Emily: Lamar Jackson is walking with a limp. Trey Hendrickson is finally healthy and facing his former team for the first time since signing in Baltimore. And the Ravens are sitting at 4-2, but they just lost their last two games by three points combined. This is not a good look heading into Cincinnati.
Chris: It’s a pivotal moment. We talked about this yesterday—the offense needs to simplify, the O-line needs to protect, and the defense can’t afford another blowout lead collapse. If we don't get those right against Joe Burrow and the Bengals, that AFC North standing is going to shift fast.
Emily: Welcome to the Beatline Podcast Network, America's number one daily sports podcast network. I’m Emily, alongside my analyst Chris. Today is Sunday, October 23rd, 2026. We are previewing the Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens game happening this Monday Night Football slot on October 25th.
Chris: Hey everyone. We’ve got three big things breaking down today. First, the headline: what does Lamar Jackson’s ankle status actually mean for the offensive scheme? Second, the matchup angle: how do you slow down Deshaun Watson’s efficiency if he stays hot, or prepare for Joe Burrow’s deep ball? And third, the roster battles—specifically looking at the secondary injuries and who steps up when Jaylinn Hawkins is questionable.
Emily: Let’s dive straight into Segment One: The Matchup and the Big Storylines. Chris, we just came off a 13-10 loss to the Browns. A defensive struggle where Tyler Huntley threw one touchdown to Josh Cuevas, but Derrick Henry only managed 58 yards on 17 carries. The offensive line injuries were glaring. How do you fix that against Cincinnati?
Chris: You start by recognizing that the run game isn’t dead, it’s just suffocated. Against Cleveland, Jaleel McLaughlin had 41 rushing yards. That’s not an elite run defense; that’s an offensive line that couldn’t create vertical seams. For Cincinnati, you have to respect that they might try to force Baltimore into one-dimensional play. If the Ravens can’t establish the run early, Huntley or Jackson has to be perfect in the passing game, which is a tall order with Cam Jurgens questionable at center.
Emily: Right, and remember, Cam Jurgens is listed as questionable. If he can’t go, Ethan Pocic slides over. Does that change the protection scheme enough to impact Lamar’s mobility? We know Lamar was favoring his left ankle in practice Wednesday, walking with a noticeable limp.
Chris: It absolutely changes it. Pocic is a solid player, but he doesn’t have the same lateral agility in pass protection as Jurgens. If Lamar is limited, he can’t escape pressure as easily. That means the offensive line has to set up earlier. It forces more quick-game concepts—slants, screens, outs. It simplifies the read for the quarterback, which aligns with what we predicted yesterday: simplify the offense.
Emily: So if Lamar is out, and it’s Huntley under center, do we trust him to manage that simplified game plan? Last week, Huntley went 19-of-31 for 165 yards and a TD. Efficient, but unspectacular. He hit Zay Flowers for 66 yards, but there wasn’t that explosive element.
Chris: Huntley is a game-manager. He won’t turn the ball over often, but he also won’t take the top off the defense like Lamar can. Against Cincinnati, you need someone who can extend plays. If Huntley starts, the Ravens need to lean heavily on Rasheen Ali and Justice Hill in the flat to move the chains. But honestly, Emily, I think Lamar plays. Even if he’s 70 percent, his presence alone dictates how the Bengals’ defense sets its alignment.
Emily: That’s the debate of the week. Marlon Humphrey recently voiced his displeasure over what he called 'slander' against Jackson, defending his QB publicly. There’s clearly high stakes here for Lamar’s legacy and confidence. Let’s talk about the other side of the ball. Trey Hendrickson is back. He’s healthier. And he’s facing the Bengals for the first time since leaving.
Chris: Hendrickson made it clear Wednesday that 'it’s not about me.' He’s sidestepping the reunion narrative, which is smart. From a tactical standpoint, Hendrickson is a mismatch specialist. Against Cincinnati’s offensive line, if he can get consistent pressure without blitzing, it opens up opportunities for Kyle Hamilton in the middle. Remember our prediction from Friday? We said Hendrickson and Calais Campbell needed to generate pressure without relying on extra rushers.
Emily: And Calais Campbell had a sack last week against Cleveland. So the front four is showing life. But the secondary... that’s where the injury bug is biting hard. Jaylinn Hawkins was the leading tackler last week with 8, but he’s questionable. Quincy Williams is questionable. Grant Delpit is questionable. Who fills those spots?
Chris: If Hawkins is out, you’re likely looking at Keondre Jackson or Teddye Buchanan seeing more snaps. The risk here is leverage. Cincinnati has weapons like Ja’Marr Chase (though not explicitly listed in our brief, the Bengals’ skill players are known threats). If the Ravens are playing nickel or dime with backup safeties, Burrow will exploit the intermediate zones. We saw Cleveland use Jerry Jeudy for 69 yards on just 4 catches. That’s efficient exploitation of single coverage.
Emily: Sixty-nine yards on four catches is brutal efficiency. It means the Ravens can’t give up big plays. They have to stay disciplined in zone coverage. Let’s move to Segment Two: Key Players and the Injury Picture. We have a lot of question marks. Denzel Boston is questionable. Tavius Robinson is questionable. Dylan Sampson is on IR. T.J. Tampa is on IR. This depth chart is getting thin.
Chris: It is. And when you lose guys like Sampson and Tampa, you’re losing special teams contributors too. But let’s focus on the starters. Derrick Henry. He had 17 carries for 58 yards last week. That’s less than 3.5 yards per carry. With the O-line injuries, he’s hitting walls. To beat Cincinnati, Henry needs to find running lanes in the second half. Cincinnati’s run defense isn’t elite, but they’re physical. Henry has to use his patience.
Emily: Patience is key. And Mark Andrews? He’s still on the roster. Did he see much action last week? We know Zay Flowers led the receiving corps with 66 yards, but Andrews is the security blanket for any starting quarterback.
Chris: Andrews wasn’t the primary target last week, but that’s because the game script was so conservative. If Lamar is back, Andrews becomes a focal point in the red zone. He’s great at finding soft spots in man coverage. Against Cincinnati, if they double Flowers, Andrews needs to win his matchups. Nick Vannett is also on the roster, so the tight end rotation is deep, but Andrews provides the reliability.
Emily: What about the kicker situation? Tyler Loop nailed a 34-yard field goal last week. Andre Szmyt was kicking for Cleveland and hit a 48-yarder and a 37-yarder. Field goals matter in these low-scoring games. Is Loop reliable enough if the offense stalls again?
Chris: Loop is accurate, but 34 yards is nothing. In a potential shootout or a field goal duel, you want your kicker stretching to 50+. Szmyt showed he can kick it far for Cleveland. If the Ravens’ offense goes three-and-out repeatedly, Loop will be asked to kick longer kicks. That’s a pressure point. Also, Josh Cuevas caught that TD pass from Huntley. He’s emerging as a threat in the short passing game.
Emily: Josh Cuevas, the tight end, making big plays. Okay, so the injury picture is grim, the O-line is shaky, and the secondary has holes. But there’s hope. Lamar is practicing. Hendrickson is healthy. Let’s talk about the Bengals. What do we know about them? The brief mentions what a win would mean for them. They need this badly.
Chris: They do. A win over the Ravens keeps them in the thick of the AFC playoff race. They’ll come out aggressive. Joe Burrow is a dual-threat QB, even if he’s not Lamar-level mobile. He’s a sharp passer. The Ravens’ defense, led by Carson Schwesinger’s tackling (he had 13 last week for Cleveland), needs to be disciplined. If the Ravens blitz too much, Burrow will pick them apart. We need steady pressure from Hendrickson and Campbell, not chaotic blitz packages.
Emily: Steady pressure. Got it. No reckless blitzing. Okay, we’re approaching the final segment. Before we get there, I want to remind our listeners that this show is free every day. We work hard to bring you these deep dives, and a handful of supporters makes that possible. If you enjoy the analysis, please check out the link in the episode description to help keep the lights on. Now, let’s wrap up with Segment Three: Keys to the Game and a Bold Prediction.
Chris: Thanks for the support. It really helps us keep this daily. Okay, Keys to the Game. Number one: Protect the Football. We lost ground on turnovers last week. No giveaways. Number two: Establish the Run Early. Get Henry going in the first quarter to take some pressure off the O-line in the passing game. Number three: Contain the Deep Ball. Keep the safeties deep. Don’t bite on play-action.
Emily: I love those keys. Simple, effective. So, bold prediction time. Chris, you’ve been skeptical about Huntley. Do you think Lamar plays? And if he does, what’s the score?
Chris: Lamar plays. He’s too valuable. But he’s managing his minutes. I think the Ravens win a close one. 24-20. Derrick Henry breaks out with 90 yards. Zay Flowers has another big game. And Trey Hendrickson gets his first sack against his old team. It’s not pretty, but it’s a win.
Emily: 24-20. Ravens hold on. I’ll go with that. We’ll see if the O-line holds up. Thanks for listening to this preview of the Bengals at Ravens. Make sure to subscribe, rate, and review wherever you get your podcasts. Share this with a fellow Raven fan. Until next time, Go Ravens!