3 advantages the Bengals have over the Ravens in the Wild Card round

Cincinnati Bengals v Baltimore Ravens
Cincinnati Bengals v Baltimore Ravens / Todd Olszewski/GettyImages
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 3
Next

Home-field Advantage

You can't stress enough how important the home field is in the postseason. An AFC North battle in Paycor Stadium in a primetime slot on Sunday Night? Hell yeah!

The implications will be astronomical and the fans will show up loud and proud. If Jackson starts, the Ravens will be a lot more comfortable as he has played in big games and has been on the road in the postseason before. 

If Tyler Huntley is the QB then this would be his first-ever playoff start and actually his first career start against the Cincinnati Bengals. Momentum plays a huge role whether you are the road dog or hosting the game. 

If Cincinnati can come out of the gate hot and put points on the board then it could lead to some trouble for the Ravens' offense if it can't click on some big plays either through the air or on the ground.

The Bengals' defensive front is fully healthy now with Sam Hubbard back and they will be looking to cause commotion and keep Jackson or Huntley in a box without letting them escape either through wide gaps or around the edge. Over the last two meetings Cincinnati vs Jackson has done a fairly good job limiting the big plays from him. 

Next. Oldest NFL Players to Ever Wear a Bengals Uniform. dark

It's easier said than done, of course. Jackson is as skillful and agile as they come. He is an underrated passer and has a strong connection with Andrews and can also make massive chunk yards with his legs. It will be interesting to see the toll that the Bengals fans come with Sunday with the hope that they can cause adversity towards the Ravens.