Tag: NFL picks

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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Dueling expert picks for Cardinals-Rams in Week 12

Check out what the experts are saying about the Cardinals-Rams game and who they think will win.

The Arizona Cardinals face the Los Angeles Rams Sunday at home in Week 12. The Rams come in having won their last game after a three-game losing streak.

The Cardinals are 1-1 since the return of Kyler Murray and, even in their loss to the Houston Texans last week, they had a chance to score a go-ahead touchdown in their final possession of the game.

The Rams won the first matchup in Los Angeles and have won 12 of the last 14 meetings. They have won the last eight at State Farm Stadium.

What are the experts saying?

Below we have expert picks from Cards Wire, Rams Wire and NFL Network.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

Week 12 Rooting Guide: Best outcomes for Ravens with playoff picture developing

We’re looking at the Week 12 rooting guide for the Baltimore Ravens with the AFC playoff picture developing

The Ravens (8-3) have won five of their past six games and are set to travel to the West Coast for an intriguing battle with the Los Angeles Chargers (4-6) on NBC’s Sunday Night Football (8:20 p.m. ET
kickoff).

Baltimore is tied with Miami for the AFC’s best record, but the Dolphins’ 34-13 win over the New York Jets gives the No. 1 seed for now.

The Los Angeles Chargers are trying to avoid falling entirely out of playoff contention after a 23-20 loss to the Packers in Week 11.

With only one of the four Thanksgiving and Black Friday games featuring AFC teams, we’re providing a rooting guide for the Sunday and Monday slate of games.

NFL picks: Experts predict Jaguars vs. Texans in Week 12

Will the Jaguars stay on top in the AFC South, or will the Texans get the season sweep? Here’s what experts predict:

When the Jacksonville Jaguars last played the Houston Texans, they were more than a touchdown favorite against the 0-2 visiting team at EverBank Stadium. Houston flipped the script, though.

The Texans cruised to a 17-0 halftime lead and didn’t take their foot off the pedal en route to a 37-17 final score.

Nine weeks later, Houston is no longer viewed as an unlikely underdog. The Texans have won six of their last eight and all of their November games so far to make a push for first place in the AFC South.

Can the Jaguars hold off the surging Texans by getting a road win of their own? Or will Houston get the season sweep to take over the top spot in the division? Here’s what experts think will happen at NRG Stadium on Sunday:

Week 11 Rooting Guide: Best outcomes for Ravens with playoff picture developing

We’re looking at the Week 11 rooting guide for fans as the Baltimore Ravens could land the top spot in the AFC with a Chiefs loss to the Eagles

The Ravens are 8-3 and looking dominant again after Lamar Jackson threw two touchdown passes in the second quarter to help Baltimore beat Cincinnati 34-20 Thursday night.

The short week now allows John Harbaugh’s team to get some rest, and the weekend will provide fans of both teams ample opportunity to see plenty of other intriguing NFL action from the AFC and NFC.

The remaining Week 11 games offer an opportunity to root against rival AFC foes.  Baltimore could enter Monday night as the top team in the conference with a Philadelphia win over Kansas City.

With kickoff for the Sunday games fast approaching, here’s an updated rooting guide.

Week 11 Rooting Guide: Best outcomes for Eagles with playoff picture developing

We’re looking at the Week 11 rooting guide for fans as the Philadelphia Eagles will face the Chiefs on Monday night

The Eagles (8-1) have a huge Monday night matchup against the Chiefs (7-2) fast approaching, and it’s just one of several games that’ll have playoff implications.

Philadelphia and Kansas City will finish Week 11 on ESPN/ABC, and the Sunday slate of games offers several intriguing matchups and plenty of rooting scenarios in the NFC and AFC.

With kickoff fast approaching, we’re looking at the updated rooting guide for Eagles fans.

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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NFL picks: Experts predict Jaguars vs. 49ers in Week 10

The Jaguars are underdogs against the 49ers, but should they be? Here’s what experts predict will happen Sunday:

The Jacksonville Jaguars will be underdogs Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, but should they be?

It’s the 49ers on a three-game losing streak after starting the year 5-0. And it’s the Jaguars who own the NFL’s longest win streak after coming out on top of all five of their October contests.

A Week 9 bye for both teams provided time for several key players to get healthy, and it may have also been the reset the 49ers needed to get back on track. A big trade to acquire Chase Young from the Washington Commanders didn’t hurt either.

But was that enough to give the 49ers the edge in Week 10. Here’s what experts predict will happen Sunday at EverBank Stadium:

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.