The Cincinnati Bengals are 4-1 straight up and against the spread in their last five games against the Baltimore Ravens. With another win on Sunday, the Bengals could put the Ravens in a huge early-season hole in the AFC North.
Bengals vs. Ravens 2015 odds: Betting trends favor Cincinnati for Week 3
The Baltimore Ravens host a tough divisional opponent in the Cincinnati Bengals this Sunday looking to avoid an 0-3 start as home favorites.
Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports
Cincinnati is a 2.5-point road underdog according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. Baltimore is 4-1 SU and 2-2-1 ATS in its last five home games against the Bengals.
Under head coach Marvin Lewis, the Bengals have been a consistent regular season performer with a strong defense. This year’s team looks no different, coming out of the gate with a 2-0 SU and ATS start while allowing only 16 points per game through the first two games.
The Bengals are a perennially strong starting team with a 10-2 SU and 9-1-2 ATS record in their last 12 September games per the OddsShark NFL Database. Cincinnati is 3-0 SU and ATS in its last three games against Baltimore.
The Baltimore Ravens are the only active team in the NFL to have never started a season off at 0-3 SU, and they’ll need a win on Sunday to keep that streak alive. Following a performance in which the offense struggled in a 19-13 loss to Denver, the defense was the issue in last Sunday’s 37-33 loss to the Oakland Raiders.
The Ravens will try to get both sides of the ball in sync against a tough division rival this week.
Returning home after two straight road games could help the Ravens get back on track. Baltimore is 5-1 SU in its last six divisional home games and 15-1 SU in its last 16 September home games.
The UNDER is 6-1 in Cincinnati’s last seven divisional road games and 7-1 in Cincinnati’s last eight road games overall. Sunday’s total is currently set at 44.5 points.
In many NFL games, especially those featuring fairly evenly matched opponents, motivation can play a big role in determining who will win the game. Sitting at 0-2 SU and ATS on the season, the Baltimore Ravens need this game a lot more than the Bengals do, and should go the extra mile to get it at home as a 2.5-point favorite.
Cincinnati Bengals vs. Baltimore Ravens
When: Sunday, Sept. 27, 1:00 p.m. ET
Where: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
Betting Line / Total: Baltimore -2.5 / 44.5 Points
