If the trajectory the Cincinnati Bengals have taken under coach Zac Taylor continues they should have around 14 wins this season surpassing their projected total of 11.5, tied with Kansas City and San Francisco as the highest on the board. In Taylor’s first year the Bengals won two games earning the No. 1 overall pick in the draft selecting Joe Burrow. Burrow was playing well early in his rookie season before a knee injury shelved him. The Bengals won four games in 2020. With Burrow healthy for the season, the Bengals won the AFC North in 2021 with 10 wins and reached the Super Bowl losing to the LA Rams.
Behind Burrow and a potent offense, the Bengals matched a franchise record with 12 wins last season losing to Kansas City in the AFC Championship game. Overlooked by the exploits of Burrow and Ja’Mar Chase was a defense that ranked sixth in points allowed. The club lost stalwarts in the secondary leaving them vulnerable and I think the win total might be too high in the rugged AFC North.
NFL Regular Season Wins Odds
Cincinnati Bengals 2023 Regular Season Win Total Odds
Bengals Over 11.5 Wins +128
Bengals Under 11.5 Wins -144
Oddsmakers are believers in what’s taking place in Cincy pegging the Bengals with the highest preseason win total along with San Francisco and Kansas City. It isn’t a stretch to think they can hit 12 wins or more considering the talent offensively, but the defense took a severe blow with the departure of safeties Vonn Bell and Jessie Bates, who combined for eight of the team’s 13 interceptions a season ago. Also gone is Eli Apple, who started 15 games in 2022, leaving the secondary to plug a number of holes.
While the Bengals are likely to give up points with several new faces on the defensive side, scoring shouldn’t be an issue. Burrow had the fifth-most passing yards in the NFL with 4,475 and tied for second with 35 TD passes. Despite a run game that produced just 95.5 yards per game, Burrow flourished throwing the football. And the attack could be even scarier if Cincy’s full arsenal of pass catchers is available. Though he missed four games in the middle of the season and sat out a contest near the end of the year, Chase still caught 87 passes eclipsing the 1,000 receiving yard mark.
It’s evident the Bengals are structuring the team around the offense. Signing tackle Orlando Brown to add protection for Burrow was a big addition. Burrow was sacked 41 times in 2022 after getting taken down 51 times the season before. The other side of the football will feel the impact with veteran defenders let go. And if the new starters aren’t quite up to the task we could see a number of high scoring games involving the Bengals in 2023.
2023 Cincinnati Bengals Schedule
Week 1: at Cleveland Browns, Sunday, September 10, 1 p.m. ET
Week 2: vs. Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, September 17, 1 p.m. ET
Week 3: vs. Los Angeles Rams, Monday, September 25, 8:15 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Week 4: at Tennessee Titans, Sunday, October 1, 1 p.m. ET
Week 5: at Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, October 8, 4:05 p.m. ET
Week 6: vs. Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, October 15, 1 p.m. ET
Week 7: BYE WEEK
Week 8: at San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, October 29, 4:25 p.m. ET
Week 9: vs. Buffalo Bills, Sunday, November 5, 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC)
Week 10: vs. Houston Texans, Sunday, November 12, 1 p.m. ET
Week 11: at Baltimore Ravens, Thursday, November 16, 8:15 p.m. ET
Week 12: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, November 26, 1 p.m. ET
Week 13: at Jacksonville Jaguars, Monday, December 4, 8:15 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Week 14: vs. Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, December 10, 1 p.m. ET
Week 15: vs. Minnesota Vikings, Saturday, December 16, (TBA)
Week 16: at Pittsburgh Steelers, Saturday, December 23, 4:30 p.m. ET (NBC)
Week 17: at Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, December 31, 4:25 p.m. ET
Week 18: vs. Cleveland Browns, Sunday, January 7 (TBA)
The AFC North has the luxury of playing divisions that have plenty of question marks entering the season. The AFC South and NFC West aren’t expected to be among the elite so winnable games are out there. However, within the division could be a grind with the Ravens locking up Lamar Jackson and Deshawun Watson and Kenny Pickett starting their second season with the Browns and Steelers. I like the Bengals but there are some questions defensively limiting their win total.
NFL Odds: Cincinnati Bengals UNDER 11.5 Wins
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