Cincinnati Bengals at Tennessee Titans Betting Preview
The divisional round of the NFL playoffs kicks off with a bang Saturday as the No. 4 Cincinnati Bengals (10-7) take on the top-seeded Tennessee Titans (12-5). The Titans will host this one at Nissan Stadium, with kickoff scheduled for 4:30 pm ET.
In the NFL Wild Card round, the Bengals were able to get by the Las Vegas Raiders 26-19. After scoring 20 points in the first half, they were only able to manage a pair of field goals in the second half.
In the win, Joe Burrow threw for 244 yards and two scores. Even though he was held without a touchdown, wide receiver, Ja’Marr Chase led the way with nine receptions for 116 yards.
For the Titans, they enjoyed a bye last week as the top seed. They did finish the regular season on a three-game win streak, including a 28-25 win over the Houston Texans in Week 18.
The Titans are the favorites in this one playing at home. They are -180 to win while the Bengals’ moneyline sits at +152. The spread features Cincinnati +3.5 (-114), and the over/under for total points is 47.
More Odds
Despite being the top seed in the AFC, the Titans have the sixth-best odds of winning the Super Bowl this season at +850. The Bengals have the worst odds of remaining teams at +1500.
By The Numbers
During the regular season, the Bengals had the stronger of the two offenses. They rank seventh in scoring averaging 27 points per game. The Titans rank 15th as they are averaging 24.6 points.
On defense, the Titans hold the upper hand. They rank sixth in scoring defense, allowing opponents just 20.8 points per game (16.8 at home). The Bengals rank 16th allowing 21.9 points (17 on the road).
Bengals Trying To End The Streak
Sadly for Bengals’ fans, their postseason history has been filled with futility. In fact, the team has not won an AFC Championship since 1988 and have never won a Super Bowl. Led by second-year star Joe Burrow, the Bengals are trying to defy odds and make this their year.
During the regular season, Burrow threw for 4,611 yards, 34 touchdowns, and just 14 interceptions. He also rushed for 118 yards and another two scores.
Burrow’s favorite receiver is Ja’Marr Chase. In 17 games, he had 81 receptions for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns. Tee Higgins also had a nice season with 74 receptions, 1,091 yards, and six scores.
On the ground, the team is led by Joe Mixon. He rushed 292 times this season for 1,205 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also had 42 receptions for 314 yards and another three scores.
The defense also got a big boost this week as Trey Hendrickson, who suffered a concussion in the Wild Card game, was cleared for this game. He has 34 tackles and a team-leading 14 sacks this season.
Not Much Love For Top Seed
Despite finishing the regular season with the top record, the Titans aren’t getting too much love in the playoffs. Instead, many pundits expect either the Bills or Chiefs to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. On Saturday, the Titans will try to prove why they are a force to be reckoned with.
That force could become stronger if running back Derrick Henry is able to play. He has been out since Week 8, when he underwent foot surgery, but is expected to play in this one.
Prior to his injury, Henry had rushed 219 times for 937 yards and ten touchdowns. He is healthy and back to form Saturday; it could be a long day for the Bengals’ defense.
Under center for Tennessee is Ryan Tannehill. This season, he threw for 3,734 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. His favorite target was A.J. Brown, who had 63 receptions for 869 yards and five touchdowns.
Defensively, the team is led by Kevin Byard (88 tackles and five interceptions) and Harold Landry III (12 sacks).
Take The Bengals And The Points
There are a lot of questions heading into this one. Will Derrick Henry play, and if so, how effective will he be? How will the Titans bounce back after a week off? Can Burrow lead the Bengals to the AFC Championship?
Regardless of how these questions are answered, expect this to be a close matchup as the dynamite Bengals’ offense squares off with a solid Titans’ defense.
Given that it might come down to just a single possession, there is a lot of value in taking the points. In this case, that means taking Cincinnati +3.5.
