The Bills (12-3) head to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals (11-4) for Monday Night Football in Week 17.
This game has the second-highest game total of the week at SI Sportsbook (49.5) and the Bengals are home dogs with the Bills favored by 2.5 points.
In what could easily be a preview of the AFC Championship Game, this matchup promises to be a great one.
Both teams have punched their ticket to the postseason, with Buffalo winning the AFC East and looking to secure the 1-seed. The Bengals have secured a playoff spot but have yet to clinch the division and may have to win in Week 18 to do so.
Cincinnati is riding a seven game win-streak, while the Bills have won six in a row.
The Bills rate as the slightly better team both offensively and defensively. With one of the brightest stars in the game at quarterback in Josh Allen, the Bills average 28 points per game (fourth) and 6.2 yards per play, compared to Cincinnati’s 5.6. Allen’s 4,029 passing yards rank sixth in the league, and his 746 rushing yards rank fourth among quarterbacks. Stefon Diggs’s 1,325 receiving yards rank fourth at the position, and Gabe Davis, Isaiah McKenzie and tight end Dawson Knox round out Allen’s talented weapons. Buffalo’s running game is effective with a tandem of Devin Singletary and James Cook, in addition to Allen.
But, there’s also a star on the other side of this game. Joe Burrow’s 4,260 passing yards and 34 passing touchdowns are second to Patrick Mahomes, and his 69% completion rate ranks eighth (Allen’s is only 63.4%). Tee Higgins leads the team with 1,022 receiving yards, while Ja’Marr Chase has 960 of his own across only 11 games. Tyler Boyd and running back Joe Mixon are also threats in the receiving game, while Mixon and Samaje Perine combine for an effective rushing attack. The Bengals’ 26.1 points per game rank sixth in the league.
Both teams are also stout defensively.
Buffalo allows only 5.1 yards per play and 17.5 points per game (second), while Cincinnati yields 5.4 yards per play and 20.4 points per game (ninth).
Bills Straight-Up Record: 12-3Bills Against the Spread Record: 7-7-1
Bengals Straight-Up Record: 11-4Bengals Against the Spread Record: 12-3
Bet on Bengals-Bills at SI Sportsbook
Buffalo is 4-3-1 against the spread (ATS) as road favorites, while Cincinnati is 1-0 as a home underdog. Games have gone over the total only five times for both teams.
Both teams are hot, with the reigning AFC champion Bengals looking to defend their title at home against the current Super Bowl favorite Bills. Considering Cincinnati’s ATS record, the only bet for me is Bengals plus the points.
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