The Cincinnati Bengals are three-point favorites against the defending Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos in Week 3.
Looking to rebound from their Week 2 loss to AFC North enemy the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Bengals will welcome the Super Bowl 50 victors to Paul Brown Stadium at 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Home advantage should be key for Cincinnati. Joe Osborne of OddsShark noted how the Broncos “haven’t been a team to back on the road as they’ve covered the spread just once in their last five games outside of Denver.”
A lot will depend on how effective the Broncos’ rushing attack can be. Osborne also pointed out how the Bengals are owner’s of the NFL‘s softest run defense after two weeks.
Yet, it’s not necessarily an indication Denver’s C.J. Anderson will run wild in Cincy. Indeed, Osborne detailed how “Anderson was significantly less effective in road games last season — 3.5 yards per rush attempt and 0 TDs on the road vs 5.9 yards per rush attempt and five TDs at home.”
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The Bengals boast the kind of tough, talented, and deep front seven to stuff Anderson cold, making this a potential war of attrition in the making.
Odds
Line: CIN (-3)
Over/Under: (41)
It’s hard to envisage anything other than a struggle for both offenses. Especially with so much defensive talent set to take the field.
Denver’s fired-up pass rush, led by Von Miller, is still every pro quarterback’s nightmare — as is a skilled secondary led by cornerback Aqib Talib and safety T.J. Ward.
But the Bengals have their own agents of destruction. Defensive tackle Geno Atkins is a game-wrecker up front, while corner Adam Jones is an opportunistic cover man. End Michael Johnson remains threatening off the edge in his eighth season.
The game’s two defensive coordinators, Denver’s Wade Phillips and Cincy’s Paul Guenther, are among the most astute at bringing pressure. There are some bruises in store for the game’s two quarterbacks, Bengals passer Andy Dalton and Broncos first-year starter Trevor Siemian.
You’d be smart to bet on the under for this one. Given the Broncos’ problems covering the spread on the road, a narrow Bengals win on the under is the best bet of all.