(EDITOR'S NOTE: View From The Pugh is a daily podcast from Chris Pugh. Connect with him here
Joe Burrow isn’t one to stir controversy for no reason, but when the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback spoke out this week about the team’s recurring prime time trips to Baltimore, he gave voice to a growing frustration felt across the Bengals fanbase — and even among NFL analysts.
In his first media availability since the 2024 season ended, Burrow didn’t mince words: “Playing in Baltimore for the fourth straight primetime year isn’t ideal. Maybe we could get one of those in Cincinnati next year, please.”
He has a point. For the fourth consecutive year, the Bengals will travel to Baltimore for a high-profile showdown under the lights. Since 2018, the Ravens have hosted every regular-season prime time matchup in this rivalry. That’s not just inconvenient — it’s imbalanced.
📊 The Advantage Is Real
What makes this pattern even more frustrating is the statistical home-field edge the Ravens hold. Baltimore is a staggering 9-0 at home on Thursday Night Football over the past 20 years. The NFL has essentially handed one of the toughest road assignments to Cincinnati year after year, ignoring the fairness most fans expect from a major sports league.
🗣️ Warren Sharp Weighs In
NFL analyst Warren Sharp didn’t hold back either. In a recent video breakdown, Sharp called out the league’s scheduling practices, highlighting not just the lack of balance in this specific rivalry, but the broader trend of how certain teams benefit disproportionately in prime time matchups.
Sharp’s criticism aligns with what many fans have been saying: this isn’t just bad luck — it feels like systemic favoritism.
🏟️ A Rivalry Deserving of Fairness
The Bengals vs. Ravens rivalry is one of the most compelling in the AFC North. It features elite quarterbacks, strong defenses, and passionate fanbases. It deserves to be showcased. But if the league continues to tilt the spotlight toward one team’s home field, it undercuts the very excitement that makes these games must-watch TV.
Cincinnati last hosted Baltimore in a regular-season prime time game in 2018 — and won. Since then, despite the Bengals’ emergence as AFC contenders and Burrow’s star power, the league has kept this rivalry one-sided in terms of venue.
💬 What Fans Are Saying
Many Bengals fans are echoing Burrow’s comments and asking the NFL for change. Shouldn’t this marquee matchup alternate locations each year when it lands on prime time? Isn’t that the kind of balance fans — and players — deserve?
🔔 The Bigger Picture
Beyond this one rivalry, Burrow’s comments touch on a larger issue: how the NFL makes scheduling decisions and whether fairness is truly a factor. As more players and analysts speak out, fans are paying closer attention to the league's motives.
📢 Join the Conversation
Do you think the NFL favors the Ravens in prime time? Should Cincinnati finally get to host this matchup under the lights in 2025?
👇 Let us know in the comments. Don’t forget to subscribe for deeper AFC North coverage, and stay tuned for upcoming breakdowns on Bengals offseason moves and Burrow’s road to MVP contention.
Comments
Post a Comment