What’s up with Joe Burrow this season? The Cincinnati Bengals are averaging just 12 points per game, and questions are growing about the severity of Burrow’s calf injury, which he suffered during the preseason and continues to impact his mobility. It also doesn’t help that the offensive line has been underperforming, both in the running game and in pass protection. The play calling has been asking Burrow to wait for deep routes to get open instead of pointing him toward hot routes and checkdowns, so one area of improvement could come in more responsive play calling. The Bengals have a chance to reset a bit with a trip to Arizona to take on the rebuilding Cardinals. Keep following reading this Bengals vs Cardinals analysis to plan your weekend betting.
Week 5 Bengals vs Cardinals Betting Odds: Can the Cincinnati offense get back on track, or will the Cardinals make the Bengals look as silly as they made Dallas look? Read on to get our sports betting thoughts on this matchup.
When: Sunday, October 8, 2023, 4:05 pm ET
Where: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ
TV: FOX
Live Stream: Hulu
NFL Odds: Cincinnati -3 / O/U 45 // Cincinnati -165 / Arizona +140
Why should you bet on the Cincinnati Bengals?
The Bengals have only managed one win in four games – and they only scored 19 points in that victory over the L.A. Rams. They played the Ravens close in a Week 2 loss, but they got undressed by the Browns in Week 1 and the Titans in Week 4. On the season they are 0-4 against the spread. Burrow’s high passing yardage total this season has been 259 against the Rams, but he only threw for 165 against Tennessee. For the season he has a disappointing 2:2 TD:INT ratio.
The running game has also struggled as Joe Mixon has only picked up 247 yards through four games, averaging 4.2 yards per game. The Bengals are 31st in the league in rushing offense to this point. Ja’Marr Chase leads the team with 284 receiving yards, but he hasn’t had Tee Higgins distracting the pass coverage on the other side of the formation. The defense has suffered due to the low time of possession, and the fatigue has contributed to the team permitting 24 or more points in three of their four games. The Tennessee offense was able to pick up 400 total yards against the Bengals last week – and this is a Titan offense that has struggled to move the ball.
Bet on the Bengals to Win Today
Why should you put your money on the Arizona Cardinals?
The Cardinals’ lone win came against Dallas as they entered as 10 ½-point home underdogs but won by a dozen. However, the momentum did not carry over last week as they were 15-point underdogs in San Francisco last week and lost, 35-16. That was just their first loss against the spread this season, though. Joshua Dobbs continues to play in place of Kyler Murray, and he has 815 passing yards on the season, including 265 against San Francisco a week ago. He has four touchdown passes without a pick this season.
The running game has been led by James Conner, who has 318 yards through four games, averaging 5.2 yards per attempt. The Bengals have a hard time stopping the run, so he could cause problems on Sunday. Hollywood Brown leads the team with 239 receiving yards, but Michael Wilson is right there with him at 237. On defense, the Cardinals had a hard time in losses to the Giants and the 49ers, but the pass rush has picked up a dozen sacks on the season. Both the passing and rushing defense are ranked 24th, though.
Bet on the Cardinals to Win Today
Bengals vs Cardinals Final Score and Prediction
I was surprised by how poorly the Cincinnati offense moved the ball against Tennessee last week, but the Titans’ defense is more physical than what the Cardinals will bring. I see the Bengals figuring things out – to some degree. I predict a final score of Cincinnati 27, Arizona 20.
Odds to Win Conference Championship
AFC Championship
| AFC Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Kansas City Chiefs | +285 |
| Buffalo Bills | +370 |
| Miami Dolphins | +530 |
| Baltimore Ravens | +650 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | +1325 |
| Cleveland Browns | +1450 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | +1475 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | +1475 |
| Tennessee Titans | +3100 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | +3400 |
| New England Patriots | +5000 |
| Denver Broncos | +6000 |
| New York Jets | +6200 |
| Houston Texans | +6200 |
| Indianapolis Colts | +6600 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | +8500 |
| AFC Lines to Win | |
NFC Championship
| NFC Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | +224 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | +290 |
| Dallas Cowboys | +430 |
| Detroit Lions | +780 |
| Seattle Seahawks | +1625 |
| New Orleans Saints | +1925 |
| Green Bay Packers | +2600 |
| Atlanta Falcons | +2800 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | +2900 |
| Minnesota Vikings | +2900 |
| Los Angeles Rams | +4000 |
| Washington Commanders | +4900 |
| New York Giants | +7500 |
| Carolina Panthers | +15000 |
| Arizona Cardinals | +16000 |
| Chicago Bears | +20000 |
| NFC Lines to Win | |
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Bengals vs Cardinals
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