Quarterback Lamar Jackson bounced back from a season-worst performance against the Kansas City Chiefs with a solid game (14-for-21 passing, 193 yards, two touchdowns) against the Washington Football Team. Jackson has a 111.3 passer rating through four games, not far off his mark from 2019. His favorite targets, wide receiver Marquise Brown and tight end Mark Andrews, also played better after poor games against the Chiefs. Brown caught four passes for 86 yards.

Rookie quarterback Joe Burrow played the best game of his young career in leading Cincinnati to victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, completing 25 of 36 passes for 300 yards. Burrow has showed why he was the No. 1 overall pick despite taking 15 sacks through his first four games. Though veteran wide receiver A.J. Green has struggled, with just 14 catches on 33 targets, Burrow has found connections with Ravens killer Tyler Boyd and rookie Tee Higgins.

The Ravens rank third in total rushing and second in yards per carry, but their ground game has not approached its historic production from 2019. Running backs Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins are both averaging more than 6 yards per carry, though they’ve combined for just 42 carries. Starter Mark Ingram II played 14 snaps against Washington, his lightest Ravens workload.

Mixon is coming off a monster game against the Jaguars (25 carries for 151 yards, two touchdowns), but he’s averaging just 4.1 yards per carry overall. The Ravens held him to 3.3 yards per carry in a pair of victories over the Bengals last season. Cincinnati relies on Mixon almost exclusively, using No. 2 running back Giovani Bernard as a pass-catcher more than a ball-carrier.

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Don “Wink” Martindale’s group has improved its performance from last season, limiting opponents to 4 yards per carry and ranking sixth in total run defense through four games. Rookie middle linebacker Patrick Queen has steadily increased his playmaking against the run; he led the Ravens with 12 tackles, including three for loss, against Washington. End Calais Campbell has lived up to his reputation.

Cincinnati has struggled against the run, allowing opponents to average 4.9 yards per carry. The Bengals gave up at least 155 rushing yards in each of their first three games, including 215 against the Cleveland Browns. Cincinnati’s linebacking corps, which includes former Raven Josh Bynes, has graded poorly against the run, according to Pro Football Focus. Defensive tackle Geno Atkins could return.

The Ravens have been good but not great in this expected area of strength, allowing opponents to average 6.3 yards per attempt. They’ve particularly struggled against screens and other short passes, a concern given how often the Bengals throw to their running backs. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey has excelled in coverage while Marcus Peters has not played up to his 2019 standard.

The Bengals have allowed opponents to average 6.6 yards per attempt but have picked off four passes. Safety Jessie Bates III has been outstanding in coverage, and cornerback William Jackson III has also played well. Cincinnati blitzes infrequently and has pressured opposing quarterbacks even less consistently than the Ravens. Carl Lawson leads the team with 3½ sacks.

Kicker Justin Tucker made all eight of his field-goal attempts and all 14 of his extra-point attempts this season. Sam Koch has put seven of his 11 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard-line and reminded the world he’s a dangerous passer with a fourth-down conversion against Washington. Rookie James Proche II has averaged 11.1 yards on seven punt returns while the Ravens have limited opponents to 3.8.

Kicker Randy Bullock has made 12 of 13 field-goal attempts and all nine of his extra-point attempts. Punter Kevin Huber has been solid as well, with a 41.5-yard net average and seven of his 16 kicks inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. Cincinnati’s returners have both excelled, with Alex Erickson averaging 11 yards on six punt returns and Brandon Wilson averaging 30.3 yards on six kickoff returns.

The Ravens rebounded from their disappointment against the Chiefs with a comfortable win at Washington. They’re 23-1 against non-Kansas City opponents in the regular season with Jackson at quarterback, and they’ve beaten the other three opponents on their 2020 schedule by a combined 63 points.

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Cincinnati carries a new sense of optimism coming off Burrow’s first career victory. The rookie quarterback has lived up to expectations and lifted the outlook for coach Zac Taylor, who endured a brutal debut season in 2019. The Bengals’ two losses came by a combined eight points, so they’ll travel to Baltimore with real hopes of shocking the heavily favored Ravens.

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The Bengals have become a more dangerous opponent with Burrow at quarterback and a talented group of skill players around him. But they’ve yet to play a team on the Ravens’ level, and their weaknesses in pass blocking and run defense will make it hard for them to spring an upset. Expect a few nervous moments in the second half. Ravens 30, Bengals 20.