Bengals vs. Broncos MNF Point Spread: NFL Week 4 Odds, Prediction
The Broncos are 7.5-point favourites on the NFL odds with a total of 44.5 points.
Monday Night Football Point Spread and Betting Analysis
The Cincinnati Bengals had started really slowly the past few years under coach Zac Taylor after he had not played any of his key guys in the preseason. So quarterback Joe Burrow pushed Taylor to allow Burrow and others at least some preseason snaps this year to avoid any rust out of the gate. And the good news is that the Bengals are 2-1, but they lost Burrow to a potentially season-ending toe injury in Week 2.
Burrow already has had surgery and might get back in December, but this now marks a third season ruined in the NFL by injury for the former Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 draft. That injury could have a major trickle-down effect, including Taylor getting fired. And it potentially takes away one Super Bowl contender from the loaded AFC. Burrow was among the MVP favourites after leading the NFL last year in TD throws and passing yards and Cincy was among the AFC favourites. Now it is a +5500 longshot to win the AFC.
Denver was a Wild-Card team in 2024 as quarterback Bo Nix had a terrific rookie season and cornerback Patrick Surtain II won NFL Defensive Player of the Year. The future is pretty bright under coach Sean Payton, but the Broncos likely aren’t good enough to reach the Super Bowl yet.
Cincinnati leads this all-time series 22-12 and prevailed 30-24 in OT last season at home in Week 17. Burrow hit Tee Higgins for the winning TD with 1:07 left in OT. Cade York had a chance to win it for Cincinnati with about three minutes left in overtime, but his 33-yard field goal bounced off the left upright. Denver punted twice in OT. The Bengals are 5-2 ATS in the past seven meetings.
Cincinnati Bengals
Backup QB Jake Browning made his eighth career NFL start on Sunday with Joe Burrow out and Browning fell to 4-4 in the 48-10 blowout loss at Minnesota, which started its own backup QB due to injury. Browning looked pretty good in relief of Burrow in Week 2 other than two picks and he had three more interceptions on Sunday and only 140 yards. It was the largest loss in franchise history and snapped the Bengals’ seven-game winning streak, one shy of the team record.
The running game has been non-existent all season with No. 1 running back Chase Brown managing all of 3 yards on 10 carries vs. the Vikings. Fellow tailback Samaje Perine, largely used as a receiver out of the backfield on third down, injured his thumb in Week 3 and is in question. Tight end Noah Fant left with a possible concussion. The defence under new coordinator Al Golden hasn’t been great. On average, opposing teams have needed 5.8 yards to gain against Cincinnati, the fourth-shortest distance in the NFL. The Bengals are tied for 28th in the league in third-down conversions allowed. The over is 9-4 in the Bengals’ past 13 games.
Denver Broncos
Denver has been rather inconsistent in the early going with quarterback Bo Nix perhaps having a bit of a sophomore slump as he is yet to throw for more than 206 yards and has three INTs, although he avoided one in Sunday’s 23-20 loss at the Chargers. The Broncos had rallied from a 10-0 first-half hole to lead 20-13 late in the fourth but couldn’t hold it as Cameron Dicker won it with a 43-yard field goal as time expired. Denver’s Talanoa Hufanga was called for an unnecessary roughness penalty on the Chargers’ final drive that was big.
The Broncos had 10 penalties for 90 yards, managed just nine first downs and were 2 of 13 on third-down conversions. They had seven possessions Sunday of 10 or fewer yards, including three for 1 yard or negative yards. It was the second straight week the team lost on a last-second field goal where a penalty played a major role.
It is yet another slow start after Denver began 2024 at 0-2 and 2023 at 1-5. The team is now 1-6 ATS in its past seven games overall. No. 1 tight end Evan Engram missed Week 3 with a back injury and is questionable.
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