NFL Betting Online: The Cincinnati Bengals were 10-2 and legitimate Super Bowl contenders late in 2015, but a season-ending injury to quarterback Andy Dalton derailed their chances. With a healthy Dalton back in the fold and solid pieces on both sides of the ball, the Bengals should again be among the NFL’s best teams. They are listed at -165 to make it to the playoffs and +135 to miss out, with those odds pretty favorable to bettors who feel good about the team’s postseason hopes in NFL gambling.
The Bengals play in the same division as the Pittsburgh Steelers, so it will be a battle to win it. Whichever team doesn’t come out on top, though, still has a solid shot at a wild card, and it seems likely Cincinnati secures one of the other. Last year’s team finished seventh in the NFL in scoring at 26.2 points per game, and were pretty explosive with Dalton at the helm. His main target was A.J. Green, who caught 86 passes for 1,297 yards and 10 touchdowns, while Tyler Eifert added 52 catches for 615 yards and 13 scores. Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu were other main options, but both departed in free agency, so there are questions as to whether there are enough weapons behind Green and Eifert for Dalton to throw to. The running back situation is solid, with Giovani Bernard a dynamic player both running and catching the ball, while Jeremy Hill is the main ball-carrier and effective in short-yardage situations. Tyler Boyd was drafted in the second round to add to the receiver core.
The defense was the star of last year’s team, as the Bengals allowed an average of 17.4 points per game. Defensive tackle Geno Atkins, linebacker Vontaze Burfict, safety Reggie Nelson and defensive end Carlos Dunlap were all Pro Bowlers. Nelson has moved on but the rest are back, although Burfict is suspended for the first three games of the year. Veteran inside linebacker Karlos Dansby will help mitigate that loss, while the addition of cornerback William Jackson III in the first round of the draft and safety Taylor Mays in free agency should help out in the secondary. The Bengals’ defense doesn’t get as much hype as teams like the Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos or Seattle Seahawks but was right there with them last season, and should be once again.
The Bengals started 8-0 a year ago and were still rolling when Dalton got hurt, and most of the top pieces return. The team for some reason isn’t mentioned in the same breath as the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC, but Cincinnati is one of the most well-rounded teams in the NFL. As long as the stars stay healthy, the Bengals have a very good chance at returning to the playoffs, and the -165 odds are not too steep to pay out nicely in NFL gambling.
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