Cincinnati Bengals vs. Tennessee Titans: Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 11/27/2022

Time: 1 p.m. ET

Venue: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN

Where to watch: CBS

DraftKings: Bengals -1.5

FanDuel: Bengals -1.5

BetMGM: Bengals -1.5

Caesars: Bengals -1.5

Bengals: 6-4 (2nd place, AFC North)

Titans: 7-3 (1st place, AFC South)

Bengals: won 37-30 at Steelers

Titans: won 27-17 at Packers (Thursday night)

This matchup is going to be a lot of fun. Not that it's just because it's a rematch of last year's divisional round game or the fact that both teams are playing well right now. But I think it's good to see in the landscape of the AFC where both of these teams sit going into the final quarter of the season. I think we know what to expect from the Cincinnati Bengals in their quest to repeat as AFC North champions, and I think we know by now what we're going to get from the Tennessee Titans. But this is a big game for both teams as they try to continue to gain their own pace within the AFC standings. Because it doesn't look like right now that anyone is going to catch the Kansas City Chiefs atop the conference, and it doesn't look like there is a clear-cut number two team in the conference right now.

An argument can be made that whoever wins this game is going to be that number two in the AFC. The Bengals are fighting for their lives right now be without Ja’Marr Chase. their star receiver is currently out due to injury and Joe Burrow has had to relegate to throwing to an island of misfit toys. But Burrow still threw for four touchdowns despite 2 interceptions last week, and threw for 355 yards in Cincinnati's 37-30 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers last week.

Running back Joe Mixon did suffer an injury so he is uncertain for this game, and if he can't go then it would likely be Samaje Perine taking the bulk of the carries for the Bengals this week. With Chase out that is open the door for the likes of Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins to get some extra reps as the top two receivers. So far, that has worked out well. Higgins had nine receptions for 148 yards last week and he is looking for his third game in a row with at least seven catches and at least 60 yards receiving.

The biggest problem I could probably point to for the Bengals at this moment is that the defense still gave up 30 points to the Steelers last week. And I get it Pittsburgh has a young core that it's trying to build around, a first-round quarterback that it is trying to develop as quickly as possible, but Cincinnati should not be giving up 30 points to this team. I don't care if the Steelers won back in week one in can in thrilling fashion but I don't understand why it has to even get that far. Pittsburgh was not well last week, and it hasn't been good all year.

So what can we expect from the Titans this week, Tennessee is now got Ryan Tannehill back after he had a very strong outing against the Green Bay Packers last Thursday. Tannehill threw for 333 yards and two touchdowns on just 22 of 27 passing, is definitely a far cry from throwing rookie quarterback Malik Willis out there. Derrick Henry once again had a great game with 132 scrimmage yards, 87 of them on the ground, and reach 10 touchdowns rushing for what seems like the 50 millionth time.

Tennessee is in this weird position where not every win counts, but every win will at least ensure that people take the Titans seriously and that's the one thing that is yet to happen through this portion of the year. We know the Titans are gonna be good, we know they're going to win the division, but are they good enough to actually build some momentum toward the playoffs and win a football game that they need to win? That's the biggest question.

I am leaning toward the Bengals this week. I know that the overall understanding of this team in dire need to win without its star receiver is greatly heightened, but Cincinnati prove last year that they can go on the road and beat the Titans, and it will not require that kind of guarantee in order to make it happen. Tennessee is going to face a much more challenging opponent than their last two games and it might show in this one. Bengals by 8

Bengals are 21-10 ATS in all games the last 2 seasons.

Bengals are 13-4 ATS on the road the last 2 seasons.

Bengals are 12-3 ATS after playing their last game on the road the last 2 seasons.

Titans are 6-0 ATS when the line is +3 to -3 this season.

Titans are 11-3 ATS as an underdog the last two years.

Passing: Joe Burrow -- 2,890 yards, 22 TD, 8 INT

Rushing: Joe Mixon -- 605 yards, 6 TD

Receiving: Tee Higgins -- 712 yards, 3 TD

Defense: Trey Hendrickson -- 6 sacks

Passing: Ryan Tannehill -- 1,685 yards, 10 TD, 4 INT

Rushing: Derrick Henry -- 1,010 yards, 10 TD

Receiving: Robert Woods -- 335 yards. 1 TD

Defense: Denico Autry -- 7 sacks