This Sunday Night we have a battle between two teams who are seeking a wild card spot with the Cincinnati Bengals traveling to LA to take on the Chargers. The Bengals have gotten off to a slow start, but they have the talent to make a run.
On the other hand, Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers have looked extremely solid so far this season. This should be a fun game between an explosive offense and one of the best defensive units in the league.
Bengals (4-6)
This season has been anything but great for the Bengals. They started this season 0-4 but have managed to slightly crawl back into the picture. However, being past the halfway mark and 2 games behind .500, it will be an uphill battle for this group.
Despite their record, Joe Burrow has played outstandingly this season. He has thrown for 24 TDs and only 4 INTs and his connection with Ja’Marr Chase is as good as ever. The offense, as expected has been great.
The real issue has been the defense. They rank 26th in points per game and 23rd in yards allowed. It seems as though every game from here on out will be a must-win for this group.
Chargers (6-3)
The Jim Harbaugh era has begun in LA, and it certainly has gotten off to a good start. Justin Herbert has looked revitalized in this new system and, while his numbers haven’t jumped off the board, he has been almost perfect in the turnover battle.
Much like his teams at Michigan, the Chargers are set up to control the ball and play great defense, and that is exactly what they have done. They have allowed 20 points only 1 time this season and rank first in the league in points per game allowed at just 13.1.
J.K Dobbins has been a great addition at RB, and rookie Ladd McConkey has been a trustworthy target for Herbert thus far. The Chargers know this could be it for the Bengals, expect them to try and close the book on their season.
The Matchup
As I mentioned earlier this is a battle between two elite units on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. It also is a matchup between two of the top picks from the 2020 Draft in Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow.
Burrow has shown he is elite, leading the Bengals to the Super Bowl in 2022. Meanwhile, Herbert has shown flashes but has been unable to carry the faltering Chargers to any meaningful games. Now, with Jim Harbaugh in control, we can see that the Chargers team has started to form an identity.
The last time these teams met was back in 2021 and Herbert out-dueled Burrow and led the Chargers to a 41-22 victory. This game is going to be tough to predict, but it will be very fun to see which unit takes control of the game.
Best Bet: Chargers -1.5 -112
I am taking the Chargers to win this one. I think this is their first big-time test in Primetime this year, and they can smell blood in the water. The defense will hold their end of the bargain and help the offense keep the ball out of Burrow’s hands.
| Player | Prop | Price |
|---|
| Quentin Johnston | Yes Anytime Touchdown Scorer | |
Best Player Prop: Quentin Johnston Anytime TD +205
This is a bit of a riskier play, but it seems like good odds. Johnston has been a trustworthy target for Herbert and has scored a TD in the last 2 games.
| Player | Prop | Price |
|---|
| Joe Burrow | Over 270.5 Pass Yards | |
| Joe Burrow | Under 271.5 Pass Yards | |
Bonus Prop: Joe Burrow Under 266.5 Passing Yards -115
As I mentioned earlier, I don’t think there will be a lot of time for Burrow to get going in this game. Also, Burrow has only put up over 266 three times this season, twice against a bad Baltimore defense and against a pretty bad Commanders unit.
