by Chuck Sommers
Saturday, Oct 15, 2022
Time: 1 p.m. ET
Venue: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Where to watch:
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Bengals -3
FanDuel: Bengals -2.5
BetMGM: Bengals -3
Caesars: Bengals -2.5
Season record
Bengals: 2-3
Saints: 2-3
We're a quarter of the way through the NFL and the one thing we can say for sure is that nothing's for sure (shoutout to all the WCW fans who got that reference). And so far, it's been a fun season to be had by all with just one undefeated team left. Will this week be the week the Eagles fall? You'll have to see what our champion handicappers think of such an idea, especially our own Wayne Root who is 30-13-1 through the first five weeks of the NFL season. What does Wayne have in store for a fun week ahead? Make sure you're checking our Best Bets page at bigal.com to find out who are peeps are taking on the action this week.
Bengals - Saints preview, analysis and prediction
Last week
Bengals: lost 19-17 at Ravens
Saints: won 39-32 vs. Seahawks
It’s a battle of 2-3 teams — one team doesn’t make sense to be at that rate, but I digress — when the Cincinnati Bengals take on the New Orleans Saints in the ol’ Caesars Superdome on Sunday. And in short, it’s Andy Dalton Revenge Week against his former team, so everybody should party accordingly.
It’s a battle of 2-3 teams — one team doesn’t make sense to be at that rate, but I digress — when the Cincinnati Bengals take on the New Orleans Saints in the ol’ Caesars Superdome on Sunday. And in short, it’s Andy Dalton Revenge Week against his former team, so everybody should party accordingly.
The defending AFC champs are off to a rocky start with two division losses and one to the Dak Prescott-less Dallas Cowboys. So other than that, things are going well for the Bengals. Cincinnati is coming off a 19-17 loss on Sunday Night Football against the Baltimore Ravens in perhaps what was one of the more disappointing losses they’ve had in recent memory.
Joe Burrow had just 217 yards passing and a touchdown, but also threw a pick. Ja’Marr Chase caught seven passes, but for just 50 yards; and Joe Mixon carried the ball just 14 times for 78 yards. Clearly, there was a balance problem that didn’t need to be there and the Bengals were desperate to outduel the Ravens and put the game away. They just couldn’t do it.
"We've lost three games on the last play of the game," Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. "I told the guys, ‘We've got to keep taking our shots, and the season will even itself out'"
Ultimately, I have to agree with Taylor here. We’re talking about the defending AFC champs. There’s plenty of time for this group to find its footing. Sure, teams are focusing more on Burrow and Chase and will zero in on them to make Burrow look for Tee Higgins or Tyler Boyd, which isn’t a bad idea either. But they’ve got to get Mixon the ball more if Burrow runs into a rut. Mixon was a 1,000-yard rusher last year and has shown he can be a gamebreaker in the backfield.
But maybe Burrow will rely on the nostalgia factor when returning to the Superdome this weekend. It’s the first time since winning the national championship with LSU, and he and Chase connecting for 221 yards and two touchdowns against Clemson.
"It's a place where a lot of good memories were made. But it's a business trip and we're going in there to win a game," Burrow said. "I'm excited to go back to see all the fans that supported me, but they're not going to be cheering for me this time."
The Bengals are playing a Saints team that has been underwhelming through the first month and hasn’t really had much to celebrate through in a 2-3 start. Jameis Winston isn’t playing due to injury, which means Andy Dalton will try and lead the Saints to a second straight win after a 39-32 win over the Seattle Seahawks. Taysom Hill ran for 112 yards and three touchdowns, and Dalton threw for 187 yards and a touchdown.
"My mindset is that, ‘Man, I'm going to take advantage of every opportunity,'" Hill said. "I felt like I was going to get more opportunities this week and so I did my part to make sure I was prepared."
Prediction
Burrow returns to the Superdome and should walk away with another win. Bengals win by 14
Betting trends
Bengals are 8-6 ATS in last 14 as a favorite.
Bengals are 18-5 off an under the past three seasons.
Saints are 9-21 ATS against AFC North opponents since 1992.
Statistical leaders
Bengals:
Passing: Joe Burrow -- 1,316 yards, 9 TD, 5 INT
Rushing: Joe Mixon -- 302 yards, 1 TD
Receiving: Ja'Marr Chase -- 343 yards, 2 TD
Defense: Vonn Bell -- 3 INT
Saints:
Passing: Jameis Winston -- 858 yards, 4 TD, 5 INT
Rushing: Taysom Hill -- 228 yards, 5 TD
Receiving: Chris Olave -- 389 yards, 2 TD
Defense: Cameron Jordan -- 3 sacks
Don't miss our champion handicappers' free picks and expert football picks today. And if you enjoyed this Cincinnati Bengals - New Orleans Saints prediction, be sure to drop by every day for our daily NFL projections and previews.
Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
