Two 3-1 teams will be going at it at Paul Brown Stadium in Week 5, as Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers visit Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals. Will the Packers expose Cincy as pretenders? Or will the Bengals show that they are for real by beating Green Bay? Check out our preview of this game below.
Aaron Rodgers and the Packers recorded their third win in a row by defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers at home last Sunday, 27-17. Rodgers completed 20 of 36 passes for 248 yards and a couple of touchdowns without an interception. Rodgers enjoyed slicing Pittsburgh’s defense by repeatedly targeting veteran wide receiver Randall Cobb, who led the team with a nice output of 69 receiving yards and two touchdowns on five receptions. The Bengals might have a false sense that their pass defense is solid after beating the Jacksonville Jaguars, and if that’s the case, their secondary could be in for a surprise as there’s an ocean between the capabilities of Green Bay’s passing offense to that of the Jags’. The Bengals also allowed Jags running back James Robinson to score two touchdowns and rush for 78 yards on 18 carries in Week 4. Just imagine what Aaron Jones can do to that defense while dealing with a Jags’ offense that will be spread all over by the gravitational pull of Cobb and Davante Adams downfield.
The Packers are 5-1 against the spread in their last six games after a win.
Are the Bengals the most surprising 3-1 team this season? Cincinnati opened the season with a home win over the Minnesota Vikings and lost to the Chicago Bears on the road before going 2-0 in the last two weeks with victories over the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Jaguars. The Bengals’ 24-21 win over Jacksonville can easily be downplayed because of the quality of their opponent, but it should not also be forgotten that Cincinnati overcame a 14-0 deficit at the half. Joe Burrow went 25/32 for 348 passing yards and two touchdowns and zero interceptions against the Jags despite missing a key weapon in Tee Higgins due to a shoulder injury. However, Higgins has a good chance of returning to action in Week 5 and joining Tyler Boyd and Ja’Marr Chase on the field. Burrow could get it going again versus Green Bay’s defense that’s dealing with injuries, including that of linebacker Za’Darius Smith, who’s on the injured reserve.
The Bengals are 5-2 against the spread in their last seven games as a home underdog.
