The Bengals opened as 6.5-point favourites on the NFL odds with a total of 49.5 points.

NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis

The Raiders are in the playoffs for the first time since 2016; that the team is playing extra football might be enough for ownership to hire interim head coach Rich Bisaccia as the full-time guy. The Bengals are in the playoffs for the first time since 2015, and Zac Taylor might win NFL Coach of the Year.

These clubs played in Las Vegas in Week 11 and the Bengals won 32-13 as 2.5-point favourites. Joe Burrow had a huge season but was relatively quiet that day with 148 yards passing and a touchdown pass to likely NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Ja’Marr Chase. Joe Mixon provided much of the offence with 123 yards rushing and two scores on the ground. Kicker Evan McPherson had four field goals and became the 13th player with three of 50 yards or more in a game. Derek Carr threw for 215 yards with a TD and a pick for the Raiders. Tight end Darren Waller had seven catches for 116 yards.

Cincinnati is 5-0 against the spread in the past five meetings.

Las Vegas Raiders

Sunday night’s Raiders home game vs. the Chargers was incredible because it turned out that a tie between the AFC West rivals would have allowed both to reach the post-season. And it probably would have been a tie had Chargers coach Brandon Staley not called a timeout in the final seconds of OT. It appeared the Raiders were content to run out the clock, but instead Daniel Carlson kicked the winning field goal as time expired to win 35-32 and eliminate the Chargers. It was the Raiders’ sixth walk-off win of the season, the most since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. Derek Carr threw for two scores, both to Hunter Renfroe.

Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller played for the first time in about six weeks due to injury but was quiet with two catches for 22 yards. Josh Jacobs rushed for 132 yards and a TD. The Raiders are the fourth playoff team in league history to have a different coach in the post-season than in its season opener. The Raiders are 6-2 ATS in their past eight as road underdogs.

Cincinnati Bengals

AFC North champion Cincinnati had no reason to care about Sunday’s regular-season finale and the Bengals rested QB Joe Burrow (he didn’t even travel) and many other starters in a 21-16 loss in Cleveland. Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon and star defensive end Trey Hendrickson were out after testing positive for COVID-19 early last week but already have been cleared for this game. Mixon finished third in the NFL with 1,205 yards rushing and fourth with 16 total TDs. Burrow is sixth in the league with 4,611 yards and eighth with 34 TD passes.

Cincinnati hasn’t won a playoff game since following the 1990 season. Weather could be in the Bengals’ favour as it’s expected to snow Saturday afternoon and the Raiders are obviously a warm-weather team that also plays indoors. The Bengals are 5-1 ATS in their past six vs. teams with a winning record.

NFL Playoff Prediction: Who Will Win Raiders vs. Bengals?