It’s now or never for the Bengals as they prepare to take on the Ravens tonight. Heading to Baltimore, the Bengals are coming off their first win in Cincinnati. Yes, you heard that right. The Bengals were yet to win a game at home until the Raiders popped up on their schedule. Beating them 41-24 on the day, with Joe Burrow leading from the front, the Bengals didn’t really celebrate their win.

Having improved their season with a record of 4-5 after 9 games, the Bengals still only possess a 35% chance to secure the playoffs. And a win over the Ravens could make it 52%, thereby helping Joe Burrow’s return to MVP conversation. Rightfully, pointed out by Dan Orlovsky on the GetUP ESPN show, the Bengals have a three-game timeline to secure their season. Taking on the Ravens, Steelers and Chargers within the next 17 days, the Bengals season would be defined upon those results.

As Orlovsky predicts, “If they go 2-1 over these three, they will get in, and I firmly believe if they get in, Joe Burrow will be very much so near the top of the MVP conversation.” Well, he should be after 9 weeks of NFL action. Burrow ranks second in QBR at 76.3. And the player that occupies the top spot is none other than Ravens QB Lamar Jackson with 77.3.

Even going back to last week’s win over the Raiders, Burrow threw five TDs while completing 30 of his 39 passes. The only blemish on his afternoon in Cincinnati last week was a pick 6 he threw towards the Raiders CB Jack Jones. Apart from that, the Bengals’ defense was simply brilliant as Logan Wilson led from the front. Although he finished with 9 tackles and two fumble recoveries, Wilson did talk about the importance of winning the Ravens clash,

“It’s big, now we are 4-5 but the biggest one is the next one, and so this is a big one to go into Baltimore on a short week. A Thursday night in front of a national audience, and try to get a win, it’s going to be a big one.” Well, the question is, will the Bengals be able to shock the Ravens nation on Thursday night? Without their key receiver, Tee Higgins, who remains out with a quad injury. We will find out soon as Joe Burrow opens up on a wild theory that can catch the NFL fans off guard with the league’s scheduling.

Joe Burrow sheds light on a possible NFL scheduling conspiracy

Gearing for the Ravens clash on Thursday night would surely give Burrow some déjà vu vibes. Going back to last year’s November, it was somewhere around today’s clash that Burrow ruptured his wrist’s ligament. Before his injury, there wasn’t a single QB in the NFL who had gone through something similar.

But hitting the road to Baltimore, Joe Burrow did speak about a possible conspiracy that could be going on behind the scenes. How come Burrow is slated to play the Ravens again on a Thursday Night in November? Well, the 27-year-old did give his thoughts around it, “I think they like to if a star player gets hurt in a prime-time game. They like to schedule the same exact game on the same exact week at the same exact time a year later. I think that happened to Aaron Rodgers this year, happened to me this year.”

Although there’s no concrete evidence that NFL schedulers follow a certain pattern for their star players. Burrow would surely want to come out as a winner from Baltimore this time. It would be a sweet memory compared to last year’s injury that derailed the Bengals season. Them being able to get the better of the Ravens would put the Bengals in the driving seat in the AFC.