hold onto the ball,” Hamilton said. “He knows that.
He's his harshest critic, so I'm not going to say anything ill about it. He's put us in position to win a lot of games.”
That setback should only sharpen Henry’s edge for this one.
There’s also the status of Lane, who looked ready to go in his return from injury against the Browns and should have a meaningful role again in Week 7. He impressed in training camp before the injury cut short his 2026 season, and now he’s back in the mix. His numbers could look different if Tyler Huntley is still at quarterback, but if Jackson returns, Lane could be in line for a breakout game.
The cleanest read on this matchup is that Cincinnati can score enough to make Baltimore chase. Still, everything may come back to Jackson.
If he’s back, the Ravens have a much better shot at winning. Even so, the call here is Burrow, Chase and Tee Higgins delivering another strong outing, with Brown adding his piece to the offense.
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Bengals Have A Special Teams Problem Beyond Their Star Kicker
Evan McPherson has given the Bengals a rare sense of stability on special teams this season, but the unit around him has been anything but steady. While the kicker has been handling his part, Cincinnati has dealt with roughing-the-kicker penalties, muffed punts and other costly breakdowns that have put added stress on a roster already trying to make every possession count.
The problems have extended beyond the return game, too. Punter Ryan Rehkows average yards per punt sits near the bottom of the NFL, and coverage miscues have repeatedly turned routine hidden-yardage situations into trouble. For a team that has needed cleaner execution in close games, special teams has become one more area where mistakes have carried real consequences. [Read more 🡒]
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Bengals Make Last-Minute Roster Moves Before Crucial Ravens Trip
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The timing fits the reality of this point in the season, when every practice-squad move can matter a little more than usual. Cincinnati has been working through personnel issues while getting ready for a Ravens matchup that carries real weight, and the roster activity suggests the staff is still sorting out how best to patch together the backup layers behind the main lineup. [Read more 🡒]