Bengals vs. Bills prediction and odds for NFL divisional round (Can the patchwork O-line survive?)
By Josh Yourish
The most anticipated Monday Night Football game of the year never really got off the ground in Week 17. Obviously, football didn’t matter that night, all that mattered was Damar Hamlin’s health and it appears that a few short weeks later he has that. Thankfully, we can turn our attention back to the field and we have a do over in the divisional round, this time up in Buffalo where the Bills nearly let their Super Bowl hopes slip away to Skylar Thompson and the Dolphins.
The Bengals didn’t have the easiest time in the wild card round either, but a 99-yard scoop and score by Sam Hubbard advanced them to the Divisional round.
Josh Allen vs. Joe Burrow, I can’t wait, but it might not be the shootout we’re all hoping for. Let’s get into the odds and I’ll tell you why.
Bengals vs. Bills odds, spread and total
Buffalo and Cincinnati betting trends
- Buffalo is 8-8-1 ATS
- Cincinnati is 12-4-1 ATS
- The under is 10-7 in Buffalo’s games
- The under is 8-1 in Cincinnati’s last nine playoff games
- The over is 4-0 in Buffalo’s last four games overall and last four playoff games
Bengals BetMGM Promo
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Now, let's break down my best bet.
Bengals vs. Bills prediction and pick
We did get two drives of that game on Monday Night Football in Week 17 and both teams went right down the field, but I expect it to be a different story this week.
A couple of things have changed things then, notably, the Bengals offensive line. Cincinnati had problems on the O-line last playoffs, Joe Burrow got sacked nine times in the divisional round a season ago, and yet, this current construction of their offensive line is much worse than that unit.
La’el Collins has been out at right tackle, then in Week 18, the Bengals had to play their starters to avoid a coin flip for home field with Baltimore and lost Alex Cappa at right guard. To cap it all off, their left tackle Jonah Williams went out with a knee injury in the wild card round. That leaves Hakeem Adeniji starting and Jackson Carman the two players they had rotating at right guard in the playoffs last year, because both were playing so poorly, starting at the two tackle spots.
Baltimore was getting pressure with ease in that game and finished with four sacks. Buffalo has an even better pass rush than the Ravens do, so Burrow will be under constant pressure. On the other side, Buffalo put up 34 points in the win, but Josh Allen was incredibly sporadic and seemed addicted to throwing the deep ball. He got away with it against Miami, but Cincinnati’s defense is much better, and Lou Anarumo will definitely have something better cooked up than Miami’s blitz-happy man coverage strategy.
It’d be exciting to have a 45-42 track meet break out between these two exciting offenses, but there are too many issues that popped up in the Wild Card round and make the under the best bet in this one.
Follow all Josh Yourish’s bets HERE
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change
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