Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals will play against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 10 on Thursday Night Football. Cincinnati is coming off a 41-24 win against the Las Vegas Raiders and is 4-5 on the season.
A win against the Ravens won’t be easy, but it will go a long way in helping the Bengals keep their playoff hopes alive.
Burrow is having the best season of his career, and former Raiders head coach Jon Gruden recently pointed out a weak spot on the Ravens’ defense that the Bengals can target on Thursday night.
Jon Gruden Predicts Joe Burrow To Target Ravens CB
On the show “Gruden Loves Football,” the former Raiders HC mentioned that Baltimore CB Brandon Stephens has not tracked the ball well this year and that Burrow could exploit that weakness.
“He [Stephens] has really struggled this year finding the ball in the blind spot,” said Gruden. “I know where Joe Burrow’s looking, he’s looking at No. 21…There’s a bullseye on him.”
Stephens has played all nine games for the Ravens this season. So far, quarterbacks are completing 66.7% of their throws against him, allowing 520 yards and two touchdowns.
Gruden also mentioned that quarterbacks have had a high passer rating (110.1) when targeting Stephens — Burrow could certainly take advantage of that.
Not only Stephens but the entire Ravens’ pass defense has struggled this season. Statistically, Baltimore’s pass defense is the worst in the NFL, allowing an average of 24.3 points and 280.9 passing yards per game.
The Ravens did acquire Tre’Davious White at the trade deadline, but he has also not played well this season. The reigning AFC North champions clearly miss their former defensive coordinator, Mike Macdonald, and their defense could cost them a Super Bowl this season.
Burrow Is 3–5 Against Ravens in Career
In the first meeting this season, Baltimore defeated Cincinnati 41-38 in overtime. Burrow had a big game, throwing for 392 yards, five touchdowns, and an interception with a passer rating of 137.0.
The Bengals’ QB is 3-5 against the Ravens in his career and has a good chance of leading his team to a win on Thursday night. Baltimore does have a prolific offense, but so does Cincinnati, and Burrow is poised to lead his team to the postseason.
In eight games against the Ravens, Burrow has thrown for 2,271 yards, 17 touchdowns, and five interceptions. He’s averaged 283.9 passing yards per game, completing 68.1% of his throws with a passer rating of 104.1.
Like the Ravens, the Bengals’ defense has also struggled this year. As a result, it will all boil down to whichever QB plays better. Thursday’s result will also be of enormous importance to Lamar Jackson’s chances of winning a second straight MVP award.
Bengals’ wideout Tee Higgins is doubtful for this game as he is still dealing with a hamstring injury. His presence on the field matters a lot, as Cincinnati is 1-3 this season without him.
Baltimore is currently favored to win by six points.