The Cincinnati Bengals march into the Divisional Round of the playoffs riding a nine-game winning streak. They’re set for a highly anticipated rematch of the canceled Week 17 game against the Buffalo Bills, but the latter will have the home advantage this time around.
In a high-stakes matchup of equals, home-field edge can be critical. Certainly, it’s had an impact on the NFL betting odds that are skewed in Buffalo’s favor wholeheartedly.
The Bills emerge as the firm -230 favorite while the Bengals are the +190 underdogs on the moneyline. The point spread is up to five points as we look at the current odds and the total is pinned to 49 points with the over and under juiced to -110, respectively.
Read on as we dive into this intriguing AFC Divisional Round matchup, examine the NFL odds powered by BetUS sportsbook, key storylines and serve up choice NFL picks against the spread.
Let’s check the latest NFL news, stats, injury reports, and NFL lines for Bengals vs Bills. We’ve got plenty of Vegas NFL picks for NFL Divisional Round Playoffs Games.
Bengals vs Bills Betting Odds
- Spread: Bills -5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Bengals +190 | Bills -230
- Total: O 49 (-110) | U 49 (-110)
From Lookaheads to Opening NFL Odds
The markets went to press with the Bills -4, but the line ticked up quickly as the betting poured in on Buffalo. Currently, the Bills are priced at -5, though the line could move either way depending on the betting trends later in the week. The total also moved up to 49 from an opening 48.
Bengals No Stranger to the Upset
The Bengals have been here before, branded as a playoff underdog against a higher seed and/or a popular Super Bowl pick. Only to defy the betting online odds and expectations.
Last season, the Bengals upset the No. 1-seeded Tennessee Titans in the Divisional Round. They then upset the No. 2-seeded Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game before finishing as runners-up to the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl 56.
Cincinnati started the season with a 2-3 straight-up (SU) record. However, since Week 9, they’ve reeled off nine straight wins – with the exception of the canceled game, though they were up 10-7 in the first quarter when Damar Hamlin collapsed.
The Bengals are the team that nobody wants to play because of their very clear upset credentials. It’s true that they had a tougher time getting past the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card round, with the final score being a lot closer than expected. But that has a lot to do with the divisional aspect as well as Baltimore’s John Harbaugh’s coaching nous.
Cincinnati Bengals Defense Breaking Hearts 🗡️💔 #Bengals #WhoDey #RuleTheJungle #RuleThePlayoffs pic.twitter.com/bwI9hGu4mr
— GameOn513 (@gameonjmoney) January 16, 2023
Bills Overly Favored?
Josh Allen and Co. have been knocking on the door of Super Bowl glory for several years, but they are yet to cross the AFC Championship threshold, never mind play in the big game. That hasn’t stopped bookmakers from showering them with unbridled favor, though.
The Bills opened as the Super Bowl favorites at the start of the season and remained at the top of the betting markets (second overall favorites) at the start of the playoffs.
Their bubble almost burst against the Miami Dolphins in the Wild Card round as the game went down to the wire with the Bills carving out a narrow 34-31 win. There’s something to be said about the divisional aspect and the familiarity of these two teams. However, the Dolphins were playing behind third-string quarterback Skylar Thompson. Few would have expected that they would be so competitive under those circumstances.
One of the biggest issues for the Bills right now is Allen’s propensity for turnovers. Indeed, he threw two interceptions last weekend, helping the Dolphins get back into the game before halftime.
Xavien Howard makes an over-the-shoulder interception, leading to a scuffle between Christian Wilkins and Josh Allen after the play. Mitch Morse & Dion Dawkins join in with others from both teams. pic.twitter.com/1oEI8Y2cTt
— FoamThumb (@FoamThumb) January 15, 2023
Bengals vs Bills Prediction
The Bills might be the vogue NFL pick here in the eyes of many, but they are in no way a sure bet to win and advance into the AFC Championship Game. Lest everyone’s forgotten, the Bengals are the defending AFC champs. And they’re playing like it, rolling into the playoffs on a 9-0 run.
It’s not only about Joe Burrow and the Bengals’ electric offense firing on all cylinders, though they will dominate the narrative about Cincinnati’s successful run into the playoffs for a second straight year. The Bengals’ defense is often overlooked. It is a stout unit that has played consistently at a high level.
The matchup between the Bengals defense and Bills offense may well prove to be the key matchup that decides this game. You can bet the predatory Bengals will be looking to coax Allen into turning over the ball. Which, put simply, will make it hard (if not impossible) for Buffalo to win this game. Grab the points and back the Bengals for the upset here!
The odds and predictions in the article are based on the time of writing and publication. They may differ as to when the actual event takes place.
