With quarterbacks Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow in the prime of their careers, this AFC North rivalry has entertainment written all over it. That’s why NBC picked it to be their Week 5 “Sunday Night Football” contest.
The Cincinnati Bengals swept the Baltimore Ravens in 2021 and it was a big deal for two main reasons.
The first win came late in October, and it was not only a win, Cincinnati demolished Baltimore 41-17. It was the first time Zac Taylor beat the Ravens since he took over as head coach in 2019.
The second win came the day after Christmas and the stage was set. If the Bengals were able to beat the Ravens again, they would clinch the AFC North.
They did just that as they delivered a 41-21 win over Baltimore at home.
But despite the most recent success the Bengals have had over Baltimore, Burrow knows better than to think his next opponent won’t have a chip on their shoulder.
“We know what kind of team they are,” Burrow said Wednesday. “They’re a really good team. It’s going to be a tough divisional rival game. That’s part of football – talking smack. That’s what I love about the game. I have a lot of friends on that team that I went to college with, played with. It’s all love at the end of the day, but it will definitely be intense.”
