It’s kitchen sink time for the Cincinnati Bengals with their season on the line in this Sunday Night Football matchup against the injury-hit New York Giants.
Cincinnati is facing an uphill battle at 1-4, but my Bengals vs. Giants predictions hint at a much-needed boost for the visitors at MetLife Stadium.
Check out my NFL picks for the spread, total, and more ahead of this October 13 showdown.
Bengals vs Giants SNF predictions
- Bengals -3.5 (-110 at bet365)
- Under 46 (-110 at bet365)
- Darius Slayton Over 50.5 receiving yards (-110 at bet36)
- Ja'Marr Chase anytime TD (+105 at bet365)
Bengals vs Giants SNF best bets
Bengals -3.5
As alarming as the Cincinnati Bengals' defensive breakdowns have been, the offense is roaring. Joe Burrow is coming off a five-star, five-touchdown day in Week 5, and the Bengals look dangerous any time that Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are on the field together.
That’s a formula that I trust. Cincinnati has scored at least 33 points in three straight games, and I’m banking on more of the same here, by laying the points with the visitors.
This is also a nice spot for the under-pressure Bengals defense to step up and show some pride. The New York Giants are missing Malik Nabers for a second straight game as well as the ever-reliable Devin Singletary in the backfield.
The Giants shrugged off those absences last weekend to beat the Seattle Seahawks, in part thanks to an impressive day from backup running back Tyrone Tracy Jr., but the injuries keep coming. Now Kayvon Thibodeaux is on the IR and punter Jamie Gillan has been ruled out.
The Bengals have covered the spread in both of their road contests this year and there were lots of positives in the 41-38 overtime loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 5. I’m keeping faith with Cincinnati to hold Daniel Jones to pedestrian numbers and ride its red-hot offense.
Under 46
The Bengals have been a magnet for high-scoring shootouts in the past few weeks, but I see the Giants successfully making this a scrappy game with timely stops and long drives. That’s the logical script for pulling off an upset.
While Cincinnati has produced three Overs in a row, the Under is 4-1 for New York so far this year and it’s 7-2 in the hosts’ last nine games at MetLife Stadium.
Until breaking out with 29 points last Sunday, the Giants had been held to 21 points or fewer in their first four games – and I have my doubts about New York’s makeshift offense delivering the goods for a second straight week.
Cincinnati has plenty to fix defensively, but I see Lou Anarumo’s unit putting up a much better fight here against a Giants team that’s short on playmakers.
Darius Slayton Over 50.5 receiving yards
Things are looking up for Darius Slayton after a slow start to the season, and he was the biggest beneficiary of Malik Nabers’ absence last weekend.
Slayton had already caught the eye with three grabs for 56 yards against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 4, but he reached another level against the Seahawks with eight catches (on 11 targets) for 122 yards and a touchdown.
When the Giants dial up a deep shot, Slayton is typically on the end of it, including a 41-yard completion last time out, and he’s at least got a lot of reps with Jones under his belt.
Given that there aren’t many pass-catching options for Brian Daboll beyond Slayton and Wan’Dale Robinson, this O/U line feels a little light.
We’ve seen the Bengals repeatedly give up chunk plays during their rough start to the year, and I expect Slayton to make them pay.
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Ja'Marr Chase anytime touchdown
This jumps out as one of the safer touchdown picks on the board. Ja'Marr Chase has found the end zone five times in his last three games, and he’s doing it despite double coverage.
There’s always the big-play threat, with Chase racing for 41-yard and 70-yard scores against the Ravens, and there won’t be a lack of volume. He was targeted 12 times by Burrow in Week 5.
It also helps that the Bengals have struggled to run the ball efficiently this year – just 96 rushing yards per game. That makes it even more of a no-brainer to put the ball in Burrow’s hands in the red zone.
The New York pass rush takes a hit without Thibodeaux which should give Burrow more time to find his No.1 receiver.
Bengals vs Giants odds
Bengals vs Giants game info
| Location: | MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ |
| Date: | Sunday, 10-13-2024 |
| Kickoff: | 8:20 p.m. ET |
| TV: | NBC |
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