Running back Joe Mixon was a go, defensive tackle Geno Atkins got his first start of the season and other than that head coach Zac Taylor stuck with the same starting defensive lineup he used last Sunday in the victory over Jacksonville before Sunday's kickoff in Baltimore.
Taylor handed in an inactive list that put wide receiver John Ross on the bench for the third straight game. Ross, the fourth-year wide receiver who has the team's two longest catches of the last two seasons, missed two practices this week with an illness. He had been a healthy scratch in the previous two games.
With slot cornerback Mackensie Alexander (hamstring) out for a second straight week, the Bengals again moved Darius Phillips into the slot and cornerback LeShaun Sims got his second straight start on the outside.
View the Bengals players entering the stadium for a Week 5 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.
Promoted practice squad players Khalil McKenzie, a defensive tackle, and cornerback Torry McTyer were activated and with linebacker Logan Wilson back from a concussion, Markus Bailey was inactive after he made his NFL debut.
Among the inactive were running back Trayveon Williams and defensive lineman Andrew Brown.
Taylor's sheet had left end Carlos Dunlap making his 116th start even though on Thursday, although Dunlap revealed the game plan had him playing only on third down. It had been thought that Carl Lawson would draw the start in his place in an attempt to use a different approach at defending Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Jackson is 3-0 against the Bengals and has directed a ground attack averaging 224 yards in those three victories. While he praised the game plan, Dunlap said he wished he could be a part of it. Just 2.5 sacks from Eddie Edwards' franchise sack record, Dunlap hasn't played in a game he didn't start since Dec. 1, 2013.
