In two games last season, Joe Burrow threw for 820 yards against Baltimore, but the Ravens won both matchups. Lamar Jackson passed for 638 yards and ran for 88 against Cincinnati.
Now they meet again, but it’s not clear if either quarterback is ready to produce similar fireworks in front of a national Thanksgiving audience.
Burrow is Thursday night in Baltimore for the first time since Week 2, and while the Bengals certainly welcome his return from surgery following a turf toe injury, rust could be a factor. Jackson, meanwhile, came back from his hamstring injury last month, but he’s dealt with knee, ankle and toe issues since then and than usual when he takes off running.
鈥淲e鈥檙e winning, so that鈥檚 what it鈥檚 all about. I can鈥檛 control an injury,鈥� Jackson said. 鈥淭hings like that happen. Unfortunately, it鈥檚 just happening (at) the wrong time, I believe.鈥�
The Ravens (6-5) are indeed winning now. Helped by a favorable stretch in the schedule, they’ve won five in a row to pull even with Pittsburgh atop the AFC North. Burrow’s return might not be in time to save the Bengals (3-8), who managed only one victory without him.
But the original prognosis was that Burrow would be out at least three months, with the possibility he could return for the Bengals’ Week 15 meeting against the Ravens. Instead he’s back about 2 1/2 weeks earlier than expected.
鈥淭he winning and the division championships that we鈥檝e won are the most exciting things that we鈥檝e done, but whenever you have an opportunity like this against a divisional opponent that鈥檚 won five straight and you鈥檙e playing on a Thursday night in front of the world, that鈥檚 an exciting opportunity,鈥� Burrow said.
If Cincinnati is going to make a last-ditch playoff push, it had better start soon. The team’s next three games are against the Ravens, the Bills and then the Ravens again.
Deep threat
Cincinnati’s Ja鈥橫arr Chase returns following a one-game suspension for spitting on Pittsburgh鈥檚 Jalen Ramsey. In nine games against Baltimore 鈥� including the playoffs 鈥� Chase has 67 catches for 1,046 yards and nine touchdowns.
Last season Chase had 21 catches for 457 yards and five TDs in two games vs. the Ravens, an NFL record for yards receiving by a player against an opponent in a season.
But Cincinnati’s Tee Higgins remains in concussion protocol, which could open the door for Mitchell Tinsley to make his second straight start. Tinsley started in place of Chase last weekend.
Stingier
Have the Ravens really improved that much on defense, or have they just faced weaker competition? That’s the question as Baltimore enters this week’s game having held its last six opponents under 20 points. That includes matchups with the Rams and Bears but also the Dolphins, Vikings, Browns and Jets.
Burrow and Chase figure to pose a pretty formidable test.
鈥淭hey have a really well-organized offense. They know what they鈥檙e doing,鈥� Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “The principles are built into it, and those are the things you have to contend with. Now with Joe executing them, and he鈥檚 the foremost guy 鈥� the system was built for Joe Burrow. So, that鈥檚 what we鈥檙e looking at trying to defend.鈥�
Balancing things out?
With Burrow and Chase, the Bengals have one of the top passing attacks in the league. But Cincinnati has done a much better job of running the ball of late.
The Bengals are averaging 118.8 yards rushing in their last five games, more than double the 56.7 average in their first six. Chase Brown has two 100-yard games in his last five and is averaging 1.7 yards before contact since Week 4, which is fifth best among running backs.
On the defensive
Cincinnati has allowed at least 26 points in all but one game this season, but it gave up only one offensive touchdown in last week鈥檚 26-20 loss to New England.
One reason for that improved effort? There were only three missed tackles.
However, the Bengals have had problems stopping the run. Their 156 yards per game allowed on the ground is the second-highest mark in the league.
Derrick Henry has two 100-yard games in six meetings against the Bengals.
Milestones
Henry needs 19 yards rushing to pass Jim Brown for 11th on the NFL’s career list. Mark Andrews needs three catches to pass Derrick Mason for Baltimore’s career franchise record.
DeAndre Hopkins of the Ravens needs one catch to reach 1,000.
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AP Sports Writer Joe Reedy contributed to this report.
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