The Cincinnati Bengals last won a playoff game in 1991. The first text message was sent in 1992. No team in the league has endured a longer playoff win drought.
The Las Vegas Raiders spent most of the 2021 season making headlines for all the wrong reasons. Despite everything the organization has endured, they’re still playing in January.
We’re past the point of “which team wants it more?” analysis being useful. It’s time to win or go home. Though, of all the matchups this Wild Card weekend, perhaps no two teams need a win more than these two.
This game officially kicks off the first round of the playoffs on Saturday. Let’s take a look at what could play out in this captivating Wild Card matchup.
Please note that all NFL gameday odds and lines are current as of 1 PM EST on Wednesday, January 12.
Raiders vs Bengals Same-Game Parlay
Let’s take a look at the best options for same game parlays in this Las Vegas-Cincinnati matchup, courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook.
- Cincinnati Bengals -5.5 Spread (-110)
- Under 49.5 Total Points (-110)
Cincinnati Bengals -5.5 Spread (-110) at Caesars Sportsbook
Week 11 gave us an unexpected preview of this Raiders vs Bengals matchup. In Vegas, Cincinnati won handily by a score of 32-13.
Joe Mixon was leaned on heavily, battering the Raiders defense on 30 carries for 123 yards and two scores. Comeback Player of the Year candidate Joe Burrow took a back seat in that game, throwing for just 148 yards.
The Bengals offense was in a transformative period at the time. Burrow had started the season with eight consecutive games with multiple passing touchdowns, and we all remember how Ja’Marr Chase shot out of a cannon to start his rookie season.
After Week 8, opposing defenses finally took notice and did everything they could to stop Chase. The Browns did so effectively, beating the Bengals in Week 9. The Raiders held Chase to two catches for eight yards in Week 11.
Sportsbook Play of the Day
Before you continue reading our Raiders vs Bengals betting tips, you should know that Caesars Sportsbook is one of the best around. Take advantage of Caesars’ outstanding welcome bonus, which matches your first bet up to $1,001 (win or lose) when you use our promo code .
Additionally, users who wager a total of $100 on NBA games will earn a FREE NBA jersey!
Read Chris Wassel’s Caesars Sportsbook review for more insight and get your welcome bonus below, or continue reading this analysis for our best Raiders vs Bengals tipster picks.
In response, the Bengals took their fights to the ground. Mixon’s ground game was akin to Khabib Nurmagomedov, pummeling opponents for seven rushing TDs over a four-game stretch.
That was far from the final form of the Bengals offense. After a slow start to the season, Tee Higgins finally got on the same page with Burrow, putting up four 100+ receiving-yard games in a five-week period from Week 12 to Week 16.
Higgins admitted he had a shoulder injury holding him back to start the season. His return to form brought the Bengals offense to an elite level, as demonstrated by Burrow throwing just shy of 1,000 passing yards over his last two starts.
Cincinnati’s defense has exceeded expectations, leaving their offensive line as their biggest weakness. The Raiders’ Maxx Crosby is going to give them fits.
He may not have the gaudy sack numbers to show it, but Crosby has been phenomenal. Leading the league in QB knockdowns and cracking the top 10 in pressures, he makes his presence felt every week. It still won’t be enough to take down the Bengals.
It may have taken a bizarre final drive, including multiple game-saving penalties called in their favor, but this Bengals team just beat the Chiefs two weeks ago. The key players for Cincinnati had Week 18 off to rest. The Raiders had to go all out Sunday night, including an extra 10 minutes of overtime play, to get to this point.
Explosive offense, strong defense, home-field advantage, and significantly more time to rest all leads me to believe that the Bengals will win this game handily as part of our NFL bet of the day.
Check out more of our Raiders vs Bengals Predictions
Under 49.5 Total Points (-110) at Caesars Sportsbook
The Skyline chili in Cincinnati is delightful, end of discussion. The weather in Paul Brown Stadium, however, will be frightful.
Forecasts currently call for a high of 29 degrees and a potential wintry mix. Quite a stark contrast to the home game the Raiders just played in their dome. I’ll be at this game wearing as many layers as I can put on.
Allegiant Stadium looks incredible, and if you haven’t seen the Raiders practice facility, I’d recommend looking it up. Both of those venues are for indoor practice and play.
- Check out our NFL Wild Card Best Bets
That type of money doesn’t get spent in Cincinnati. The Bengals both practice and play their home games outdoors. I think the Bengals gain a slight advantage due to this, with the harsh weather also playing more towards the Under.
As far as pace of play goes, these two teams should balance out each other’s playing styles. Cincinnati is towards the bottom of the league in plays per game, though that is impacted by their significant lead in long touchdowns over the rest of the league.
I expect the Bengals to have the lead heading into the fourth quarter. In that case, we’ll see plenty of Joe Mixon in an effort to grind out the clock. Cincinnati’s Week 17 win over the Chiefs showed that they can do just that, as they ran 15 plays to use the final six minutes of game time before kicking the game-winning field goal as time expired.
If any more precipitation materializes in the forecasts before Saturday, I’d expect this total to drop down even more. I’d take the Under while you can on this line, stopping at 46.5 before giving it a second thought.
NFL Playoffs Wild Card Round Parlay
Same-Game Parlay (+264) at Caesars
- Cincinnati Bengals -5.5 Spread (-110)
- Under 49.5 Total Points (-110)
Wager: 2 Units
