The Ravens (6-5) will face the Cincinnati Bengals (3-8) at 8:20 p.m. Thursday in Baltimore. Here are game predictions from The Banner’s sports staff and a guest picker.

A holiday battle of attrition

Kyle Goon, columnist (10-1): This game screams weirdness, especially with so many unknowns. While everyone is focused on Lamar Jackson’s health, the key might just be Kyle Hamilton, whose presence holds the Ravens’ defense together. I don’t think we’ll see Joe Burrow at the peak of his powers coming off a long injury, and the absence of Tee Higgins should allow the Ravens to focus on Ja’Marr Chase. Still, the Bengals always seem to press the Ravens hard.

As long as Hamilton can play (and we know Cincy sack artist Trey Hendrickson cannot), I think the Ravens have enough to get it done against a beat-up Bengals group. Expect Chase to get heavy production, even if Baltimore can bracket him (gosh, these guys need to tackle him), but if Jackson and Derrick Henry can get a rhythm going against one of the worst defenses in football, it should be enough.

Ravens 31, Bengals 21

Turkey bowl

Giana Han, reporter (9-2): After what we saw last week, I’m tempted to choose the Bengals, especially with Joe Burrow’s return. But I can’t overlook the losses of Tee Higgins and Trey Hendrickson, which have a major impact on both sides of the ball for the Bengals. I expect this to be ugly, a step above the games you all might be playing in your backyards to commemorate this football holiday. Lamar Jackson hasn’t looked good recently, and he hasn’t had much time to rest or practice. This should be a get-right game for the offense, but so should have the Jets game. Although the Ravens’ will finally go against a high-caliber quarterback, Burrow might have had more practice than Jackson in the last two weeks. But he’s still working his way back from a long rehab. This won’t be a shootout like past Bengals-Ravens matchups.

Ravens 24, Bengals 17

Nothing has come easily

Chris Korman, editor (9-2): A rusty Joe Burrow throwing to a receiving corps that lacks Tee Higgins and a defense without Trey Hendrickson to get them the ball does not exactly scream “challenge.” But nothing has been easy for this Ravens team, and Thursday night games are generally weird — especially on Thanksgiving in Baltimore. It will be closer than it should be, but the Ravens will keep the streak going (as long as Lamar Jackson does not discover another part of his leg to injure early in the evening).

Ravens 31, Bengals 25

The skies will open

Paul Mancano, Banner Ravens Podcast co-host (8-3): This should be a get-right game for the Ravens offense ... right? Cincinnati’s defense is truly atrocious — dead last in points per game allowed — and playing without superstar Trey Hendrickson. Even if Lamar Jackson is less than 100%, surely the dark cloud over Todd Monken’s unit will lift. Well, we could’ve said the same thing about Sunday’s matchup against the Jets, and Baltimore had just three points at halftime. But, if not now, when?

Ravens 29, Bengals 24

Weirdness prevails (and so will the Ravens)

Jonas Shaffer, reporter (6-5): The Ravens should’ve been able to run the ball at will against a terrible Bengals run defense last year. They couldn’t. They had to rely on Lamar Jackson’s arm instead in two shootout wins. Chalk it up to AFC North weirdness or a too-small sample or Cincinnati’s familiarity with Todd Monken’s scheme, but the point remains: These divisional games rarely follow the expected script. (Just look at the Ravens’ Week 11 win over the Browns.) Joe Burrow’s readiness after a lengthy layoff is the big unknown here, but if Kyle Hamilton’s healthy enough to play, the Ravens’ defense should have enough answers against a Bengals offense missing Tee Higgins. If another iffy defense holds the Ravens under 24 points, however, it’s time to hit the panic button in Baltimore.

Ravens 27, Bengals 24

Expect a tense Thanksgiving

Childs Walker, contributor (8-3): This wouldn’t feel as straightforward as the records suggest, even if Joe Burrow were not rushing back from his toe injury to serve Baltimore some Thanksgiving misery. We know how division games go, and we know how many wild ones this matchup has produced. Yes, Cincinnati’s defense is historically bad and missing its best player in edge rusher Trey Hendrickson. Yes, this is Burrow’s first game back. Yes, he’ll be without one of his Pro Bowl targets in Tee Higgins. But is the Ravens’ offense capable of exploiting its on-paper advantages over the Bengals? Is Lamar Jackson going to be any less hobbled than he was in an ugly 23-10 win over the Jets? It’s going to be a tense night at M&T Bank Stadium as the Ravens try to hold on to first place against an opponent with nothing to lose. Their defense will get enough stops, and they’ll hit a few explosive plays to pull it out, but this won’t be the complete performance we’ve been looking for.

Ravens 27, Bengals 24

The Keaton Mitchell game everyone has been craving

Brandon Weigel, editor (8-3): If you took the Jets to cover the 13.5-point spread based on my pick last week, what can I say except, “You’re welcome”?

This game is a little harder to predict with some significant unknowns. How will Joe Burrow play after so much time on the shelf with a toe injury? Will a hobbled Lamar Jackson look even more out of sync on a short week?

The best way for the Ravens to mitigate these factors is to play keep-away with long, plodding offensive drives featuring a healthy dose of Derrick Henry and, yes, speedster Keaton Mitchell. I expect Mitchell will eclipse his season-high total of six carries.

With a historically bad defense, the Bengals allow 156 rushing yards per game (31st in the NFL), so why not hit them in the mouth with old-school power football? Throw in quick hitters and screen passes to keep things balanced, and run the win streak to six.

Ravens 28, Bengals 17

Guest pick

Ben Baby, ESPN: Yes, Joe Burrow is back. But as we saw at the beginning of the season, and every time he comes back from an injury, it typically takes Burrow a few games to find his form. Couple that with a Ravens defense that has played well recently and a Bengals defense that has struggled this season, and this has the trappings of a blowout in prime time.

Ravens 30, Bengals 13