The sportsbook odds for this week’s clash between Baltimore and Cincinnati will feature a pair of teams looking to knock Pittsburgh off the AFC North throne, and the Ravens are looking to follow up their win last week but they’re facing a hot Cincinnati team.

Ravens vs Bengals odds – Sunday, November 8, 1:00 PM ET

The Ravens came off their bye week and handed Denver their first loss with a 30-7 thrashing at home, powered by a stingy defense that allowed just 200 yards, including 66 on the ground. The defense is the key to the Ravens’ NFL football odds and they’ve struggled this year while getting used to not having Rex Ryan calling the plays, but they came out with that familiar intensity that always makes them one of the top NFL picks in the AFC. Joe Flacco was 20-of-25 for 175 yards and a touchdown, which was the seventh straight game in which he’s tossed a score.

The Bengals are coming off their bye week, and their last game was a 45-10 mauling of Chicago in which they forced four turnovers, while Cedric Benson got some revenge on his old team with 189 yards and a major on the ground. As impressive as that was, though, Carson Palmer was 20-of-24 for 233 yards and five touchdowns with no picks. Cincy’s NFL football odds depend heavily on Palmer’s return to form, and it’s no coincedence that the Bengals are playing much better with a healthy Palmer at the helm.

Online betting odds have the Ravens as a 3-point favorite on the road, but the Bengals have beaten the Ravens in seven of their last 10 meetings, including three of the last five in Cincinnati. The Ravens of last week looked like the Baltimore team we’ve become accustomed to, but they’ll have their hands full with a much-improved Cincinnati team. The Bengals are 30^th against the pass, but they’ve had a week to study for Flacco and company. If the Bengals can get Palmer some time in the pocket, the Bengals will announce themselves as a legitimate contender in the AFC North.

NFL predictions: Bengals +3