Sports Betting OverviewThe Cincinnati Bengals are 5-2 on the season and 4-1 in its last five games. After dismal showings for the past several seasons, the Cincinnati Bengals find itself battling for first place in the AFC North and right in the thick of a playoff hunt. The Bengals’ defense is essentially the same unit that played last year. The biggest differences for Cincinnati are rookie quarterback Andy Dalton and rookie wide receiver A.J. Green. Fans should keep in mind that the Bengals have yet to play the Baltimore Ravens or Pittsburgh Steelers this season. Those four divisional games will decide the Bengals’ fate for this season. But for now, Cincinnati has to deal with a very hungry Tennessee team.
The Titans were not expected to accomplish anything this season. The price per head sports fans in Tennessee watched as the Titans got rid of all of its starting quarterbacks and its head coach in a single off-season. But when the Titans brought in veteran quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, some fans started to take an interest in the team’s chances this year. When the AFC South was thrown up for grabs at the announcement that Colts’ quarterback Peyton Manning would not be playing this season, the Titans players and fans started to get a little hopeful. The Titans have, for the most part, exceeded expectations for this season. But at 4-3, Tennessee needs to start winning more games if it wants to have a shot at the playoffs.
Cincinnati Bengals
The bookie software has revealed that, under all of the drama created last year by the Cincinnati offense, there was a pretty good defense brewing. With prima donnas such as Chad Ochocinco and Carson Palmer no longer in Cincinnati, the offense has dramatically improved. That means that the defense is not on the field nearly as much as it was last year, and it is being utilized like it should be. The defense is rested and potent, which has allowed it to become a top five NFL defense. The offense looks more coherent this season than it did last season. But the scary thing about the Bengals’ offense is that it still has a couple of years to go before it full matures.
Tennessee Titans
The success story in Tennessee is all about quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. The Titans have the highest paid running back in football in Chris Johnson but the worst run offense in the league. After seven games played, Johnson has only been able to manage 302 rushing yards. The NFL picks for this game will be determined by how well the Bengals defense can contain the Tennessee offense. Since Hasselbeck is the Tennessee offense, it becomes a battle between the Titans’ quarterback and the extremely fast and athletic Cincinnati defense.
The Bottom Line
The intertops odds makers have the Titans favored in this game. But the Bengals’ defense is more than capable of shutting down Tennessee’s one-dimensional offense. Andy Dalton and the Cincinnati offense will be able to score points on the Titans’ defense and put this game away by the end of the third quarter.
Pick: Cincinnati Bengals
