OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Cornerback Jimmy Smith gave an unexpected response when someone brought up the fact that the Baltimore Ravens have had the Pittsburgh Steelers' number lately but have struggled against the Cincinnati Bengals.
"Is the rivalry switching? I don’t know," Smith said. "I don’t know, because I kind of hate the Bengals."
This assertion would be considered blasphemous if it wasn't said by a Ravens player. But he has a point given how the series have panned out lately.
The Ravens' 20-17 win over the Steelers extended their dominance over Pittsburgh. Baltimore has won five of the last six meetings with Pittsburgh, which includes that victory by the Ravens' JV over the likes of Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and James Harrison.
Baltimore's rivalry with the Bengals has been just as lopsided, but not in the Ravens' favor. The Ravens have lost four in a row to Cincinnati, and they haven't won at Paul Brown Stadium since 2011.
"They’re the bully right now," Smith said of the Bengals. "We’ve got to go fight back. We’ve got to win this game.”
The Ravens damaged the Steelers' playoff chances by upsetting them last Sunday. Now, Baltimore can hurt Cincinnati's playoff plans.
The Bengals can clinch a first-round bye with a win over the Ravens and a loss or tie by the Broncos. Cincinnati can also wrap up the No. 2 seed with a loss by the Broncos and a win by the Chiefs.
"We’re definitely going out to ruin anything they’ve got going on," Smith said.