The Cincinnati Bengals head to the Music City to square off against the Tennessee Titans in the divisional round of the playoffs at Nissan Stadium. In the opening round of the postseason, the Bengals grabbed a victory against the Raiders 26-19, while the Titans got the week off with their first-round bye.
Cincinnati Bengals Betting Preview: Bengals Next Playoff Stop in the Music City
The Cincinnati Bengals are coming off a hard-fought victory over the Las Vegas Raiders that rewarded the franchise by ending a 31-year playoff win drought. The Bengals offense has been electric this season, ranking 13th in total offense, and showed it in their victory with Joe Burrow tossing two touchdowns while showcasing his connection with Ja’Marr Chase, who led the Bengals in receiving. It will be a running back dual as the Titans should get Derrick Henry back, but Joe Mixon finished as the league’s third-leading rusher with a career-best 1,205 yards.
Defensively, the Bengals turned in a big performance against the Raiders in the opening round, notching three sacks and forcing two turnovers in their first playoff win since 1991. Cincinnati was led by Trey Hendrickson, who took down Derek Carr with a strip-sack. Keep an eye on the Bengals’ banged-up defensive line, which has been a huge focal point for the defense that finished the year ranked fifth against the run.
Tennessee Titans Betting Preview: Number One Seed Titans Host Red Hot Bengals
Coming off their first-round bye, the Titans should be well-rested and looking to capitalize on a strong finish to the regular season that saw them win three straight contests and four out of their last five. They’re also expected to get a huge playoff boost from top running back Derrick Henry, who missed several games with a foot injury.
After enjoying a first-round bye, the titans start their playoff push against the dangerous Cincinnati Bengals. Tennessee captured the AFC South title and will be making their third straight appearance in the postseason thanks to the leadership and consistent play of the veteran signal-caller Ryan Tannehill. Although the offense finished 17th in total offense, Tannehill has been the glue for this squad, throwing for 3,734 yards and 21 touchdowns.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Titans have been exceptional, conceding just 329.8 yards and 20.8 points per contest. Tennessee’s defense has been the backbone of this team all year, especially at home, where they conceded just 16.8 points and the second-best rushing defense. The defensive unit has 22 total takeaways on the year and is led by Harold Landry III, who leads the team with 12 sacks.
Betting Lines & Odds
Early betting odds on MyBookie have the Titans as the -3.5-home favorite, with the point total set at 47.
Free Betting Pick
The Bengals come into this matchup with all of the momentum. If there is one thing this team can do, it is a flat-out score. The Joe Burrow to Ja’Marr Chase connection has been unstoppable, and the Bengals have totaled an average of 29.3 points in their last four games. Be that as it may, the offense struggled to put away the Raiders, and the injury to the defensive line should be an issue in this matchup.
The Titans are the number one seed in the AFC for a reason; they are vicious on the defensive line and are one of the best teams against the run. In addition, the Titans will be getting the league’s top rusher back in Derrick Henry. This season, Tennessee is 6-3 ATS at home, and they play a lot better at Nissan Stadium. Back the Titans in this one.
BetUSASports Free Pick: Titans -3.5
