Lions vs. Bengals Point Spread: NFL Week 5 Odds, Prediction
Two teams headed in opposite directions clash on Sunday afternoon, as the Detroit Lions visit the Cincinnati Bengals in NFL Week 5 betting action at Paycor Stadium.
The Lions arrive in Cincy perched atop the NFC North standings after extending their current win streak to three games with last week’s 34-10 rout of the Cleveland Browns.
Conversely, it has been all downhill for the Bengals since losing star quarterback Joe Burrow indefinitely to injury. The Bengals are coming off back-to-back crushing losses, capped by last week’s 28-3 defeat in Denver, but enjoy a 3-1 run in their past four on home turf.
The Lions travel to the Queen City perched as lofty 10.5-point road favourites on the NFL Week 5 odds. The Bengals trail as +425 NFL moneyline underdogs and the total is pegged at 49.5.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
Sunday’s contest provides the Lions with an ideal opportunity to slam the door on a seven-game losing streak versus the Bengals. Overall, Detroit has topped the Bengals just once in 11 meetings since 1983 and have covered the spread just once in seven dates since their last head-to-head victory, back in 1992. The Lions have struggled to generate offence in recent dates with Cincinnati, scoring more than 17 points just once in five clashes, but with the Bengals averaging almost 31 points per game over their past seven matchups, the OVER has gone 4-2-1 over that stretch.
However, those trends have been turned on their head. The Lions enter Week 5 as the NFL’s highest scoring team, racking up 34.3 points per game while the Bengals rank 30th after mustering just 13 total points over their two recent defeats. While the Bengals maintain a respectable 2-2 SU record, their lone ATS win came in their 31-27 home victory over Jacksonville in Week 2. Overall, the Bengals sport a 2-4 SU and ATS in their past six as home underdogs, but they have managed to claim outright victories in three of their past six as double-dogot home dogs.
Detroit Lions
Since being stunned in a season-opening 27-13 loss to Green Bay, the Lions have rediscovered their offensive touch, racking up 41.3 points per game during their current 3-0 run. Quarterback Jared Goff has tossed for eight touchdowns over that stretch, but faced a stiffer defence in last week’s win over the Browns, which limited him to just 16 completions, 168 yards, one score, and one pick.
However, running back Jahmyr Gibbs filled the void with 91 rushing yards and his fourth scoring run in three games. Gibbs has now topped 90 rushing yards in two of three outings, and is poised to wreak havoc on a porous Bengals rush defence that has been lit up for 355 total rushing yards and four scoring runs over the past two weeks. Accordingly, Gibbs offers solid value on the NFL player props as a -115 bet to run for OVER 76.5 yards and is worth a value wager as +250 bet to once again score at least two touchdowns.
Cincinnati Bengals
It was another brutal day for beleaguered quarterback Jake Browning in last week’s crushing loss to Denver. The veteran pivot has failed to find a groove since taking over the reins of the offence from injured Burrow, compiling just 132.5 passing yards per game in his two starts, to go along with two picks and just one TD, which came late in garbage time in the team’s soul-crushing 48-10 loss to Minnesota two weeks ago.
Indeed, with Browning at the helm, the Bengals compiled just 89 total yards after opening last week’s date in Denver with a 62-yard drive that produced their only points of the game.
Considering how a savage Lions pass defence dominated Joe Flacco and Browns last week, it is tough to expect Browning to turn things around. Accordingly, the Bengals pivot should be faded across the board on Sunday, as a -115 bet to toss for UNDER 236.5 yards and as a -110 wager to make UNDER 32.5 pass attempts.
NFL Prediction: Who Will Win Lions vs. Bengals?
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DET
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