Before the 2021 season, it had been a long time since the Cincinnati Bengals were considered true NFL contenders. They had a nice run of playoff appearances in the early 2010s, including a pair of AFC North titles, but they tended to lose in the first round. It hadn’t been since the 1980s that the Bengals even made it to an AFC Championship, let alone advanced to the Super Bowl. Since the arrival of Joe Burrow at quarterback, though, that has all changed. His first season ended early with a knee injury, but his second season saw the Bengals knock off Kansas City in the AFC Championship and advance to the Super Bowl. Last year, the Bengals once again met Kansas City in the conference title game, but it was the Chiefs who prevailed this time. Let’s look at some NFL betting thoughts about the Bengals’ opponents in 2023.
NFL Betting News: 2023 Opponent Analysis – Cincinnati Bengals
Home Games: Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Buffalo, Houston, Indianapolis, L.A. Rams, Seattle
Road Games: Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Arizona, Jacksonville, Kansas City, San Francisco, Tennessee
Let’s look at the divisional games first. The Pittsburgh Steelers are an intriguing team after a 9-8 season in 2022, their first without Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback after an 18-year career. By the time rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett got his feet under himself, the Steelers were ready to start winning, and they turned around a 2-6 start by winning seven of their last nine – and almost backed into the playoffs. I see them pushing that number to 11-6 this season and breaking into the playoffs with a wild-card entry.
The Ravens still don’t have certainty at quarterback, as they haven’t granted Lamar Jackson’s trade request. They did add Odell Beckham Jr at wide receiver, but Beckham could be facing a lengthy suspension after an assault allegation, a piece of news that won’t resonate well in the Charm City. Their defense is still solid, but if the Ravens cannot move the ball more effectively, they won’t win the division.
Cleveland comes in, once again, looking like a solid team. They have Deshaun Watson at quarterback and Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt to pound the ball on the ground. They have an elite list of players on defense. However, Watson was so rusty last year that teams loaded the box to stop the running game and dare Watson to beat them, and he couldn’t. The coaching staff couldn’t leverage that talent on defense into shutdown performances. There’s no sign that this will improve in 2023.
The Bengals play all of the NFC West teams. Seattle just extended Geno Smith, giving the perennial backup quarterback cash and security. Will his breakout play continue in 2023? Will the Seahawks shore up the holes on defense? The San Francisco 49ers are an excellent team with a question mark at quarterback. Will Trey Lance or Brock Purdy be the Week 1 starter? Will either last the whole season? Will the 49ers trade for a more veteran presence? The Rams don’t look like a team that won the Super Bowl just two seasons ago, as they have moved into full rebuilding mode. Then there’s Arizona, tied to Kyler Murray with a long, expensive deal, but with a new head coach and with a star wide receiver (DeAndre Hopkins) who wants to be traded.
The Minnesota Vikings, as always, are an enigma. Kirk Cousins is enough of a puzzle when he’s the stable starter, but rumors are swirling about a trade with San Francisco. Dalvin Cook is a terrific tailback, and the wide receiving group is fast and talented. So why don’t the Vikings win more in the playoffs?
Then, there’s the AFC South. Tennessee looks to be sliding toward a rebuild, with Ryan Tannehill showing his age and the team receptive to trading Derrick Henry. The Colts’ latest experiment at quarterback is former Philadelphia backup Gardner Minshew. Houston has a new head coach for the third straight season, but the lack of investment by the front office means that the Texans will be playing another meaningless campaign. Jacksonville is my division favorite in the South after beating the Chargers and advancing to the divisional playoff last season.
What about Buffalo and Kansas City? I see these games against playoff opponents from last season going in the opposite direction. The Bills have plenty of motivation from that home playoff loss to deliver against the Bengals, and I see the Bengals going to Arrowhead and getting revenge for that conference championship loss.
So how do the Bengals fare? I see them sweeping Cleveland and Pittsburgh and splitting with the Ravens for a 5-1 division record. I see them beating Minnesota at home (6-1). Then I see them winning three against the NFC West (9-2). Against the AFC South, I see them going 3-1, with their lone loss coming at Jacksonville (12-3). I see them losing to Buffalo but beating Kansas City for a 13-4 record and another AFC North title.
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