The Ravens (6-7) will face the Bengals (4-9) at 1 p.m. Sunday in Cincinnati. Here are game predictions from The Banner’s sports staff and a guest picker.

Signs of life?

Kyle Goon, columnist (11-2): Despite my strong prediction record, making my game pick is quickly becoming one of the most agonizing chores of the week. The Ravens haven’t done enough recently to regain trust, yet the Bengals, on paper and in practice, shouldn’t really be good. Last time, I picked the Ravens in this matchup and wound up with a loss. I hesitate to pick them again.

But somehow, against gut instinct, I will. Lamar Jackson’s mini resurgence Sunday gives more confidence that this offense can find things to build on, as does the commitment to running. If the Bills can hit 39 points against Cincy, the Ravens should score more than they did on Thanksgiving. The defense got burned last time, but in large part because of a lopsided turnover margin. If the Ravens take care of the football, they should prevail in a must-win game.

Ravens 31, Bengals 23

No trust left

Giana Han, reporter (9-4): Ahead of the Thanksgiving game, I wanted to choose the Bengals, but then I realized I’d have to explain why. The Bengals didn’t have star wide receiver Tee Higgins or defensive end Trey Hendrickson. Their defense was historically bad. And, despite my gut feeling that quarterback Joe Burrow was going to shred the Ravens, the reality was that he was returning from an injury. And look what happened.

Now, as the Ravens prepare for the Bengals for a second time, all those things are still true — except Burrow’s injury rust is gone and he’s playing lights out. Oh, and they have home-field advantage. Meanwhile, Lamar Jackson missed another day of practice amid his puzzling season. Yeah, I’m not betting on the Ravens again. We’ve switched from “Prove me right” to “Prove me wrong” mode.

Bengals 35, Ravens 20

Backs against the wall

Paul Mancano, Banner Ravens Podcast co-host (8-5): Two weeks ago, all eight of us picked the Ravens to beat the Bengals, some by massive margins. Then Cincinnati more than doubled up Baltimore. The lesson: This team is wholly unpredictable.

Burrow had the wind behind his sails when he brought his team back from the dead on Thanksgiving. Now the Bengals are (almost) officially cooked. Lamar Jackson’s squad, however, has everything to play for. On Sunday, the Ravens should act like it.

Ravens 27, Bengals 24

Wake me up when the Ravens win

Jonas Shaffer, reporter (6-7): On paper, do the Ravens have a better team than Cincinnati? Yes. Does it matter? Not after what I’ve seen these past two weeks. Besides, even if the Ravens get better turnover luck than they did in Week 13, the Bengals probably won’t go 1-for-6 in the red zone again.

Almost no result in this game would surprise me — not a Ravens blowout, not a Cincinnati blowout. But, given the way these Ravens faltered at home on Thanksgiving against a wounded Bengals team, I’m skeptical they’ll rise to the challenge Sunday. And, if the Ravens lose again, I’m skeptical they’ll find another win over the following three weeks.

Bengals 24, Ravens 23

Now or never for Ravens

Childs Walker, contributor (8-5): It’s baffling that the Ravens are favored on the road against a team that beat them by three scores on Thanksgiving. They probably won’t lose four fumbles, as they did in that defeat, meaning the rematch will be closer. But they have to find a way to outscore a Cincinnati offense invigorated by the return of franchise quarterback Joe Burrow. Can the Ravens rediscover their offensive mojo, which has been missing since the second half of their Week 9 win in Miami? We saw a few promising signs Sunday against Pittsburgh, including a more mobile Lamar Jackson and better run blocking from his much-maligned offensive line.

If not now, never, because the Ravens’ playoff chances will shrink to almost nil if they drop a third straight AFC North game. In this case, we shouldn’t dwell on the result from two weeks ago because of that extreme turnover margin. The Ravens will muster enough offense and enough stops to keep their season off the respirator for another week.

Ravens 27, Bengals 26

Like Charlie Brown trying to kick a football

Brandon Weigel, editor (8-5): Round 1 of this matchup, a deflating 32-14 loss on Thanksgiving night, was one of the most frustrating Ravens games in what’s been an incredibly frustrating season. Baltimore’s offense looked feckless against a horrific Cincinnati defense — a unit the Buffalo Bills went on to torch for 416 yards and 39 points the next week — and Derrick Henry somehow recorded only 10 carries.

Despite all these things, I am somehow picking the Ravens again. Todd Monken committed to the run against Pittsburgh, and the results were promising (217 yards on 40 carries). The passing attack was out of sync at times, but we saw flashes of the Lamar Jackson of old. Many of us expected Round 1 would be a “get right” game for the Ravens. This time, with the Ravens’ backs against the wall, it will be so.

Ravens 34, Bengals 30

Guest pick

Ben Baby, ESPN: Cincinnati has been playing well since Joe Burrow came back. Its offense has enjoyed success against the Ravens over the years. In fact, Cincinnati has held double-digit leads in the second half of the past three games against Baltimore, even in both losses last season. The Bengals will need to force turnovers and get Ja’Marr Chase involved if they want to sweep the Ravens.

Bengals 28, Ravens 24