Four Storylines For Ravens' Divisional Matchup vs. Bengals

After two weeks away, the Baltimore Ravens will be back at home in Week 7 for their second straight game against an AFC North opponent when they take on the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday afternoon at M&T Bank Stadium.

Coming off an ugly loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 6 on the road, in which they blew another double-digit lead, the Ravens are currently tied for the best record in the division at 4-2, but are no longer in first place.

There are several intriguing storylines surrounding this divisional matchup between these two rival teams. Here are the top four.

Can Ravens bounce back without Lamar Jackson?

After only managing 40 points and four touchdowns in the 10 quarters since the two-time league MVP-winning quarterback went down with what he revealed to be a high ankle sprain, the Ravens are going to have to find a way to prevail without him for the third week in a row. Jackson returned to practice this week but was a limited participant on all three days and went from being listed as questionable on the final injury report Friday to being downgraded to out on Saturday.

Both Jackson and Pro Bowl backup Tyler Huntley, who went 1-1 starting in his absence, spoke to the media on Friday, and neither tipped their hand on who'd be under center for this game. Now that the cat is out of the bag, the Ravens will need Huntley and the offense as a whole to rebound from a woeful final three quarters that led to them blowing a double-digit lead to the Cleveland Browns in Week 6.

"Just like every week, I just prepare to play, and once we get to Sunday, we're going to see," Huntley said.

Trey Hendrickson revenge game

If it weren't for the uncertainty surrounding the Ravens' starting quarterback situation, this storyline would be headlining this list heading into this game. The four-time Pro Bowler downplayed the significance of going up against his former team, whom he spent the last five years with and enjoyed the most successful stretch of his career with during his media availability earlier this week.

However, the acrimonious end to his tenure in Cincinnati is well-documented and while he denies that there's any bad blood between him and the franchise that refused to compensate him for elite production, his Ravens teammates believe he's going to feast off that extra motivation. With current sack leader Tavius Robinson out for the rest of the season with a pectoral injury, he'll be counted on even more to carry the pass rush.

"I am excited to see him against his former team," inside linebacker Trenton Simpson said. "The things he [does] in practice, the way he rushes the passer and just how he gets off the ball, I believe that this game for him is about to be like one of those ones, like [a] multiple-sack game. I'm calling it, [and] I'm excited to see the celebration he does."

How will newest offensive line configuration fare?

After trotting out makeshift blocking units over the last three weeks, featuring their second- and third-string right guards and moving their stud first-round rookie guard, Vega Ioane, to center, the Ravens are set to have a league-high fifth different configuration on Sunday. With two-time Pro Bowl center Cam Jurgens, whom they acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, the Ravens could have their best configuration yet by a wide margin.

The Ravens' new-look interior offensive line will have quite the tough first test in this game, going up against a revamped Bengals interior defensive line that features a pair of multi-time Pro Bowl imports in Dexter Lawrence and Jonathan Allen, who each have three sacks through their team's first five games, which ties edge rusher Boye Mafe for the team lead.

While the Cincinnati defense has been susceptible to runs to the outside, which lean toward the strength of the Ravens' outside zone-centric rushing attack, the trio of Jurgens, Ioane and veteran left guard John Simpson will still have to hold up in pass protection and when offensive coordinator Declan Doyle dials inside run concepts like trap and power.

Can secondary limit impact of Bengals' lethal WR duo?

Prior to last week, when they held the Cleveland Browns' leading wideout, Denzel Boston, to one catch for 15 yards on five targets, the Ravens' secondary had struggled to keep the top receivers of opposing teams under control, as the defense as a whole has been rounding into shape. They'll be facing arguably their toughest challenge of the season, and at least since they face the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3, when they go up against the Bengals' lethal duo of Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins on Sunday.

Chase, in particular, has been a nagging thorn in the Ravens' side ever since he entered the league. The five-time Pro Bowler has had his most prolific outings against Baltimore, with averages of just under 10 receptions and 125 receiving yards per game and has scored five touchdowns in his last five games in this rivalry series. Higgins leads the Bengals this season with 423 receiving yards and is tied with Chase for the team lead in receptions with 27. The Ravens' outside cornerback duo of Nate Wiggins and four-time Pro Bowl veteran Marlon Humphrey will have their hands full anytime Joe Burrow drops back to pass.