Ravens vs. Bengals 2013, Week 17: Baltimore’s playoff hopes end in Cincinnati

Otherwise, they will be the three seed and host either Pittsburgh or San Diego in the first round of the playoffs.

Fantasy Studs and Duds

The Bengals are without their regular punter after Kevin Huber was wrecked by a blindside hit on Dec. 15, breaking his jaw and cracking some vertebrae. In his stead, the team has signed Shawn Powell, who spent part of the 2012 season on the Bills roster.

He’s not exactly making his case for a steady spot:

Palmer had 32 touchdown passes in 2005, his second full season as starter. He threw for 4,131 yards two years later, which surpasses his own franchise record for yards in a season set one year earlier. Palmer and Dalton are the only quarterbacks in franchise history to throw for 4,000 yards. Though Boomer Esiason won the MVP award with Cincinnati in 1988, he never had 4,000 yards passing or 30 touchdowns in a single season.

Dalton is in his third season with the Bengals after being a second round pick out of TCU in 2011. He will be the first quarterback in team history to take his team to the playoffs for three years in a row, as the Bengals have never been to the playoffs for three straight seasons, until now.

Game Date/Time and Location: 1 p.m. ET Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

TV schedule and distribution map: CBS; The506.com

Rice is listed as questionable, and was also listed as questionable with the same thigh injury in Week 16. He played in that game, carrying the ball 11 times for 40 yards. The sixth-year player out of Rutgers has had by far the worst season of his career, with just 645 yards on the season and a minuscule 3.1 yards per carry.

Smith is having a career year, as the third-year receiver out of Maryland has career highs in receptions (62), yards (1,101) and yards per catch (17.8). He has not yet missed a game in his career.

This is a difficult team to figure out, swinging between looking like one of the best teams in the NFL to dropping games against Miami, Pittsburgh and Cleveland. It’s strange to call the final game of the season a “statement” or “barometer” game, but it affords the Bengals an opportunity to continue their momentum into the playoffs.

The Ravens are well coached and still boast a dangerous defense, which is a testament to this team’s ability to still be in the playoff hunt despite struggles from Flacco and Ray Rice. They need a win in Week 17 to potentially make the playoffs, and will be a fascinating team if they’re able to break through.

The Cincinnati Bengals are 8-3 SU and 7-4 ATS over their last 11 games and can end the Baltimore Ravens’ playoff hopes with a win over the Ravens at home on Sunday.

The Bengals were a 6-point favorite in Cincinnati as of Thursday at Sports Interaction.