The season started off inauspiciously for the Cincinnati Bengals, as they lost their home and 2024 season opener to the New England Patriots. A series of self-inflicted errors led to them losing a winnable game, and now they must bounce back quickly against the vaunted Kansas City Chiefs.
Patrick Mahomes and Co. have a mini-bye game and are at home again after defeating the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL opener on Thursday night. Although Kansas City and Cincinnati are not divisional opponents, their recent past has developed a rivalry that resembles the hatred within the AFC North.
Regardless of the final outcome, there are some ways to make money with sports betting and FanDuel Sportsbook, where the Bengals are currently trading as 5.5-point underdogs. Here are some interesting options to keep an eye on this week.
Ja’Marr Chase two or more touchdowns (+1200)
This is a long shot, but call it a hunch. Chase once again had some good words for the Chiefs and has the attitude of a player with grit this week. He also had food poisoning before the game last week, so he should be good to go this Sunday afternoon.
In five games against the Chiefs (two in the postseason), Chase has 33 catches for 533 yards and four touchdowns, a feat he once accomplished as a rookie against Kansas City when he caught three touchdowns in a regular-season win at Paycor (then Paul Brown Stadium).
Final score: Bengals 26, Chiefs 24 (+20,000) or Chiefs 26, Bengals 23 (+12,000)
With the exception of the final game of the year with Jake Browning at quarterback, the four previous games with Joe Burrow at the helm all ended with a three-point difference. Additionally, each team’s points scored in all four games ranged from the mid-20s to the low 30s, regardless of the venue.
Again, this is a risky bet, but one that could pay off. For example, if you bet on the Bengals to win 26-24, you could win $1,000 with a simple $5 bet.
Joe Burrow 250+ passing yards (+118)
This play is a little safer than the other two. It’s rare that Burrow plays poorly two games in a row, and while he made some questionable decisions in Week 1, he did have touchdown passes in the bag to Mike Gesicki (drop) and Tanner Hudson (fumble). Converting those plays would have had a bigger impact on his stats and potentially the win-loss column as well.
Tee Higgins may not play again, but a determined Chase, an extra week of work to fix any issues and improved offensive play shown last week should help Burrow surpass that mark.
Zach Moss first touchdown scorer (+750)
The Bengals could rely a little more on the run in this game, taking a look at what worked later in the game against the Patriots. Moss scored in that game, and it’s entirely possible the Bengals could launch a methodical opening drive and cap it off with a Moss touchdown from close range.
