Buckle up for a battle between two of the top teams in the AFC, as the Cincinnati Bengals (11-3) and Denver Broncos (10-4) try to mercilessly beat each other out in a critical showdown at Sports Authority Field this Monday night.
We won’t be seeing Andy Dalton or Peyton Manning going mano-a-mano, however. Nevertheless, this bout’s bound to be a promising one with the Bengals looking to secure their division title while the Broncos striving to clinch a playoff berth for the fifth-straight season.
Read on below and find out all you need to know for this captivating matchup. And if you’re still craving for some NFL action check out our full preview for Week 16 and also our experts’ picks for the week.
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Cincinnati Bengals vs. Denver Broncos
Where: Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Denver
When: Monday, December 28, 8:30 PM ET
Line: Cincinnati Bengals (+3.5) at Denver Broncos (-3.5); total: 40.0 – view all NFL lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Game Preview
After a 13-point loss to Pittsburgh in Week 14, the Cincinnati Bengals responded back to this via a resounding 24-14 triumph over the 49ers last Sunday. It was an all-important game for the Bengals, who have now clinched a postseason berth fifth-consecutive campaign with the win.
[sc:NFL240banner ]Starring in that game was A.J. McCarron, who replaced the injured Andy Dalton as the starting signal-caller. The backup quarterback finished with 192 passing yards (15-of-21) and a touchdown while finishing with a 115.6 passer rating.
Furthermore, running back Jeremy Hill also made his presence felt with 31 yards on 19 carries and two scores under his belt. However, he’s going to have to work even harder and be more creative opposite a Denver Broncos defense that’s only yielding 79.9 yards rushing this season, the fewest in the league right now.
That being said, McCarron will also have to provide another efficient outing especially with Dalton likely to miss his second-straight game. Fortunately, McCarron will have a reliable target in Marvin Jones, who has 205 receiving yards on 15 catches with a score in the past three games to help him initiate their air game. Cincinnati is averaging 256.4 passing yards per outing, which is 11th-most in the NFL.
The Broncos, on the other hand, will be fresh off a disappointing loss to the Steelers, 34-27, during which Denver was held scoreless in the second half. Brock Osweiler suffered left shoulder bruise in the first half and still kept playing. But it was clear that he was bothered by it as he completed just 7-of-26 passes for 84 yards in the second half, including a costly interception.
In order for the Broncos to bounce back and finally clinch the playoffs once again, they ought to deliver the goods down the stretch and capitalize on Cincinnati’s secondary (244.1 passing yards allowed per game) that has had its share of troubles against opposing outside receivers this season.
Expect Osweiler to keep a close eye on his most trustworthy wide receiver in DeMaryius Thomas, who leads the team with 1,128 receiving yards with five touchdowns. Thomas also has a total of 217 yards on 21 receptions and three touchdowns in the past three games.
Where to Watch
Every Monday Night Football game can be watched live on ESPN. But if you want to have a much better access to this game or any other games on schedule, it’d be better to subscribe to the NFL’s Game Pass. Through this option, you’ll never have to worry about on missing out any game since you basically have full control of your viewing experience at a pretty sweet deal.
Betting Trends on the Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals are 5-0 ATS in their last five games in Week 16.
The Bengals are 7-0 ATS in their previous seven road games.
The Bengals are 8-2 ATS in their past 10 encounters with AFC teams.
The Bengals are 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 games following a win.
The Bengals are 3-7 SU and 6-4 ATS in their previous 10 meetings with the Broncos.
Betting Trends on the Denver Broncos
The Broncos are 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven Monday games.
The Broncos are 12-4 ATS in their previous 16 games in the month of December.
The Broncos are 4-2 SU and 3-3 ATS at home this season overall.
The Broncos are 7-3 SU and 4-5-1 ATS in their past 10 games as the favorites.
The Broncos are 5-1 ATS in their last six games after giving up more than 30 points in their previous game.
Hot Wager
The trends heavily favor the Cincinnati Bengals in this one, but it’ll be interesting to see if that’ll continue to be the case with the inexperienced A.J. McCarron behind center against the best defensive team in the league—the Denver Broncos. That said, the safest and most logical bet would be on the favored Broncos (-3.5) straight up along with the final score falling short of the 40.0 total.
Writer’s Prediction
Denver (-3.5) secures a postseason ticket with the 20-17 triumph over the Andy Dalton-less Bengals.
Create a betting account now to get your bets in before this Monday Night Football showcase, and all the other NFL games on tap this season.
