Cincinnati Bengals vs Baltimore Ravens Picks and Predictions for Sunday October 25 2026
Baltimore scored ten points against Cleveland last Sunday. Ten. Now the Ravens have Joe Burrow and the Bengals coming to town, and everybody’s waiting to see if Lamar Jackson can play. That’s a pretty important question when you’re laying three points against a division rival.
Cincinnati heads to M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday, October 25, 2026. Kickoff is at 1:00 PM ET on CBS. Baltimore is favored by three, and the total is 51. Jackson’s ankle is the story, at least until somebody tells us for sure whether he’s playing. You can find more games on our free NFL picks page.
Cincinnati Bengals Can Make This Interesting
The Bengals are 3-2 after beating Miami 31-24 before their bye. They’ve had an extra week to get ready for Baltimore, which doesn’t hurt. Cincinnati has won three of its first five, and the offense has been good enough to keep them in games. The running game hasn’t done much, but Burrow can still move the ball when he’s got time to throw. That’s the problem. Against Baltimore, time to throw isn’t something you can count on.
Cincinnati averages 25.6 points and allows 21.8 per game. That’s a decent offense, although the Bengals have been leaning on the passing game too much. Chase Brown hasn’t been able to give them much of a running threat, and that means defenses can get after Burrow without worrying about being gashed on the ground. Baltimore has some injuries up front, so Cincinnati needs to take advantage. If the Bengals can run for four or five yards on first down, the whole offense gets easier. If they can’t, Burrow’s going to spend the afternoon throwing into tight coverage.
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Burrow has 1,361 passing yards with 11 touchdowns and three interceptions. Tee Higgins leads the receivers with 423 yards, while Brown has 246 rushing yards. Ja’Marr Chase has been dealing with a concussion concern, and Higgins has had a groin issue. Those are two injuries Cincinnati can’t afford to ignore. Burrow can make a lot of throws, but he needs his receivers on the field. If both are healthy, Baltimore’s secondary has a long afternoon ahead.
Baltimore Ravens Need Their Offense Back
Baltimore is 4-2 after losing 13-10 to Cleveland. That’s a tough one to swallow, especially at home. The Ravens had managed to win games with Tyler Huntley while Jackson was out, but the Browns made them look pretty ordinary. Ten points isn’t going to win many games in this division. Baltimore needs Jackson back, and it needs him able to move. A quarterback with a bad ankle isn’t the same player when half his game is making defenders miss.
The Ravens average 26 points per game and allow 22. The running game has kept them going, and Derrick Henry is still a load to bring down. But without Jackson, defenses can crowd the line and make Baltimore throw. That’s what Cleveland did, and it worked. Cincinnati isn’t as strong defensively as the Browns, but the Bengals have enough talent to make things uncomfortable. Baltimore needs to stay ahead of the chains and avoid putting Huntley in obvious passing situations if Jackson can’t go.
Henry has rushed for 534 yards and seven touchdowns. Zay Flowers has 471 receiving yards, and Jackson has thrown for 967 yards with six touchdowns and one interception. Those are good numbers when everybody’s healthy. The trouble is Jackson has missed two straight games with that ankle injury. Center Cam Jurgens and defensive tackle Broderick Washington have also been dealing with injuries. Baltimore has enough talent to win without Jackson, but asking the Ravens to cover a field goal against Burrow is another matter.
Cincinnati Bengals vs Baltimore Ravens Picks and Predictions
Cincinnati Bengals +3 (-110)
I’ll take Cincinnati and the three points. If Jackson plays and looks like himself, this bet gets a lot more uncomfortable. But I’m not laying a field goal with Baltimore until I know what I’m getting at quarterback. The Ravens just scored ten points against Cleveland, and Cincinnati has had an extra week to prepare. Burrow can keep the Bengals in this game, especially if Chase and Higgins are available. Baltimore might win it with Henry pounding away in the fourth quarter. That’s fine. Give me the full field goal in a game that could easily be decided by one kick.
Under 51 Points (-110)
I’m going under 51. That’s a pretty big total for a Baltimore offense that hasn’t been right without Jackson. The Ravens can run the ball, and I expect they’ll lean on Henry whether Jackson plays or not. Cincinnati will throw, but Baltimore can make Burrow work for his yards. The danger is obvious. Jackson comes back healthy, Burrow gets his receivers going, and suddenly we’ve got a 31-28 game. But I don’t see both offenses running wild Sunday. I’ll call it Cincinnati 24, Baltimore 23.
Final Picks: Cincinnati Bengals +3 (-110) and Under 51 Points (-110)
This preview was completed October 20, 2026. Lamar Jackson’s availability, other injuries, betting lines, and weather may change before kickoff.
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