NFL 2024/25: Bengals – Commanders
The Cincinnati Bengals are far better than their 0-2 record at first glance suggests. They still missed Week 1, but in the following game they only lost to the defending champions through a lot of bad luck.
Fans of the home team should not be too worried. Because, according to my Bengals Commanders prediction, day of reckoning is approaching in Week 3.
Thanks to a strong passing game and Tee Higgins’ catching skills, “Cincy” should finally get its first win against an opponent of manageable strength.
When we take a cursory look at the Cincinnati Bengals and the Washington Commanders, it is immediately clear to the viewer that these are two teams with different challenges, abilities, and goals.
The Bengals put in a great performance against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2, sending a signal that despite their unexpected opening loss, they still have to be counted among the NFL favorites in 2024.
On the other side, we have the Commanders, whose defense is still struggling to adapt to coach Quinn’s new and sophisticated plays.
Their 21-18 win over the New York Giants is deceptive, though, as the NYG are possibly the worst team in the NFL right now, along with the Panthers.
Be aware: Washington currently ranks 31st in defensive DVOA and even last in EPA per play. This points to major problems on defense that they simply cannot afford against Cincy.
Their rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels has made progress, but he still struggles to throw the ball deep. That should be an additional disadvantage against a solid Bengals defense.
The Bengals offense is, as we know, strong in the passing game, which should help them in this matchup. They are among the teams with the most pass attempts, while the run game is still developing.
Against a weak secondary from Washington, the hosts could quickly take the lead and then try to extend their lead with a controlled style of play and short passes in the second half.
With their limited cornerbacks, Washington shouldn’t be able to do too much in one-on-one duels against the strong wide receivers of the hosts anyway.
If Tee Higgins has fully recovered from his injury, the Bengals offense could have another capable pass receiver at their disposal, which would tip the scales in favor of the “Bungals” for good.
Cincinnati proved last week that they can handle Patrick Mahomes, the best quarterback in the NFL. Despite an annoying penalty at a crucial moment in the game, which ultimately helped the Chiefs to victory.
The Bengals defense has allowed only a single pass play of more than 20 yards and is looking strong against the pass attack.
This is good news for them, as Washington’s offense, as mentioned earlier, has trouble throwing the ball deep.
So on paper, things are looking good for the Bengals, especially if they are able to play to their strengths in the passing game and exploit the weaknesses of the Commanders defense.
If you want to bet on the match between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Washington Commanders, I have some exciting scenarios for you to type into the Betano app.
The Bengals Commanders odds show some interesting possibilities.
First, the touchdown bet: Tee Higgins has scored at least one touchdown in four of his last five September games against NFC opponents.
With the Commanders employing a weak pass defense, it’s quite likely that Higgins will be on the scoreboard again at the end of his comeback.
The odds for Higgins catching a six-pointer against the Commanders’ weak pass defense are currently 2.05.
Then we have Joe Burrow, who has thrown three touchdowns in the last five games as the favorite after an away defeat.
He could continue this streak, especially against the current Commanders defense. The odds for “Burrow over 2.5 touchdown passes” are 1.40 and offer good chances.
I have another tip: Washington has lost the last eight games as the underdog. It is likely that this trend will continue. The odds for “Bengals win with HC -3.5” are around 1.50.
Conclusion: My Bengals Commanders prediction points strongly to a victory for the home team. Even though the Bengals have not won a game yet, they played well against the Chiefs last time out. This shows that they are on the mend.
On the other hand, Washington has failed defensively in their first two games.
The weak defense is a real problem, especially when the team has to face the talented offense of the Bengals, who are slowly but surely improving.
Furthermore, the Commanders have not won as underdogs with 7 or more points in their last five games.
I honestly don’t see how Washington wants to turn things around here.
My Tip : victory for the home team
