Buffalo Bills at Cincinnati Bengals

Week 17 of the NFL season wraps up on Monday Night Football with a huge battle between Super Bowl contenders. The Cincinnati Bengals host the Buffalo Bills, and these two teams could meet up in the AFC Playoffs in just a few weeks.

Buffalo is trying to lock up the top overall seed in the AFC, and they come into this game with an overall record of 12-3. The Bills come into this game having won five straight on the year, and they are looking to stay hot heading into the postseason. 

Cincinnati got off to a bit of a slow start this season, but they have since won seven straight games. The Bengals are now 11-4 on the year and are trying to wrap up the AFC North Division title. 

The Buffalo Bills are slim one-point betting favorites on the road in this game against the Cincinnati Bengals. 

Bills Can Get Stops

The offense of the Buffalo Bills tends to get most of the attention, but they also have a defense that can completely shut down an opponent. Buffalo is allowing just 17.5 points per game on the year, and that pass rush will have to find a way to get pressure on Joe Burrow. 

Quarterback Josh Allen is having another monster season for the Bills, as he has thrown for over 4,000 yards to go along with 32 touchdowns. Stefon Diggs has continued to be the top wide receiver, with ten touchdowns to go along with over 1,300 yards receiving. 

Buffalo also has the ability to run the football effectively, and they will commit to the run game if they get an early lead in this one. 

Bengals Need More Rushing 

If the Cincinnati Bengals are going to go on a deep run in the playoffs, they have to find a way to run the football better. Cincinnati is averaging less than 100 rushing yards per game, putting too much pressure on Burrow.

Burrow has been able to deliver all season for this team, as he has thrown for 4,260 yards and 34 touchdowns. Tee Higgins leads the way with over 1,000 receiving yards, but Ja’Marr Chase is the player that makes the biggest plays. 

Cincinnati doesn’t have a defense that is as dominant as the Bills, but they still hold opponents to just 20.4 points per game. 

Bills Beat Bengals in Showdown

This seven-game winning streak for the Bengals simply can’t be ignored, but they still need more balance on offense. Joe Burrow will put up some big numbers in this game, but their lack of run game will cause some problems.

The Bills know they need the top overall seed in the AFC to win the conference, and they can’t afford to slip up. Look for Josh Allen and the rest of the offense to get an early lead in this game and then run their way to a big win.

Bet the Buffalo Bills -4.5 as they pick up a victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in a huge matchup on Monday Night Football. 

See all of our NFL picks here.