The 2022 NFL season is underway and the Week 5 schedule is full of exciting showdowns. One of the more interesting matchups is an AFC North clash between the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens on Sunday Night Football.
Both squ ads sit at 2-2 on the season and could jump to the top of the division with a win. Quarterback Joe Burrow outshined quarterback Lamar Jackson in this rivalry last year, with the Bengals earning a season sweep over the Ravens. There's surely going to be some underlying motivation in this one.
Can Baltimore bounce back with a victory in front of its home crowd? Or will Cincinnati pay spoiler for the second week in a row?
Here's what projection models and experts across the industry have to say about the Bengals vs Ravens Week 5 matchup.
Bengals vs Ravens Projections
ESPN FPI:'Ravens (51.2%)
numberFire:'Ravens (62.6%)
FiveThirtyEight:'Ravens (60%)
Betting Favorite:'Ravens (-3.5)
Projected Winner:'Ravens (4)
Bengals vs Ravens Expert Picks
ESPN Experts:'Ravens (4), Bengals (4)
Sports Illustrated Experts:'Ravens (4), Bengals (1)
CBS Sports Experts:'Ravens (4), Bengals (3)
Expert Totals:'Ravens (12), Bengals (8)
On one hand, all four of the highlighted projections side with Baltimore. Despite that outcome, only 60% of experts have the Ravens emerging as the victor on Sunday night.
When it comes to a Bengals upset, their best shot at winning comes in at 48.8% onESPN. This goes to show that divisional games are some of the toughest contests to predict in the NFL.
Expect this one to come down to the wire and be determined by a few crucial plays in the fourth quarter.