Just a few weeks ago, the Cincinnati Bengals were careening toward a primetime game against a divisional rival on Thanksgiving night and there was little buzz for what at the start of the season figured to be a highlight of the schedule.
Fast forward to Nov. 24 and the Bengals-Baltimore Ravens game now offers a cornucopia of intrigue and storylines, including whether Lamar Jackson continues his dominant history against Cincinnati.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Bengals (3-8) don't have much in the way of playoff expectations at this point, but they're certain to get a big lift with the anticipated return of franchise quarterback Joe Burrow, who would be starting for the first time since a turf toe injury knocked him out mid-game in Week 2.
Burrow's participation in the game isn't definite, head coach Zac Taylor said Nov. 24, but Taylor added that he anticipated Burrow playing.
Cincinnati will be opposed by Jackson, and that makes most Bengals fans shudder.
Jackson has dominated the all-time series against Cincinnati, and that started early in his career. But the Bengals could throw a big, clunky wrench into the Ravens' ongoing surge for a third consecutive AFC North divisional championship.
Lamar Jackson #8, Baltimore Ravens (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)Bengals fans know what to expect from a full-strength Burrow, but it remains to be seen if that's what they'll get on Thanksgiving night. Keep in mind that Burrow repeatedly said he wanted to play in primetime holiday games and that he still wanted to play in this one as his return from injury and surgery continued.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIf you don't think the stakes and intrigue are high for this game, you need to understand the broader history of these two franchises since Burrow and Jackson entered the league and became divisional rivals.
Lamar Jackson dominates the Bengals head-to-head
Jackson doesn't just beat the Bengals. He beats them handsomely, with style and explosive playmaking and big statistical outings. Jackson also beats the Bengals consistently, owning a 10-2 career record against Cincinnati.
Jackson's career highlight reel is full of clips from games against the Bengals. There was the spin move in 2019. Jackson had eight touchdowns vs. Cincinnati in 2024 alone. His show-stopping Thursday Night Football performance against Cincinnati that year was stunning.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementFor all the highs the Bengals have enjoyed with Burrow as their leader and franchise player, the recent history against the Jackson's Ravens is a litany of disappointment.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) comes in for a play in the second quarter of the NFL Week 2 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Baltimore Ravens at Paul Brown Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018. The Bengals led 28-14 at halftime.Lamar owns more AFC North titles, Burrow owns more playoff wins
When longtime Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco went down with a midseason injury in 2018, Jackson, a rookie, stepped in and led the team to a 10-6 record and that season's AFC North crown. Jackson would help guide the Ravens to the 2019 divisional title, too.
Burrow arrived in the NFL for the 2020 season and didn't last the full year due to injury. Cincinnati went on to finish with a four-win campaign while Jackson helped Baltimore claim a wild-card berth. That was the first year the two quarterbacks were competing head to head. Fireworks from both franchises would follow.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIn 2021, Burrow and the Bengals started to dominate the AFC North. The Bengals surged late in the year to a 10-7 record, claiming what seemed to be a low-hanging objective by winning the North, but we know what happened after that: The Bengals won three consecutive playoff games, each of which was intensely dramatic. Crowned the AFC Champions for 2021 − something Jackson has yet to achieve − the Bengals went on to lose the Super Bowl to the Los Angeles Rams in agonizing fashion.
Bengals QB Joe Burrow led Cincinnati to an AFC title in just his second NFL season.In 2022, Burrow guided the Bengals to another AFC North title, this time with a 12-4 record (Cincinnati and the Buffalo Bills abandoned their regular-season game that year due to the on-field emergency suffered by Damar Hamlin, hence Cincinnati didn't finish the year with 17 games played).
Cincinnati defeated the Ravens in the Super Wild Card Weekend playoff opener at Paycor Stadium, but Jackson wasn't available for the game. Tyler Huntley started at quarterback for the Ravens, depriving NFL fans of a Burrow-Jackson playoff showdown.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThat game remains the only Bengals-Ravens playoff game in the Burrow-Jackson era (2020-present).
The Bengals then went on the road and defeated the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Wild Card round of the playoffs. That stands as Cincinnati's most recent playoff victory, and was the fifth of Burrow's career. He is 5-2 in his playoff career compared to Jackson's 3-5 postseason record.
Jackson still has some bragging rights over Burrow, though, because as Cincinnati labored to reach 9-8 records in 2023 and 2024, Jackson led the Ravens to back-to-back AFC North titles and reclaimed divisional supremacy from Cincinnati.
So, to recap: Burrow has won more games in the playoffs and reached a Super Bowl.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementJackson has more divisional titles than Burrow (even though his professional career started two years ahead of Burrow's pro debut), a far better record than Burrow in their head-to-head meetings, and could this year overtake Burrow for AFC North crowns for the span in which they've both been in the league.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Bengals vs. Ravens: What to know about Lamar Jackson's history vs. Cincinnati
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