The preseason projected winner and runner up of the AFC North face off in NFL Week 7 as the Cincinnati Bengals (3-2) take on the Baltimore Ravens (4-2).

Expectations were high for both of these divisional foes, but bumps in the road have been faced on both sidelines of this rivalry. Cincinnati is trying to prove its legitimacy as a Super Bowl contender and defeat a winning team. The Ravens are dealing with familiar problems under a new coaching staff, but formidable talent is still spread across the roster. Such is the case for both rosters, really.

CBS’ lead broadcast crew is calling this game for a reason. It should be a close contest akin to the majority of meetings these teams have had this decade. Our AFC North beat writers certainly see a barnburner when looking at their predictions.

Bengals 30, Ravens 27

The big question entering the week was whether or not the Ravens will have quarterback Lamar Jackson for this AFC North battle. After practicing each of the last two days, it’s looking like he’ll play. Dropping to 4-3 on the season and 0-2 in divisional play would be a rough start for Baltimore, and this game against the Bengals is one they badly need. Baltimore struggled badly on offense against the Browns after the first few drives of the game, and Week 7 will be another tough test against a good Bengals’ defensive front.

Cincinnati is well rested off an early bye week, and the road team in this matchup is in a similar situation: trying not to start 0-2 in AFC North play. The thing is, I believe the Bengals have an easier home to climb out of if they drop this game. With that being said, I have to roll with the Bengals coming out of the bye week. Baltimore looks like a lesser product on the field aside from Jackson at quarterback, and Burrow will have success finding his weapons against their defense. These games are always close; this one will be too.

– Brandon Little, A to Z Cleveland

Ravens 26, Bengals 24

This is a game Bengals fans should be genuinely excited to watch. If championship aspirations are to be taken seriously, a road game against the biggest adversary in the division is an environment in which the moment is met. That doesn’t mean victory is certain. The margin for error against knowledgable rival players is extremely small, but that’s not an excuse to not at least look the part.

Cincinnati should play well in this game. If the opposite becomes true, then it will say a lot more about where things actually stand with both the roster and coaching staff. Ultimately, I think the Ravens have a better chance of winning when it comes to the details. Derrick Henry hasn’t always been efficient this year, but he’s built to attack the current weaknesses of the Bengals defense. Jackson’s track record against multiple iterations of the unit is solid. Baltimore may have a systemic issue blowing leads, but is Cincinnati’s offense ready to finish games against a quality team? Something may give there.

That’s a long way to say this should be as close as it gets. Because it’s likely Jackson out there and not Tyler Huntley, I’ll predict the home team comes out on top.

– John Sheeran, A to Z Cincinnati

Bengals 30, Ravens 27

Assuming Jackson is back for the Ravens, this game becomes one of the best on the Sunday slate. The Bengals were off last week, while the Ravens fell to the Browns in a tight game in Cleveland. One would assume that if Jackson is playing in that game, the Ravens escape the Dawg Pound with a win. But now they face the potential of dropping two straight. The problem for Baltimore isn’t just that they are playing a good Bengals team; they are playing a team off a bye, where they will be rested and prepared.

We have seen some crazy battles between Burrow and Jackson over the years, and I believe we could be in for another shootout, but the Bengals offense will prove to be overwhelming for a Ravens defense that has largely been inconsistent on the back end. Give me Cincy.

– Rob Gregson, A to Z Pittsburgh

Final Prediction for Bengals at Ravens

Two out of three predictions go the Bengals’ way. Last year’s series ended in a 1-1 split for the first time since the 2022 season. No one would be surprised if this year ends the same. It starts with one team landing the first blow. Unless it’s a tie, in which case literally no one wins.