BALTIMORE _ Add another potential marquee matchup in Thanksgiving's marquee matchup pitting Bengals' perennial NFL MVP candidate Joe Burrow against the Ravens' two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson.

In the first seven matchups between the two, the clubs have combined for 53.9 points per game. Only the Jackson-Patrick Mahomes bouts (56.8) have yielded more among active quarterbacks making more than five starts against each other

And the last time Bengals All-Pro wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase played here, he All-Pro-ed the Ravens on 264 yards that were two yards shy of his career high and gave him the most yards against any team in a season with 457.

Like that night here last year, Chase doesn't have running mate Tee Higgins, out with a concussion. But that's about the only thing that looks the same.

Chase is not only coming off a one-game suspension, but his quarterback is playing for the first time in 75 days. Plus, Burrow, who has been practicing full the last two weeks, is staring at a Ravens' defensive personnel deployment different than the one he ripped for 428 yards and four touchdowns.

The Ravens have won five straight with a rampaging defense that since week eight has allowed an NFL-leading four touchdowns, 13.4 points per game, 26.6% of third downs and a 65.6 passer rating. Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher says the turning points have been health and the acquisition of safety Alohi Gilman in last month's trade swung with the Chargers the day after the Bengals picked up Joe Flacco from the Browns.

Pitcher says the move has freed up the already lethal safety Kyle Hamilton to be even more dangerous as a hybrid linebacker-defensive back.

"He was playing more in the post as a true safety prior to that, and since then he's been back down playing more as the nickel closer to the line of scrimmage," Pitcher said this week. "He's really good in that role. He essentially offers the (speed) and pressure ability of a high-level linebacker in the form of a safety that can cover. When you have a piece like that, it's like having some of the guys we have on offense that can do things that really put you in tough spots."

Hamilton, a fourth-year player the Ravens grabbed in the 2022 first round out of Penn State, is one of three NFL players this season to play at least 120 snaps at high safety, nickel, and outside linebacker.

"I think Kyle Hamilton is one of the best players at his position," Pitcher said. "Certainly, if not one of best defensive players in football."

If Hamilton is the Ravens' "Swiss Army Knife," then Chase is the Bengals' "Ultimate Chess Piece." Chase can line up all over the yard, and it's going to be interesting to see how many times they go at it now that Hamilton is inside, a spot where Chase causes damage.

Chase remembers going against Hamilton maybe once or twice, but now that he's in the slot, that may change even though the Ravens have two nickel packages, with Hamilton being a big factor in the one they use on potential running downs.

Without Higgins, Chase is expecting to see the same kind of attention.

"A lot more zone I would say," Chase said. "Really just six strong (split field) when Tee was in there a lot. Played quarters and a lot of two. Maybe some man with double when Tee's not out there. Man with everybody else and just double me."

Joe and Ja'Marr

That legendary chemistry between Burrow and Chase that spans seven seasons, a collegiate national title, and a Super Bowl appearance, gets a bit of a test Thursday.

When Burrow worked with the first team for the first time last week, Chase was suspended. They did get some work together Tuesday, but no one is particularly worried. Seven years is seven years. And, despite missing the New England game, Chase leads the NFL with 117 targets.

"We'll just see how it goes," Chase said. "I mean, (the chemistry) shouldn't go (any)where."

Chase has watched his friend come back from many injuries, and some he wishes he wouldn't have tried to back so quickly. But he feels good about this comeback.

"It's been a minute. They gave him another week to relax and get himself back under him," Chase said. "So his legs should be feeling good, his feet should be feeling good, and he should be ready."

Chase comes back two catches off the NFL lead with 79. Four players are ahead of him, led by 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey with 81 catches. He's fifth with 861 yards and five touchdowns.

Chase Brown Chasing, Too

On Ja'Marr Chase's first day back in the building Monday, he made it a point to stop by running back Chase Brown's locker and whisper into his ear how impressed he was of Brown's performance the day before against the Pats with a season-best 130 yards from scrimmage.

Brown admitted later that was a lift coming from a team leader.

"You miss having a player like him around," Brown said. "Not only because of all the plays he makes, but the energy he brings to the locker room."

Brown, the Canadian still getting used to November Thanksgivings on Thursday, is as hot as gravy. He can become the first Bengal to have six straight games of 100 yards from scrimmage on this Thanksgiving.

Something Bengals Ring of Honor member Corey Dillon and four-time Pro Bowler James Brooks didn't reach. Brown is the last guy to reach five straight when he put together a late-season run last year before he suffered a season-ending ankle injury in the next-to-last game of the year

"I feel like when I get hot, it's hard to put out," Brown said. "When I got hot, I started to get a feel, and I was able to play at a high level. When you can almost anticipate where the ball is going to go before it happens…I can imagine it being a basketball player knowing how to get to a spot and take the shot."

In the last month, the Bengals have basically raised their yards per rush average two yards to 4.4, the best in the seven seasons of the Zac Taylor era. Brown credits the offensive line and his decision to slow down his tempo to give them more time to let their blocks develop so that patience forces the defenders to guess and give him the hammer. He points to the duo play, usually with center Ted Karras and one of the guards, as a go-to play in the recent stretch.

"When you identify that when you're watching it, sometimes that's something that we're specifically asking him to do on a given run scheme," Pitcher said of the tempo. "Other times, maybe that's just him using his ability and his vision. I do think the element that is a major part of why we've had success is that guys are playing hard.

"They're growing into this identity that we can run the football well, and I do think over the long term, as long as we continue to feed that, that'll be good for the Bengals, and good for us in our ability to kind of pose a wide array of threats to our opponents."

Slants and Screens

Bengals defensive end Joseph Ossai turned Pro Football Hall of Fame voter this week and put Jackson, running back Derrick "King" Henry, and tight end Mark Andrews in Canton.

"Lamar Jackson is Lamar Jackson for a reason, but you can't lose confidence," said Ossai, who says last Sunday's goal-line stands against the Patriots have given his defense a surge of confidence.

"I kind of blacked out for that part, but it was just really hyped up because nobody, nobody faltered, nobody switched up," Ossai said. "Everybody was just hype, like we're going to make a statement right now. From young guys to old guys. And you saw that happen." …

Ossai also woke up the echoes of Sam Hubbard's iconic 98-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the 2022 AFC Wild Card Game at Paycor Stadium, a goal-line play that was made on then-Jackson backup Tyler Huntley.

"Like we showed this week. If we can get him on the one-yard line, put the ball down again and still stop it. And I think it was three years ago … right on the goal line. Run Sam Hubbard run, you know what I mean? If he's going to do the things he does, don't let that discourage you. Keep playing. Keep doing all you can against him and see what happens during the game. …

"We've really been buying in, taking those steps. We've been a lot more confident in each other …just buying in and doing our jobs. We're giving each other juice when we do our jobs and handle our business. And you know, you can see when we start to make plays. You know, there's a new life to us." …

Down through the years, the Bengals have had pretty good success against Henry, the rugged back whose 12,294 career rushing yards are the 12th-most in NFL history and passed Hall-of-Famers Marcus Allen, Edgerrin James, and Marshall Faulk last week and are 19 away from passing Jim Brown Thursday.

Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden was part of the Cincy crew that held Henry to 20 yards on 62 carries in the 2021 playoffs, and in 2022 Ossai took eight snaps when the Bengals held Henry to 38 yards on 17 carries in a 2022 regular-season win in Tennessee.

Last year in Henry's first season for the Ravens, he got the Bengals with a big 51-yard run in the first game, a 92-yarder on 15 carries before they contained him here with 68 yards on 16 carries.

Ossai knows they better tackle like they did against the Pats.

"Can't be scared to go hit The King. And I say that knowing that all 11 guys on that field, no one's scared of going to hit The King," Ossai said. "We play well against Derrick. We'll keep playing well against Derrick, but you can't be scared to go hit The King. No one's taking his respect away from him, but you can't be scared to go ahead and hit The King." …