Thursday Night Football doesn't always treat NFL fans with the best games in a given week, but this week looks to be an exception. The Cincinnati Bengals, who currently occupy last place in the absolutely loaded AFC North, travel to Baltimore to take on the first-place Baltimore Ravens. It isn't all doom and gloom for the Bengals, who just lost at home to the Houston Texans thanks to yet another game-winning drive by rookie phenom CJ Stroud. The Bengals, though they are two games behind the Ravens in the win column, are only one game behind them in the loss column, as is the case with the two other teams in the AFC North: the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers.
This division is truly up for grabs right now. The Ravens could've put a stranglehold on the division if they didn't blow a 14-point fourth-quarter lead against the Browns last week. The Browns now have adversity to deal with after losing quarterback Deshaun Watson for the rest of the season. Rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson will fill in as Cleveland's new starter. Pittsburgh is 6-3 but also has a -26 point differential; that's the same point differential as the 3-6 Tennessee Titans.
Neither Cleveland nor Pittsburgh will go away, but it's looking like the Bengals and Ravens will lead the race for AFC North supremacy. This game could very well decide who wins this division and hosts a playoff game. This is an extremely important game. So important that it warrants some bold predictions.
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Keaton Mitchell runs for over 100 yards again
The Baltimore Ravens may have found a breakout star at running back. Keaton Mitchell, an undrafted rookie from East Carolina, has been absolutely electric for the Ravens in the few games he's been able to play this season. Mitchell has only 12 carries on the season, but he's turned those into 172 yards and two touchdowns. He's a threat to score from anywhere on the field.
The coaching staff has noticed. Head coach John Harbaugh has already made it a point that he wants to get Keaton Mitchell on the field more, as he should. Mitchell is averaging 14.33 yards per carry. That obviously will not sustain, but he is almost assuredly going to provide more efficiency than what the Ravens are getting out of Justice Hill, who is averaging 4.3 yards per carry on the year. Gus Edwards is only averaging 4.15 yards per carry also after perennially being one of the league leaders in efficiency at the running back position.
Once a player balls out the way Keaton Mitchell has the last couple of weeks, there is no putting the genie back in the bottle. Mitchell has to play and it sounds like he will play more this week. If that's the case, he should keep the good times rolling against a Bengals defense that ranks 28th in the NFL in EPA per rush allowed this season.
The Ravens win by a touchdown
Vegas has the Ravens as 3.5-point favorites at the moment. Considering that the Bengals are down wide receiver Tee Higgins and edge rusher Sam Hubbard, the Ravens certainly should win this game. But it won't be easy; cornerback Marlon Humphrey is currently listed as doubtful for this game, and left tackle Ronnie Stanley has already been ruled out.
But the Ravens' defense has had Joe Burrow and the Bengals' number recently. Cincinnati has scored 17, 27, 24, and 24 points in their last four meetings against the Ravens. Considering one of those games was against Baltimore's backups and another included a fumble return touchdown, those are pretty impressive. Now on a short week and being on the road without Higgins, it will be tough for the Bengals to move the ball consistently. That should be enough for the Ravens to hold on and win this game.
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