What a week can do. Considering how rudderless and buried the Ravens looked, that performance last week was akin to the last scene in Carrie.

Or perhaps Frankenstein. Look, it's moving... It's alive! IT'S ALIVEEEE!!!

Anyway.

This is a tough game to predict because while both teams say they'll go out to win it, we don't know who is actually going to suit up and play a full game. There's also the factor that both sides, even if it's unlikely, will play each other again a week later - how much do you want to show your opponent? OTOH, these two clubs do know each other about as well as you can. It's going to be tough to really show anything which will catch either team out.

One thing, though, the Ravens can't be caught scoreboard gazing - that may help.

Also, can see this going two ways - the Ravens have been needing to clinch the division for a whole month before finally getting their hats, a letdown of sorts would make sense. That said, if the Ravens really did turn the corner (funnily enough, the last two SB champs entered the playoffs with a 2 game winning streak which included beating a New York team in week 16), I can see them dismantling a Bengals club who have little to play for.

After all, last year, both teams in the finale had something to play for and the Ravens controlled the game from start to finish. This year, Cincy doesn't have anything to play for.

Ravens are a momentum team with a rhythm QB. If they have any shot to take on the AFC (and I do think they have as much of a shot as anyone), momentum has to be kept going rather than trying to maintain it like Sisyphus.

The Ravens have been written off all year long and they won't be favoured much, if at all, for the remainder of this season - backs against the wall without much in the way of expectation. Just how the Ravens seem to play best.

Baltimore 23, Cincinnati 14.