The Baltimore Ravens have somehow brought their season back from the dead by winning 5 consecutive games to miraculously bring their record to 6-5 overall.
Their last win, over the New York Jets in Week 12, pulled them into a tie for first place in the AFC North Division.
Even with all of that, the greatest tests still await.
While the Ravens have already swept their season series against one of their AFC North foes, the Cleveland Browns, 4 of their last 6 games are against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals. The Steelers are tied for first with the Ravens.
While the Bengals are 3-8, they absolutely can’t be overlooked.
Especially not with one of the NFL’s very best players reportedly coming back into the fold to face the Ravens in Week 13 with star quarterback Joe Burrow set to return after missing the last 9 games with a turf toe injury suffered in a Week 2 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“The Bengals anticipate Joe Burrow starting on Thursday night — on Thanksgiving — vs. the Ravens, per HC Zac Taylor,” The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov wrote on his official X account. “Burrow missed nine games with a toe injury — and Cincinnati went 1–8 without him.”
While the Bengals likely get Burrow back from injury and NFL All-Pro wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase back after a 1-game suspension for spitting on Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey in Week 11, they’ll be far from whole. Both wide receiver Tee Higgins (concussion) and NFL All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson (hip) have both already been ruled out.
Burrow seemed to confirm the news on his Instagram stories on November 24, simply captioning an old photo of him wearing a Cleveland Cavaliers No. 23 LeBron James jersey with “I’m back.”
Burrow’s Career Has Become Defined by Injuries
While Burrow, a 2-time Pro Bowler, has been one of the NFL’s most popular players seemingly since the moment he was drafted by the Bengals at No. 1 overall in the 2020 NFL draft, his career over the last few years has been mostly defined by injuries.
Burrow tore his ACL and MCL in Week 11 of his rookie year but returned in 2021 to lead the Bengals to their first Super Bowl appearance since the 1988 season. It was the last time anyone but the Kansas City Chiefs represented the AFC in the Super Bowl.
Burrow was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year for his efforts and led the Bengals back to the AFC Championship Game following the 2022 season.
That was also the last time the Bengals made the playoffs.
The Bengals made Burrow the highest paid player in NFL history with a 5-year, $275 million contract extension in September 2023 but he missed the last 7 games of the season with a wrist injury.
In 2024, Burrow was once again named NFL Comeback Player of the Year, but the Bengals started the season 4-8 and missed the playoffs despite ending the season on a 5-game win streak.
How Burrow Has Fared Against Ravens
Burrow is 4-6 in 10 games against the Ravens over the last 5 seasons and is on a 4-game losing streak against Baltimore.
It was never closer than it was in 2024, when the Bengals lost twice to the Ravens by a combined 4 points — a 41-38 overtime loss in Week 5 and a 35-34 loss in Week 10. Out of the 10 games, 5 have been decided by one score or less.
The last time Burrow and the Bengals beat the Ravens was a 27-24 win in the AFC Wild Card Round following the 2022 season.
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