The Baltimore Ravens are in for a cold one on Sunday. Their Week 15 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium will take place in frigid temperatures. That should pave the way for a classic, hard-nosed, physical brand of AFC North football.
According to AccuWeather, the weather is expected to be cloudy, while hovering around 9 degrees when the game kicks off. It is expected to feel like -5 degrees. There will also be wind gusts up to 18 miles per hour.
The Ravens should avoid snowfall during gametime, but it snowed throughout the day on Saturday.
It’s snowing in Cincinnati a little leas than 24 hours before Ravens-Bengals kickoff.
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) December 13, 2025
On Sunday, no snow in the forecast but freezing temp (minus-5 wind chill) and 19 mph wind gusts. pic.twitter.com/LT1IK8EENw
Ravens/Bengals set to battle in frigid temps
Week 15 is set to be the coldest game the Ravens have ever played in. Currently, the coldest is the team’s 2013 Divisional Round win over the Denver Broncos, where it was 13 degrees at Mile High.
With such cold temperatures, the offense’s game plan should be obvious. Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken must lean on the Ravens’ running backs heavily.
Running back Derrick Henry saw 25 carries in last week’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and backup running back Keaton Mitchell ran it six times before going down with a knee injury. As a team, Baltimore ran the ball 40 times. While it did not result in a win, Monken should run it back, while potentially using Mitchell more often.
Quarterback Lamar Jackson should also see more designed QB runs in this one. He looked healthier in Week 14, and with no injuries in practice this past week, Jackson should be free to run rampant on the ground. That usage should boost the productivity of Henry and Mitchell.
Of course, the Ravens should not completely shy away from the passing attack. Although the passing game has struggled in recent weeks, Cincinnati’s pass defense ranks 31st in the NFL, allowing 254.9 pass yards per game. We may not see fireworks given the rough conditions, but the quick game with wide receivers Zay Flowers and DeAndre Hopkins should propel drives forward and keep the defense honest.
Regardless of how Head Coach John Harbaugh and the coaching staff approach Sunday’s contest, it is a must-win game. They need to win out to control their own destiny, and if they drop a third-straight game, their playoff hopes will officially be on life support.