Our Cincinnati Bengals vs. Buffalo Bills prediction takes a look at the Divisional Round matchup that features two of the best young QBs in the league. Let’s dive into the current NFL betting odds, key storylines to watch, and make a prediction for the game. Note that all odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook as of Monday, Jan. 16.
Bengals vs. Bills Odds | Divisional Round
- Spread
Bills -4 - Moneyline
Bills -205, Bengals +175 - Over/Under
50.5 points
Bengals vs. Bills Prediction
The Bengals continue to roll over their opponents as they defeated the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card Round and have now won their last nine straight completed games.
While their matchup against Baltimore may have been closer than many Bengals fans would have preferred, Cincinnati was able to persevere and come out with the victory to move on and face off against Josh Allen and the Bills.
Of course, this is a rematch of the canceled game just a few short weeks ago due to Damar Hamlin’s collapse on the field, and it’s amazing that we have been receiving as much positive news about Hamlin as we have over the past few weeks. Our thoughts continue to be with Hamlin as his recovery continues.
While much of the conversation will be centered around what happened just a few weeks ago in Cincinnati in the lead-up to this game, the other key storyline to watch is the state of the Bengals’ offensive line. Jonah Williams left last week’s matchup with a dislocated knee cap, and his status for this matchup against Buffalo is up in the air, which will leave Joe Burrow very susceptible to the pressure Buffalo will bring.
Burrow faced immense pressure week in and week out on their path to the Super Bowl last season, too, and he was able to still succeed despite it. Can that repeat this time around too? Being able to manage the pass rush from Buffalo may just be the key to Cincinnati advancing to the AFC Championship game for the second year in a row or not.
As for Buffalo, they managed to just narrowly squeak out a victory in the Wild Card Round against Skylar Thompson and the Miami Dolphins. They’ve now won their last eight straight completed games and will look to extend that streak to nine in this one against the Bengals.
MORE: NFL Divisional Round Power Rankings
The key storyline for Buffalo heading into the Divisional Round will center around Josh Allen and his turnover propensity recently. Last week against Miami, not only did Allen have two interceptions, but he also was credited with three fumbles — one of which he lost and was returned for a touchdown by Miami’s defense.
Against a Bengals defense that’s been a stout unit all season long, Allen cannot continue to turn the ball over with regularity and still expect the Bills to come out with a win. The turnover margin will be crucial to determining the victor in this anticipated matchup.
Bengals vs. Bills Score Prediction
Bengals 27, Bills 23