CIN
Cincinnati Bengals
79.4PFM Team Score#16 NFL
Cincinnati Bengals vs. Baltimore Ravens: PFM Team Comparison
PFM rates the Baltimore Ravens higher than the Cincinnati Bengals overall, with a slight advantage. The main reasons are the stronger defense and the bigger big-play threat.
Current PFM Team Scores
Slight edgeBAL
Baltimore Ravens
81.1PFM Team Score#15 NFL
PFM JUDGMENT
Why PFM Rates the Baltimore Ravens Higher
The Baltimore Ravens have the more dependable defense. It does not need the offense to answer every possession to keep control of a game. Cincinnati's strongest counterargument is QB Stability. Joe Burrow gives the Cincinnati Bengals the steadier quarterback room. That lets the offense stay on schedule without asking the rest of the team to cover constant uncertainty.
Baltimore also brings the bigger big-play threat. Baltimore adds the clearer long-term football direction. That is enough to keep the Baltimore Ravens ahead.
TEAM DNA COMPARISON
Cincinnati vs. Baltimore Across the Core Pillars
The farther a team reaches, the stronger the rating. Each category also calls out which team has the edge and the exact gap. Hover on desktop or tap on mobile to isolate one team.
CINCincinnati Bengals
BALBaltimore Ravens
THE COUNTERARGUMENT
Cincinnati Bengals’ Best Argument
Quarterback is where the Cincinnati Bengals have their cleanest advantage. With Joe Burrow, the offense has a better floor when the first answer stops working. That is why the overall gap is smaller than the score first suggests. Baltimore still answers with the stronger defense and the bigger big-play threat, which keeps the overall judgment in place.
COMPLETE COMPARISON
Where Each Team Has the Edge
PFM Team Score
CIN79.4
Cincinnati Bengals 79.4BAL81.1
Baltimore Ravens 81.1Overall NFL Rank
CIN#16
Cincinnati Bengals #16BAL#15
Baltimore Ravens #15QB Stability
CIN88.1
Cincinnati Bengals 88.1BAL85.7
Baltimore Ravens 85.7Roster Strength
CIN81.1
Cincinnati Bengals 81.1BAL81.7
Baltimore Ravens 81.7Coaching Direction
CIN73.8
Cincinnati Bengals 73.8BAL71.3
Baltimore Ravens 71.3Recent Performance
CIN70.8
Cincinnati Bengals 70.8BAL77.3
Baltimore Ravens 77.3Offense
CIN84.2
Cincinnati Bengals 84.2BAL85.4
Baltimore Ravens 85.4Defense
CIN73.0
Cincinnati Bengals 73.0BAL80.5
Baltimore Ravens 80.5Franchise Direction
CIN74.7
Cincinnati Bengals 74.7BAL79.0
Baltimore Ravens 79.0Explosiveness
CIN81.3
Cincinnati Bengals 81.3BAL87.5
Baltimore Ravens 87.5Conference Rank
CIN#9
Cincinnati Bengals #9BAL#8
Baltimore Ravens #8Division Rank
CIN#2
Cincinnati Bengals #2BAL#1
Baltimore Ravens #1Outlook
CINIn the Playoff MixBALPlayoff Contender
Stronger outlook: Baltimore RavensTEAM CONSTRUCTION
How These Teams Are Built Differently
Cincinnati Bengals
- Strongest Rating
- QB Stability
- Category Edge
- Coaching Direction
- Biggest Matchup Concern
- Defense
Cincinnati's clearest category edge is Coaching Direction. Cincinnati has the better coaching grade here, although the staff still has more to settle than the rating leaders against the Baltimore Ravens. The biggest problem in this matchup is Defense, where Baltimore owns the clearer advantage.
Baltimore Ravens
- Strongest Rating
- Explosiveness
- Category Edge
- Defense
- Biggest Matchup Concern
- Coaching Direction
SCHEDULE CONTEXT
Which Team Has the Tougher Road?
Cincinnati Bengals
Full schedule rank: #30
Toughest stretch: Houston Texans, Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars
Strongest opponents: Kansas City Chiefs, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars
View Cincinnati Bengals Road AheadBaltimore Ravens
Full schedule rank: #29
Toughest stretch: Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers
Strongest opponents: Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans, Los Angeles Chargers
View Baltimore Ravens Road AheadBaltimore has the tougher Road Ahead at No. 29. The strongest opponents include Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans, and Los Angeles Chargers. Cincinnati gains one meaningful schedule advantage, while Baltimore still owns the stronger football advantages elsewhere.
Explore Both Team Dashboards
Ratings and Schedule Freshness
PFM ratings updated August 11, 2026. Schedule data updated June 29, 2026.
How to Read This Comparison
PFM Team Score determines the overall order. The Team DNA comparison puts five core pillars on the same 0–100 scale, while the full rows show every current category.
PFM compares overall team strength rather than predicting one matchup. Road Ahead adds schedule context without changing PFM Team Score.
PFM ratings updated
How PFM grades NFL teams