When the point spreads for Week 5 of the 2021 NFL season came out, Green Bay was favored to win at Cincinnati by six points. That line shrank in a hurry, as sports betting enthusiasts noted Cincinnati’s dominant win in Pittsburgh and their furious comeback to beat Jacksonville to post a 3-1 record. The two teams don’t meet often, as members of different conferences, but the Packers won the last meeting, a 27-24 affair that went to overtime. Cincinnati won the three previous meetings — by a combined 18 points.
Let’s take a closer look NFL Odds and preview of this showdown between two 3-1 teams.
NFL Preview: Green Bay Packers at Cincinnati Bengals (Sunday, October 10)
When: Sunday, October 10, 1:00 pm ET
Where: Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati
TV: FOX
Radio: WTMJ 620 AM Milwaukee / WLW 700 AM Cincinnati
Live Stream: Hulu
NFL Odds: Green Bay -3 / O/U 50.5 // Green Bay -160 / Cincinnati +140
Why should you bet on the Packers?
Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers have definitely bounced back from that shellacking they took from New Orleans in their season opener. Last week, they cruised to a 27-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Rodgers threw two touchdown passes to Randall Cobb and ran for another score. Even more impressive, though, is the Green Bay defense, which is 8th in the league against the pass and 10th against the run — and 6th overall. Jaire Alexander is dealing with a shoulder injury, which could impact the secondary — and give Joe Burrow more opportunities down the field. However, Green Bay has also been snagging takeaways — last week, they had multiple takeaways for the third straight game.
Green Bay has covered in five of their last six games in October and in six of their last eight contests overall. The stout defensive rankings that Green Bay has put up in their last three games — remember, they gave up 38 points and five touchdown passes in Week One — has them among the league’s best for the season. That defense will bend a bit against Joe Burrow, especially if wide receiver Tee Higgins is available, but the Packers should be able to pick up this win on the road.
Why should you put your money on the Bengals?
Cincinnati is tied with Baltimore and Cleveland for first place in the AFC North — and they have won two games straight up as an underdog. Last week, the Bengals came out flat at home on Thursday night against Jacksonville and were down 14-0 at halftime. After the intermission, they outscored the Jaguars 24-7, including a touchdown to win the game on their final drive. Joe Burrow broke the 300-yard barrier in passing for the first time this season and found C.J. Uzomah for two touchdowns. With tailback Joe Mixon nursing a sprained ankle, the pressure on Burrow may be greater this week.
Cincinnati has turned into a tough home team, covering in five of their last seven games at Paul Brown Stadium. Interestingly, the “under” has come through for Cincinnati in four of their last five games, even though the Bengals’ defense is not elite. If you like the Bengals, you think that Joe Burrow can test the Packers as well, but let’s remember that the three teams that Cincinnati has beaten now have a combined record of 2-10. So while the Bengals might threaten, it’s a tall order even to look for a cover with just a three-point spread.
Final Score and Betting Prediction
Cincinnati is an exciting young team, but it is hard to see them taking down a team that has been to two straight NFC Championships and has run roughshod over their last three opponents. I think Cincinnati will keep this close, but the Packers should pull away late and win, 31-24.
NFL Betting Odds
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