Gibbs

Pittsburgh regained control of the AFC North with three straight victories. Their convincing performance against the Browns’ defense quieted noise of the defending division champ’s demise.

Another division win against the Ravens would put an exclamation point on things.

Baltimore did their part for Pittsburgh last week by letting Cam Newton and the Panthers rehash memories of glories past. The Panthers’ 36-21 win left the Ravens defense reeling and put a damper on what could have been a game for first place.

Not that the division is settled. Beating Pittsburgh will put the Ravens a half-game out of first place, trailing the idle 5-3 Bengals going into Week 10. With head-to-head battles remaining to be played, Baltimore has as good a shot as anyone.

To help their cause, the Ravens took advantage of a motivated seller and gave up a future seventh-round draft pick for versatile rusher Ty Montgomery. Montgomery had a falling out with his former teammates but should be valued more in Baltimore.

That is because his pedestrian 4.0 yards-per-carry is better than any other option in Baltimore. His explosiveness in the short passing game will help, too.

Which is all fine and good with Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers who are still in control of things. With a possible return of Le’Veon Bell in the offing, they are not jealous of the Ravens’ new addition.

Injuries and notes

Both teams come into this game relatively healthy. Roethlisberger is listed as questionable and the team afforded him some time off in a regular ritual for the veteran passer.

Bell has not yet reported and will leave the running game in James Conner’s hands another week.

For Baltimore, guard Alex Louis and tackle James Hurst are listed as questionable.

Coaching matchup

At 4-4, Baltimore was projected to be sellers at the trade deadline as they prepare to move forward with a new quarterback and general manager in 2019. But standing pat and adding Montgomery indicates the team believes they can stay in the hunt with their roster of veterans and maybe save John Harbaugh’s job in the process.

Because it will likely take a playoff appearance for Harbaugh to return.

Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin has no worries about his job security. The Steelers ignored the preseason conjecture about age finally catching up and just keep plugging along under their longtime head coach.

How to watch the Ravens-Steelers game

CBS Sports will deliver this early-slot game to much of the eastern seaboard, including to customers of DirecTV Now.

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Who will win the Ravens-Steeler game?

Pittsburgh knows beating Baltimore will go a long way in defending their AFC North title. Baltimore knows they can throw a wrench in the works if their defense regains its swagger in time to slow Big Ben and the Steelers offense.

Look for the home crowd to influence the results.

Just a few weeks ago, the Ravens sat at 4-2 and near the top of the AFC North. Coming off a 21-0 shutout of the Tennessee Titans, they were confident they could compete with the other playoff contenders and maybe take the division.

A heartbreaking one-point loss to the powerful Saints kicked off a three-game skid. Now they find themselves in a must-win situation against the Cincinnati Bengals to keep up with the surging Steelers.

Joe Flacco is hurting and looked more like the ailing shell of a quarterback the team saw in 2017 than the revitalized early-season leader who got them off to their fast start. Rookie Lamar Jackson might become the fifth quarterback from the 2018 draft class to start a game this week.

Cincinnati would have lost four in a row, too, if not for the fortune of facing the Buccaneers’ inept defense in Week 9. Still, they can’t feel confident in giving Tampa Bay 34 points in between 45-10 and 51-14 losses, even if those losses came at the hands of the Chiefs and Saints.

Baltimore’s offense led by a rookie or a wounded quarterback could be just what the doctor ordered for the Bengals’ defense. Baltimore might be happy to face the Bengals without AJ Green, too.

Injuries and notes

Lamar Jackson is taking first-team snaps while Flacco receives treatment on his injured hip this week. However, the Ravens have not yet ruled out their veteran as Sunday’s starter.

Both of the Ravens’ starting offensive tackles are truly questionable. Ronnie Stanley (foot) and James Hurst (back) might both play, or they might both miss the game. Their status will determine whether Flacco is behind center or if the mobile rookie is the choice.

Wide receiver AJ Green (toe) could be out until December, according to local beat writers. Josh Malone (hamstring) is also questionable heading into Sunday.

Coaching matchup

Marvin Lewis recruited some help, we think, in adding former Browns head coach Hue Jackson to his staff as an advisor. With both games against Cleveland still pending, he can at least offer some insight for those matchups.

Lewis needs to get the Bengals back on track before the season is lost. He might not survive another losing campaign.

Likewise for John Harbaugh. Nothing less than a playoff run might keep the team from starting with a fresh coach alongside their new quarterback and GM next season.

Losses to the Saints, Panthers, and Steelers is no reason to panic, but the skid has to not just end. Harbaugh knows the Ravens need to get some swagger back.

How to watch the Ravens-Bengals game

CBS Sports will show this game to local audiences in the first time slot. While many fans will catch the game from their cable or satellite television providers, truly savvy fans will watch the live stream version on Sling TV.

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Who will win the Ravens-Bengals game?

This game might come down to which defense steps up. Since the Ravens defense held the Saints and Steelers to way fewer points than the Bengals did, that would give the edge to Baltimore.

Home field advantage and a better outlook on their seasons help, too. The Bengals’ woes continue.

Baltimore might have kicked off the Lamar Jackson era last week when they clawed back to .500 with a close win over the Cincinnati Bengals. The victory puts them in position to take advantage of an easier second-half schedule for a possible playoff run.

The big question now is whether the Ravens will move forward with their future franchise quarterback at the helm or hand the ball back to the more-experienced franchise quarterback if and when Joe Flacco is healthy.

Despite what Joh Harbaugh said before last week’s game about not having to change the offensive playbook much, the Ravens look radically different with the mobile rookie behind center than they ever could with a banged-up Flacco.

Jackson ran for more yards than he passed. In fact, he didn’t throw a single pass on his first drive, which isn’t unusual until you realize the team marched down the field for a touchdown.

Oakland Raider fans don’t care. John Gruden’s troops came through with their second win of the season, stemming the bleeding of a fractured locker room for a little while.

But not all was golden. Beating Arizona with a rookie quarterback is not going to fool anyone into thinking so. It was a nice ending, but the sideline cameras helped us see why fans are concerned about Gruden’s effect on this team.

Injuries and notes

Wide receivers Martavis Bryant (knee), Jordy Nelson (knee), and Dwayne Harris (chest) are listed as questionable along with running back Doug Martin (ankle) for the Raiders.

Cornerback Leon Hall is also questionable with a back injury.

Both of the Ravens starting tackles remain listed as questionable.

Coaching matchup

John Harbaugh hasn’t been to the playoffs for a while and his team would like that streak to end in what could be the final season for Flacco and their head coach. When Flacco was healthy early in the season, it looked like the Ravens were a shoo-in for a playoff spot. Playing behind a wounded Flacco led to some disappointing losses, a pattern that killed their season a year ago.

How Harbaugh handles the Jackson-Flacco decision could mean a playoff spot, as well as a continued stint in Baltimore.

John Gruden continues to coach like he has a ten-year guaranteed contract. Is the locker room contentious or fractured? Cameras caught Gruden in a heated conversation with “his” franchise passer, Derek Carr, during the game. That can’t be good.

How to watch the Ravens-Raiders game

CBS Sports will broadcast this game to the teams’ local markets, which means folks in Oakland smart enough to have cut the cord with their cable or satellite provider, can watch the live stream NFL contest on DirecTV Now.

DirecTV Now carries CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, and the NFL Network. That means you can follow live stream NFL action all season long on your internet-connected TV, computer, tablet, or smartphone wherever you have a Wi-Fi signal.

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Who will win the Ravens-Raiders game?

Baltimore knows they can’t lose a game against a rebuilding franchise like the Raiders. It has “trap game” written all over it, but the team will be led by either a savvy veteran or an excited rookie. Neither is likely to allow their teammates to let down.

Oakland was feeling pretty good after last week’s win. They say winning is contagious, but in Oakland’s case, it has probably run its course.

Tampa Bay played the mighty New Orleans Saints to a tie for one half last week before the Buccaneers offense was shut down in a 28-14 loss.

Baltimore played the powerful Kansas City Chiefs offense even tougher for most of the game, but couldn’t escape with a victory.

That might have to be the last game the Ravens lose if they are going to make the playoffs this season. Right now, they own the tiebreaker among a group of four 7-6 teams vying for the final wild-card spot.

With two more teams lurking a game behind, there is little room for another loss.

We can’t always tell what will happen, but we know whatever happens to the Ravens will happen with Lamar Jackson behind center. John Harbaugh made the difficult, but probably correct decision to keep Joe Flacco on the sidelines as Jackson’s backup when he is healthy enough to play.

Jackson has added new life to the Ravens’ team. Flacco’s more accurate arm and experience don’t offer as much a chance at winning games as Jackson’s speed and deception. It is possible Flacco has started his last game for Baltimore.

The Buccaneers’ Jameis Winston is fighting for a job next season. He knows the Buccaneers might decide to move on from their former first-round pick and winning some games will help his prospects as a free agent.

Other than the second half of last week, Winston has moved the ball consistently and without turnovers since spelling Ryan Fitzpatrick for the second time this season.

Injuries and notes

Flacco got some practice this week but is listed as questionable, as is left guard Alex Lewis. Linebacker Tim Lewis and safety Tony Jefferson are nursing ankle injuries that make them questionable for Sunday, too.

Tampa’s secondary is banged up with safeties Justin Evans (toe) and Isaiah Johnson (concussion) joining cornerback Carlton Davis (knee) on the injury lists as questionable.

Also listed as questionable, and leaning toward doubtful, is wide receiver DeSean Jackson (thumb).

Coaching matchup

Winston has expressed a desire to win out the season in hopes of saving Dirk Koetter’s job. It might save Winston’s position on the team, but it is unclear if Koetter can expect to be back even in that scenario. Ironically, winning out with Winston would only make Koetter’s decision to roll with Fitzpatrick for so many games more damning.

John Harbaugh was also rumored to be on his way out along with Flacco as new blood would come in to start the Lamar Jackson Era. But if Harbaugh gets the Ravens deep into the playoffs with Jackson at the helm, that might change the plan. Harbaugh made a lot of adjustments to let Jackson use his speed and minimize his throwing, and Baltimore is flirting with the playoffs because of it.

How to watch the Ravens-Buccaneers game

Fox Sports will offer this game to network affiliates in much of the greater Baltimore and Cleveland areas, as well as Tampa Bay. That means subscribers can watch the live stream NFL action on Sling TV.

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Who will win the Ravens-Buccaneers game?

Baltimore’s defense has had some bad games, but it is still among the leaders in most categories thanks to some spectacular efforts at home. Tampa Bay will test them with their assortment of receiving options, but in the end, the team with something to play for will take care of business in front of their home fans.