Week 18 – @ Cleveland Browns (Sunday, Jan. 9 — 1:00 EST)
This game against the Cleveland Browns could be set up as the biggest game of the entire season with how the standings are shaping up. It could be the deciding game of who wins the division or not or potentially of a wild card spot if both teams can remain in the race by week 18.
In the first game, the Bengals got trampled by the Browns, but much of it was off self-harm like most Cincy losses this year. To start the game, they drove down inside the five, and then Burrow left a pass short, and Denzel Ward picked it off and took it to the house.
Later in the game, Ja’Marr Chase fumbled inside the Cincinnati 30, and the Browns also turned that into points. Of course, the stripes couldn’t stop Nick Chubb all day long either, which didn’t help. Overall, it was probably the Bengals’ worst game on both sides of the ball all season long.
Cincinnati will need to limit those turnovers the second time around if they want to escape the Dawg Pound with a win. The simple reason I’d favor the Bengals here is that I’d rather have Joe Burrow in a must-win game over Baker Mayfield, and that is why Cincinnati will win this game in a battle.
It will stay close late into the fourth quarter, and the LSU Heisman Trophy and National Championship winner will win this game for the Cincinnati Bengals and push them into the postseason for the first time in over five seasons. That’s exactly what he was drafted to do.
2021-2022 FINAL RECORD PREDICTION: 10-7
Would you be okay with the Bengals finishing the season at 10-7? Would that be enough to get them into the postseason?