NFL Football: Buffalo Bills VS Cincinnati Bengals Prediction, Odds and Preview - 01/02/2023

 

Game Time: 8:25 PM ET,  Monday, January 1st, 2023

Venue:  Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati, Bengals

Where to Watch:  ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN Deportes

FanDuel:  Buffalo -1.5, O/U 49.5

BetMGM:  Buffalo -1, O/U 49.5

PointsBet:  Buffalo -1, O/U 49.5

Bills: 12-3, 1st place AFC East

Bengals: 11-4, 1st place AFC North

An all out battle of 1st place AFC teams that seemed destined to do this again in the postseason.  When Monday Night Football works?.. It really works.  A stand alone National TV game between real Super Bowl contenders. Both teams have a young, powerful quarterback.  Both teams. Both teams are in the midst of the best two-season stretch of winning that their younger fans can ever remember. The Buffalo Bills had the preseason favorite ranking for MVP in QB Josh Allen and for Super Bowl representative from the AFC.  QB Josh Allen may have let that award slip through his fingers with a few too many turnovers, especially interceptions… but the winning football wasn’t compromised.  They have the same 12 win record that the Chiefs have and they have a stronger defense.  The Bengals struggled out of the gate this season with QB Joe Burrow recovering from an offseason surgery, but they quickly righted the ship and found themselves at 11-4… just one fewer win.  The Bengals are the team that ACTUALLY made the Super Bowl last season and they are on a similar course to upset somebody and squeak through… They will however need help from their defense who are being asked to really step up in the coming weeks.  The Great Betting Opportunity in games where the home team is an underdog by just a single point… will be found in who you honestly think will outright win the game.  The best kind of game to bet on… Both teams have their strengths and your opinion carries no shame.

The Buffalo Bills are on a 6-game winning streak, going 3-3 ATS in those games.  QB Josh Allen has passed the 4000 yard mark for the season with 4029 so far.  He of course loves hitting his top WR Stefon Diggs who has 1325 of those receiving yards.  The Bills post very good numbers in every major offensive category… and have a top of the line defense propping them up.  This is why they are slightly favored on the road against a very good Bengals team.  In their last game they blew out the Chicago Bears 35-13 for a big win ATS. In that game QB Josh Allen had 172 passing yards on 15 completions for 2 TDs… and 2 INTs… It’s those INTs that have knocked Allen out of the MVP discussion.

The Cincinnati Bengals are on a 7 game winning streak with the Kansas City Chiefs as one of their win-streak victims. QB Joe Burrow is also in the 4000 passing yard club with 4260 passing yards on the season.  Joe relies heavily on WR Tee Higgins who has 1022 of those yards… BUT his big play guy is amazing WR Ja’Marr Chase… The Bills secondary will be playing “pick your poison” all game long.  The Bengals are on a 7-game win ATS streak.  They do what we think they will do pretty consistently which is win.  In their last game, a 22-18 win over the New England Patriots… QB Joe Burrow completed 40 passes for 375 yards, 3 TDs and 2 INTs.  The INTs again are a strange phenomenon among this season’s crop of young, powerful quarterbacks… still a win is a win on the record and a win ATS is a win for the bettor.

Brian Bitler is 78-58  in the last 30 days across all NFL picks for a profit of $14,050 with  BIG Winners everywhere! Get Brian Bitler’s picks!!....  Follow a handicapper soon!  They are available right now at the Shop Picks Page, where you can find all of the Best Bets from our champion sports handicappers.  And stay with BigAl.com for all your favorite sports… MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, NCAAF, NCAAB.  Remember winning a wager is more fun than making the wager… more profitable too!!

BUF: 12-3, 7-7-1 ATS, 5-10 O/U, 6-2 on the road.

Cin: 11-4, 12-3 ATS, 5-9-1 O/U, 5-1 in home games.

The Buffalo Bills are 4th in scoring with 28 points per game, 2nd in total yards with 402.3 per game, 7th in passing yards with 259.5 per game, and 7th in rushing yards with 142.8 per game… These are very well-rounded stats.

The Cincinnati Bengals are 6th in scoring with 26.1 points per game, 8th in total yards with 367.4 per game, 5th in passing yards with 269.2 per game, and 26th in rushing yards with 98.2 per game.  These stats represent a great passing game that only goes to the run to kill time with a lead.

The Bills defense is 7th in total yards with 317.7 per game allowed, 15th in passing yards with 213.3 per game allowed, 4th in rushing yards with 104.4 per game allowed, and 2nd in points scored with allowing ONLY 17.5 points per game.

The Bengals defense is 14th in total yards with 332.3 per game allowed, 21st in passing yards with 225.9 per game allowed, 7th in rushing yards with 106.4 per game allowed, and 9th in points with 20.4 per game allowed.

Our prediction for Monday, January 2nd is… Bengals 27 - Bills 22

 

Bet on the Bengals.  They are at home, they are on a long winning streak.  The Bengals are ready to win and win big until the season closes.  Also if the Bengals defense could hold off the Chiefs… They can hold off the Bills.  Bet on the Bengals.

 

Don't miss our champion handicappers' Free NFL Picks and Premium Selections every day here at Bigal.com.  Just click on Shop Picks for our Best Bets, or click on Shop Subscriptions to join for a week or a month.  And if you enjoyed this Bills/Bengals preview, be sure to bookmark Bigal.com for our daily Game Previews and Predictions.

The Bills are 12-4 ATS in games where the line is +3 to -3 the last 3 seasons.

The Bills are 11-2 ATS off a non-conference game the last 3 seasons.

The Bengals are 6-1 ATS in games where the line is +3 to -3 this season.

The Bengals are 8-2 ATS against conference opponents this season.

Bills: QB Josh Allen, RB Devin Singletary, FB Reggie Gilliam, WR Gabe Davis, WR Stefon Digs, TE Dawson Knox, LY Dion Dawkins, LG Rodgers Saffold, C Ryan Bates, RG Greg Van Roten, RT Spencer Brown

Bengals: QB Joe Burrow, HB Joe Mixon, WR Ja’Marr Chase, WR Tee Higgins, TE Mitchell Wolcox, LT Jonah Williams, LG Cordell Volson, C Ted Karras, RG Alex Cappa, RT La’el Collins

Showers.  58*, Humidity 89%, Precipitation 59%... wind 8 mph.