Ravens-Bengals Preview

VIDEO PLAYLIST

• Countdown Daily Recap: Ravens-Bengals

SCOUTING REPORT

Ravens-Bengals: 10 observations After breaking down film of both teams, Scouts Inc. offers 10 things to watch in this week's Ravens-Bengals matchup. 1. Get the ball to Ray Rice, then do it again and again: Baltimore has been most effective when they feed the ball to their talented second year back. His low center of gravity, strength, instincts and toughness will put pressure on this much improved Cincinnati defense and could keep the ball away from Carson Palmer.

· Full Scouting Report

Matchup
	W-L	PF	PA	HOME	ROAD	DIV	CONF
BAL	5-5	237	171	3-2	2-3	2-2	5-4
CIN	7-3	215	167	3-2	4-1	5-0	5-3
· Complete Standings

Individual Leaders

Baltimore Passing   CMP% YDS TD INT Flacco 65.4 2455 12 8 Smith 50.0 4 0 0

Cincinnati Passing   CMP% YDS TD INT Palmer 61.5 2217 14 8

Baltimore Rushing   CAR YDS AVG TD Rice 148 733 5.0 6 McGahe... 66 261 4.0 5

Cincinnati Rushing   CAR YDS AVG TD Benson 205 859 4.2 6 Scott 50 214 4.3 0

Baltimore Receiving   REC YDS AVG TD Mason 45 672 14.9 4 Rice 56 515 9.2 1

Cincinnati Receiving   REC YDS AVG TD Ochoci... 50 735 14.7 5 Coles 29 355 12.2 3

Full Player Stats: Baltimore | Cincinnati

TEAM AVERAGES & NFL RANKS
TEAM OFFENSE	TEAM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Total Yards	BAL	349.0
	CIN	336.0
Yards Passing	BAL	233.9
	CIN	207.8
Yards Rushing	BAL	115.5
	CIN	127.8
TEAM DEFENSE	TEAM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Yards Allowed	BAL	310.0
	CIN	310.5
Pass Yds Allowed	BAL	217.9
	CIN	226.2
Rush Yds Allowed	BAL	92.1
	CIN	84.3

HEAD TO HEAD MATCHUPS (SINCE 2001)
Cincinnati leads 10-8
Oct 11, 2009	BAL 14, @CIN 17
Nov 30, 2008	BAL 34, CIN 3
Sep 7, 2008	BAL 17, @CIN 10
Nov 11, 2007	BAL 7, @CIN 21
Sep 10, 2007	BAL 20, CIN 27
Nov 30, 2006	BAL 7, CIN 13
Nov 5, 2006	BAL 26, @CIN 20
Nov 27, 2005	BAL 29, CIN 42
Nov 6, 2005	BAL 9, @CIN 21
Dec 5, 2004	BAL 26, @CIN 27
Sep 26, 2004	BAL 23, CIN 9
Dec 7, 2003	BAL 31, @CIN 13
Oct 19, 2003	BAL 26, CIN 34
Dec 1, 2002	BAL 27, CIN 23
Nov 10, 2002	BAL 38, @CIN 27
Dec 23, 2001	BAL 16, @CIN 0
Sep 23, 2001	BAL 10, CIN 21

A road win over the Baltimore Ravens last month helped the Cincinnati Bengals serve notice they could be a surprising factor in a crowded AFC North.

The Ravens now need to return the favor in Cincinnati or face a major uphill climb in the conference's toughest division.

The Bengals are coming off a bye week heading into Sunday's rematch, but Baltimore enters feeling confident after snapping a three-game losing streak with an impressive victory.

A 17-14 win over the Ravens on Oct. 11 has been among the highlights of Cincinnati's impressive start. Carson Palmer found Andre Caldwell for the game-winning touchdown with 22 seconds left after Cedric Benson became the first player in 40 games to top 100 rushing yards against Baltimore.

After a 45-10 drubbing of Chicago before their bye, the Bengals (5-2) are tied with Pittsburgh atop the division, and they can improve to 4-0 within the AFC North with a victory Sunday.

That would give Cincinnati the tiebreaker between these teams while Baltimore would fall two games out of first place.

"There is no doubt about it, this game matters. It matters a lot for us," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "They can probably survive a loss -- we can survive a loss, too -- but it will make it a lot more interesting if we go down there and win."

Baltimore (4-3) had dropped three straight by less than a touchdown before responding last Sunday with a 30-7 win over Denver, which had entered 6-0.

Joe Flacco was 20 of 25 for 175 yards and a touchdown while the emerging Ray Rice ran for 84 yards and a score against the stingy Broncos defense, but the Ravens' most important performance may have come from their own defense.

One of the most dominating units in the league in recent seasons, Baltimore's defense has slowed down this year after former coordinator Rex Ryan left to coach the New York Jets. The Ravens rank 13th overall defensively but looked rejuvenated last week, holding Denver to season lows of 66 rushing yards and 134 passing.

"Whatever success or failure you have one week does not guarantee or ensure anything for the next week," Harbaugh said. "Our guys are excited about the fact that they played well against a very effective offense, but we're going to line up against a really effective offense on Sunday. That presents a challenge for us."

Baltimore should be especially motivated against the Bengals after allowing Benson's 120-yard performance last month. Since 2000, Baltimore opponents have averaged 88.4 rushing yards, the fewest of any team in that stretch.

"That's something we take pride in," linebacker Jarret Johnson said after the loss to Cincinnati. "We put it on our backs, that, 'Hey, you're not going to run the ball on us.' And when a team is able to do that, yeah, it's hard."

But Benson has been doing it consistently during a bounce-back season. Coming off a career-high 189 yards on the ground against the Bears two weeks ago, Benson joins Tennessee's Chris Johnson as the only players averaging more than 100 yards per game.

Palmer threw for five touchdowns against Chicago and appears healthy after starting just four games last season. He's been well-protected by a new-look offensive line after the Bengals ranked last in total offense and allowed an AFC-high 51 sacks last year.

Even with tackle Andre Smith sidelined by a broken foot, Palmer has been sacked just twice in the last three games, a big reason Cincinnati has already exceeded its win total from 2008. Smith, the No. 6 overall pick in April's draft, could make his NFL debut Sunday.

"We're in a good spot right now," Palmer said. "Being 5-2 and tied for first in the division -- it's ours to lose, really. We just need to hang on for as long as we can and finish the season with a bunch of wins and see what happens as far as the playoff picture's concerned.

"But that's a little far down the road for us right now. It's about Baltimore, and then it's about (Nov. 15 at) Pittsburgh. I don't even know who we play after that, honestly."

Cincinnati will be looking for a repeat performance defensively after holding the Ravens to a season-low 257 total yards and intercepting Flacco twice in last month's win. Baltimore has scored at least 21 points in each of its other six games, but it was held to one offensive touchdown and 12 first downs against the Bengals.

Flacco has looked much better since that game, completing more than 70 percent of his passes without an interception in the last two contests while frequently orchestrating a no-huddle attack.

As a rookie last year, Flacco was 19 of 29 for 280 yards and two touchdowns in the Ravens' 34-3 win at Cincinnati on Nov. 30.

Ravens CB Washington (knee) done for season

Baltimore Ravens cornerback Fabian Washington is expected to miss the remainder of the season after hurting his knee during Sunday's loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

FBO: Week 11 Quick Reads

Football Outsiders apply their metrics to Week 11. Findings: Even when Wes Welker doesn't find the end zone, he's historic; Mark Sanchez isn't ready; DeAngelo Williams needs the rock more; and T.J. Houshmandzadeh may have saved Minny's season.

Bengals' fumble hands Raiders last-second win

Bruce Gradkowski threw a 29-yard tying touchdown pass to Louis Murphy with 33 seconds left and Sebastian Janikowski kicked a 33-yard field goal after Andre Caldwell fumbled the ensuing kickoff, giving the Raiders a 20-17 victory Sunday.

Raiders' Seymour out with lower back injury

Defensive lineman Richard Seymour left Oakland's game against Cincinnati with a lower back injury and will not return.

Ravens' Figurs out until training camp after surgery

The Ravens' Yamon Figurs will be sidelined for the rest of the offseason minicamps because he recently had surgery on his foot.

Troy Smith gets work as receiver

With several wide receivers excused from voluntary minicamp, backup quarterback Troy Smith made a temporary position change to wide-out, running routes and making some impressive catches Tuesday.

McGahee Heads Sparse List of Vets at OTA

The Ravens have had a solid turnout of veterans at all of their voluntary Organized Team Activities this offseason, but running back Willis McGahee was the most notable of those players that opted to attend this week.

Smith Running Routes as Receiver

On one of the final drills of todaya s OTAs, the Ravens faced fourth-and-8 at midfield, and backup quarterback Troy Smith joined a four-receiver set.

Birk Bustling in Baltimore

Matt Birk , the Ravens' newly-acquired center, brings 11 years of NFL experience, six Pro Bowl invites and a reputable charitable foundation to the team.

Chad Ochocinco: I will be at Bengals minicamp

Besides warmer weather, what is another sure sign that Bengals minicamp is drawing closer? Talk about a wide receiver not at the team?s OTAs starts to dominate the conversation.

Palmer: We still need Chad

Carson Palmer has always been about loyalty, which is why during the past two weeks he has talked about the progress of the receivers who are participating in the Bengals offseason program.

Bengals' Hall pleads guilty to reduced charge in DUI case

Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Leon Hall pleaded guilty to a reduced charge in his drunken-driving case Monday, allowing him to avoid jail time.

Odom: I know I have to play better

You would expect when someone adds 28 pounds, that it would slow a player. Not in the case of Antwan Odom.

Bengals counting heavily on Henry

This time last year, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry was entering a dark period of his NFL career.