Tag: Bengals predictions

Final score predictions for Browns vs. Bengals in Week 18

A final prediction for Browns vs. Bengals in Week 18.

The Cincinnati Bengals have been adamant all week that they will do whatever it takes to win the season finale against the Cleveland Browns.

Doing so would mean at least finishing this embattled season with a winning record at 9-8. It would also mean avoiding going 0-6 in the AFC North for the first time since the realignment in 2002.

Luckily for all involved, the task shouldn’t be too hard.

Given the surrounding circumstances, those Browns won’t be playing most of their starters, including elite pass-rusher Myles Garrett. The Browns can’t better their No. 5 playoff seed with a win, so it’s effectively a bye week for them.

The Bengals, though, have Ja’Marr Chase about to play through injury to tough it out for the team. For what it’s worth, he says the shoulder injury won’t require surgery. Defensive end Sam Hubbard also says he’ll play through injury.

The Cincinnati defense shouldn’t have many issues containing Browns backup and former Bengals backup Jeff Driskel. For Cincinnati, Jake Browning should be able to keep the offense humming with Chase.

In a game without a lot of meaning when it comes to wins and losses, of major note is Trey Hendrickson sitting on 17 sacks. He’s two behind Steelers star T.J. Watt, so if he can register at least 2.5 on Sunday, he’ll become the first Bengals player to ever lead the league in sacks.

Also of interest, of course, is Bengals who could be playing their final game with the team, highlighted by wideout Tyler Boyd. It’s almost safe to presume coaches and players attempt to highlight those guys in what should be a winning effort before a critical offseason.

Prediction: Bengals 27, Browns 10

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Final score predictions for Bengals vs. Chiefs in Week 17

A final prediction for Bengals vs. Chiefs in Week 17.

The Cincinnati Bengals are surely giving fans a sense of deja vu heading into a critical Week 17 matchup.

Back in Week 12, they took a major loss to Pittsburgh and then rattled off three straight wins under the direction of backup quarterback Jake Browning, shockingly keeping their playoff hopes alive.

Then last week, a 34-11 blowout loss to those very same Steelers.

Now the Bengals have to hope another post-Steelers rebound is on the docket, although this time the opponent isn’t an AFC South squad — it’s the Kansas City Chiefs on the road.

Sure, those Chiefs have struggled to just a 9-6 record this season and have lost three of their last four. But Patrick Mahomes (26 touchdowns, 14 interceptions) is still the quarterback, Travis Kelce is still around to exploit one of Cincinnati’s long-running defensive issues and the Chiefs defense is quietly elite, allowing just 17.7 points per game on average, the second-best mark in the league.

Perhaps the struggles for Mahomes and Co. would be more comforting had the Bengals not flopped last week in Pittsburgh, with the defense again allowing the season-long explosive plays that have ruined the season.

Not just any explosive plays, either, but massive chunks of yardage to third-stringer Mason Rudolph, allowing George Pickens to tally 195 yards and two touchdowns on just four catches.

Onlookers should reasonably expect the Cincinnati offense to look a little better on Sunday with Ja’Marr Chase back in the fold. But it’s that defense that is problematic on a big scale.

Unfortunately for Cincinnati, there isn’t really any help on the way for the defense. Opposing offenses know to exploit a unit now missing DJ Reader, one of the best outright nose tackles in football, who won’t be there to command double teams. That places more on the linebackers in all facets, which has a ripple effect on the entire unit.

The Bengals will probably be more competitive in this one simply because it isn’t a divisional opponent, which has been one of the more interesting struggles of the season they will need to address this offseason. But overcoming Mahomes and Co., struggles or not, is tough even with Joe Burrow under center and the loss of Reader will be a major deciding factor.

Prediction: Chiefs 27, Bengals 20

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Final score predictions for Colts vs. Bengals in Week 14

A final prediction for Colts vs. Bengals in Week 14.

The Cincinnati Bengals could clutch a playoff seed or potentially be effectively all of the way out of the running by the time the Week 14 slate concludes, depending on the outcome of their AFC encounter with the Indianapolis Colts.

Cincinnati’s shocking performance last Monday on primetime to save the season has put them in this spot. Backup Jake Browning went 32-of-37 with 354 yards and two total touchdowns in an upset of Jacksonville, earning weekly AFC honors in the process.

Sunday’s game against the Colts might come down to how much his performance regresses.

Because a regression is a certainty. No team the rest of the way is going to get caught off guard by the backup and now what the offense wants to do with him under center is all over the film.

Still, even a regression might be just enough to slip past the Colts.

The Colts are 7-5 and winners of four in a row, though every team they’ve defeated during that stretch has been at least two games under .500, including three-win New England and one-win Carolina.

Offensively, the Colts have struggled without breakout rookie passer Anthony Richardson, with Gardner Minshew boasting just 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions over 12 games. The unit also won’t have star running back Jonathan Taylor on Sunday.

And defensively, the Colts rank in the bottom five with 24.7 points allowed per game on average and in the bottom seven with 133.3 rushing yards allowed per game. Notably, the unit does get after quarterbacks often, with the 42 sacks ranked among the league leaders.

Even then, the Colts ruled out two defensive starters on Saturday, forcing them to rely on a rookie and undrafted corner to cover the duo of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

That’s where this prediction needs to focus the most, really. Starting duos have problems with Chase and Higgins, so everyone taking the field on Sunday will know what the Bengals intend to do.

Yet with the way the offense for Browning is designed, he should have high-percentage throws often enough that create big YAC opportunities for his weapons.

Barring boneheaded turnovers as the regression kicks in, the Bengals should be able to put together plenty of scoring drives to win this one. It could be more proof yet again that a further commitment to the run, play-action and bootlegs is just what even Joe Burrow’s offense needs next year.

Unlike last Monday’s game, the Bengals have the better roster at almost every spot and if Browning can come close to what he did last time out, one could make the same argument at quarterback, too.

Provided the defense doesn’t turn in a stunningly bad performance against a backup (they mostly kept Travis Etienne Jr. in check last week), the dramatically new-looking offense should be able to outpace Minshew.

Prediction: Bengals 28, Colts 21

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Final score predictions for Bengals vs. Jaguars on MNF in Week 13

A final prediction for Bengals vs. Jaguars in Week 13.

The Cincinnati Bengals have to hope the second week of the Jake Browning era goes better than the first if they want to avoid losing a fourth straight game.

Not that the backup quarterback is the only one to blame for the 16-10 loss to Pittsburgh one week ago, but going 19-of-26 with 227 yards, one touchdown and interception with four sacks didn’t help.

The Bengals will get star wideout Tee Higgins back for Monday night’s primetime game. But that won’t help a running game that has appeared broken since the summer and currently averages 3.8 yards per carry.

That’s especially notable because the hosting Jaguars have a defense that ranks third overall against the run at 87.4 yards allowed per game on average. It’s a unit that allows just 20.5 points per game, too,

For comparison’s sake, an underwhelming Bengals defense ranks second last in rush defense at 139.6 yards per game surrendered. The unit’s struggles in coverage aren’t shocking given the youth movement, but the rush defense suddenly being a sour point has cost the team games.

None of this has even mentioned Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who has completed 67.3 percent of his passes this year with 12 scores and seven picks and running back Travis Etienne Jr., who has 726 yards and seven scores on the ground and 36 more catches through the air.

Even with the Jaguars missing some key linemen that could help pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson and breaking-out rookie Myles Murphy hit home on Lawrence, the Jaguars were favored by more than a touchdown in this one for a reason.

While this has never felt like a team that will simply throw the proverbial towel if someone as important as Joe Burrow goes down, the difference in losing a top-five passer can’t be understated.

If the Bengals put up a fight on primetime, get some core pieces of the future must-have developmental snaps and even earn the silver lining of better draft positioning, that’s not necessarily a bad thing given the circumstances.

Prediction: Jaguars 27, Bengals 14

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Final score predictions for Steelers vs. Bengals in Week 12

A final prediction for Steelers vs. Bengals in Week 12.

The Cincinnati Bengals start the Jake Browning era against a Pittsburgh Steelers team at a crossroads, too.

Those Steelers are 6-4 despite a minus-29 point differential on the season and enter this one after firing offensive coordinator Matt Canada. Not only that, Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick had a heated exchange after a loss last week, hinting at possible issues there.

Issues for Mike Tomlin’s team or not, the Bengals sit below them in the AFC North at 5-5 and face even bigger problems. The hurdle? Going from a borderline MVP contender Joe Burrow to Jake Browning, who has 15 attempts as a pro.

The Bengals have attempted to paint it as the full offensive approach doesn’t change under the direction of Browning. And while he’s got a better cast of weapons (sans Tee Higgins) than most backups would ever enjoy, it’s a tall order to successfully execute behind an up-and-down line against the T.J. Watt-led Steelers.

And a potentially struggling offense doesn’t help a defense that hasn’t looked right all year. That unit finally gets Sam Hubbard back up front, but the young secondary trying to adjust after big roster turnover could struggle against Pittsburgh’s strong cast of weapons.

Still, this feels like one of the biggest coin-flips of the season. Each team wants to rally and reset the narrative for the rest of the year. The Steelers want to prove, behind a surge after a rare in-season coaching move, that they can be a playoff threat. The Bengals want to show they can shock as an underdog and that the rest of the season really isn’t just about development.

Notably, this one goes down in Cincinnati and there’s a glimmer of hope in that a low-scoring game could favor the Bengals. While the Steelers have a new play-caller, quarterback Kenny Pickett has thrown just one touchdown since October 1.

To his credit, Browning came in and led scoring drives last week without any prep time. There’s a small chance he can scratch and claw his way into enough production against a Steelers defense that lost to a rookie quarterback last week to keep the Bengals alive.

Prediction: Bengals 17, Steelers 14

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Final score predictions for Bengals vs. Ravens on TNF in Week 11

A final prediction for Bengals vs. Ravens in Week 11.

Thursday night, the Cincinnati Bengals need to do what feels like the near-impossible to avoid falling into a season-altering hole.

There, they enter hostile territory to take on the 7-3 Baltimore Ravens just a few days removed from last Sunday’s loss to the Houston Texans. At stake is not just losing two in a row — it’s falling to 5-5, 0-3 in the AFC North and 1-5 in the AFC.

And the short-week hurdle thrown out by the NFL is readily apparent on the injury report. While star defensive end Trey Hendrickson is surprisingly good to go, we don’t know how effective he can be after suffering what was reported as a hyperextended knee last Sunday. Wideout Tee Higgins and defensive end Sam Hubbard will miss the game.

That’s not to say the Ravens aren’t suffering either. They just lost a heartbreaker to the Browns to ruin a four-game streak of their own and starting offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley is out, while top cornerback Marlon Humphrey is doubtful.

Making it harder to get a read on this matchup is that this is a rematch. Back in Week 2, the Bengals lost 27-24 while Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson both threw a pair of scores. But Burrow’s calf injury greatly limited his mobility and that was when the playbook was severely dialed back before the bye week.

So, while the Bengals figure to be better offensively this time out, keep in mind in Week 2 that it was Higgins who led the team with eight catches for 89 yards and two scores. Baltimore’s defense has been stellar this season, limiting Houston to nine points, Cleveland to three in one of their two matches, Tennessee to 16, Detroit to six and Seattle to three.

If anything, it feels like this one will come down to the defense for the Bengals. Lou Anarumo had the big task on a short week of fixing his unit’s tackling issues, likely stressing bringing down the ball-carrier is more important than trying to get a turnover.

Easier said than done against Jackson, though. The Ravens passer has won seven of eight starts against the Bengals over the course of his career, averaging 79.5 rushing yards per encounter. If he breaks free like that, Baltimore shouldn’t have any problems at home.

Still, Burrow’s offense should produce, as this is his fifth encounter with Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, who heavily relies on never blitzing and keeping two-deep shells. By now, it’s safe to presume Burrow will be ready for it.

The first quarter is the massive one to watch and it might decide the game outright. Sounds wild, but the Ravens have outscored teams 79-16 in the opening frame this year, while the Bengals have scored 55-34 in that quarter and have scored a touchdown on their last five game-opening drives.

Here’s where it gets interesting — the Ravens have trailed for less than 30 minutes this season, but they’ve lost in overtime, on a late touchdown and a late field goal. If Anarumo’s defense can adapt and Burrow’s offense remains consistent, sprinkle in some serious desperation for the visiting team and this one could come down to Evan McPherson.

Prediction: Bengals 27, Ravens 24

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Final score predictions for Texans vs. Bengals in Week 10

A final prediction for Texans vs. Bengals in Week 10.

Like the games before it, the Cincinnati Bengals winning a fifth straight will mostly hinge on quarterback Joe Burrow.

That fifth straight looks like it will have to come during a trap game against a game Houston Texans team led by breakout rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, who enters Paycor Stadium having thrown for 470 yards and five touchdowns during a win the week prior.

And while Burrow looks all the way back from his calf injury, he’ll need to carry an offense that won’t have Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase’s playing status will come down to a morning workout.

Still, it’s understandable if Bengals fans feel pretty confident in Burrow anyway. They’ve seen him dice up defenses with the likes of Trenton Irwin in the past. And just last week during that primetime win over the Bills, he peppered eight different targets with at least one catch on his way to 348 yards and two touchdowns. He’s now thrown five scores and no picks over the last two games, wins over the 49ers and Bills.

This can go a step further, too. The Texans rank 24th in passing yards allowed per game and the team’s secondary was a big part of an injury report this week that listed a stunning 23 players. On the final report, eight players were listed as out (including a starting kicker), with a corner and pass-rusher listed as questionable, too.

Of the players listed out for the Texans, top running back Dameon Pierce and top wideout Nico Collins will miss the game, leaving Stroud without key weapons on the road against a Lou Anarumo defense that should throw confusing looks at the rookie.

Which isn’t to say the Texans can’t produce — someone like Dalton Schultz is the blueprint to exploit the usual Bengals struggles against tight ends. But if the Bengals offense jumps out in front and Stroud’s offense has to get predictable to keep pace, it could create problems for the visitors.

Considering the Texans needed nearly 500 yards and five scores from Stroud to beat a 3-5 Tampa Bay team that has lost four in a row, it’s safe to say this is an easier matchup for the Bengals than each of the last two weeks.

That doesn’t mean it isn’t a trap game and the team can’t afford to overlook the Texans while eyeballing next Thursday’s showdown with the Ravens. But it’s super winnable if they keep playing as they have over this four-game streak.

Prediction: Bengals 30, Texans 20

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Bengals news: Big injury updates, toughest games left, NFL Week 10 picks

The latest Bengals news items and notes to know.

Cincinnati Bengals news fired off at a rapid pace this week, mostly around injury updates for names like Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and even Sam Hubbard.

As it turns out, Higgins and Hubbard are two of the biggest names set to miss the game against the Houston Texans, while Chase is a 50-50 shot after making nice progress from his back injury.

But that’s hardly all as the weekend arrives. We’ve also got a ranking of the toughest games left on the schedule for the Bengals and how some experts are picking the Week 10 game.

Here’s a look at the must-know Bengals news, notes and quotes for November 11.

Bengals’ 9 remaining games, ranked from easiest to toughest

The easiest to toughest games left on the schedule for the Bengals, ranked.

It is commonly suggested that the Cincinnati Bengals have one of the NFL’s hardest remaining schedules with nine games left in the season.

And while that’s true, some games are much harder than others.

Across the remaining nine games, the Bengals play four AFC North opponents and just one non-conference opponent outright. They appear on primetime at least two more times, though two games remain TBD on details and flex scheduling could move others.

Either way, at the season’s halfway point, now is a good time to step back and look at the broader schedule and rank Cincinnati’s remaining games from easiest to hardest.

Final score predictions for Bills vs. Bengals in Week 9

A final prediction for Bills vs. Bengals in Week 9.

The three-game winning streak for the Cincinnati Bengals wasn’t the hardest to predict so far because of one factor.

Joe Burrow.

And it sure feels like a fourth straight is on the docket.

When the Bengals host the Buffalo Bills on the Week 9 edition of “Sunday Night Football,” a national audience will again see a fully healthy Burrow.

Last week, he went into San Francisco and beat a five-win 49ers team 31-17 while going 28-of-32 for 283 yards with three scores and some play-extending and first-down runs, too. That, while leaving roughly 10 points on the board because of a missed field goal and a redzone lost fumble.

Of course, nothing is guaranteed in the NFL and other such typical disclaimers. But that was the closest to the offseason vision we’ve seen the Bengals offense so far — where a healthy Burrow plays behind the best line he’s enjoyed since being drafted and the offense continues to expand.

Another disclaimer, though — the Bills aren’t a slouch. Josh Allen is still massively boom-or-bust, having thrown 17 scores and rushed for five more, yet also sitting on eight interceptions and three fumbles. Even while playing through an injury to his shoulder last week, he managed to throw for two scores, 324 yards and rush for a score in a win.

The Bills also have two guys averaging 4.8 yards per rush or better, one of those being Allen, while the Cincinnati defense is one of the league’s worst — at least statistically — against the run.

Still, it’s hard not to keep coming back to the quarterback comparison. Burrow and Co. have turned the ball over just six times this year for a plus-seven differential, second-best in the league.

And while Allen deals with a shoulder injury that still had him on the injury report last week, he’ll also have to deal with Trey Hendrickson’s pass-rush behind a line that is very young on one side.

We’d be remiss not to mention last year, too. The Bengals fired out of the gates and looked well on the way to a win during the regular season before that game got called off. In the playoffs in Buffalo, that really came to fruition, a 27-10 Bengals win in which Burrow threw for two scores, the offense ran for 172 yards and a score and Allen mustered no touchdown passes on 42 attempts.

The Bengals have simply felt like a bad matchup for the Bills for a few years now, especially with the way Lou Anarumo can put out defenses that give Allen problems. Add on his injury and the fact the Bills are 2-2 over their last four, the wins coming against teams with losing records, and it feels like the Bengals are catching them at a good time — at home, no less.

For this one, it wouldn’t be too much of a shock to see the Bengals pounce on another early lead and really turn the running game loose.

Prediction: Bengals 30, Bills 21

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