The Cincinnati Bengals are prepared to run it back after a magical season that saw them fall short in the Super Bowl by 90 seconds. It is time to take a sneak peek at FanDuel’s 2022 NFL over under win total odds, including the Bengals’ over/under win total.
The Bengals won the AFC North and entered the playoffs as ultimate underdogs heading into their wildcard matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders. Then, they defeated the Raiders 26-19. Cincinnati headed to Nashville to take on the Tennessee Titans and edged them out 19-16. The Bengals then headed to Arrowhead Stadium, and it looked like it was over when they trailed 21-3 at the half. Next, Joe Burrow led an unbelievable comeback in the AFC Championship Game and propelled Cincinnati to a 27-24 overtime victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. They ultimately fell short in the Super Bowl, falling to the Los Angeles Rams, despite leading nearly the entire game.
Zac Taylor returns as head coach, after leading the Bengals to 10 wins in 2022. Additionally, the mark was more than the six wins combined over the first two seasons. It brought his overall record as head coach to 19-33-1. Now, all eyes are on offensive line coach Frank Pollack. Can he bring the reassembled offensive line together after they allowed Burrow to take 51 sacks last season?
Here are the 2022 NFL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
2022 NFL Odds: Bengals Over/Under Win Total Odds
Cincinnati Bengals:
Over: 9.5 (-130)
Under: 9.5 (+110)
Why The Bengals Will Win 10 Games
Burrow is a marvel at the quarterback position, and a significant reason the Bengals are relevant again. In his return from minor knee surgery, he threw for 4,611 yards, 34 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions during the regular season. Then, he tossed for 1,105 yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions during the playoffs. Burrow led the Bengals to their first playoff win in 31 years and nearly helped them capture a Super Bowl.
Burrow had some help with an amazing wide receiver and solid running back. Ja'Marr Chase raised the stakes, catching 81 passes for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns. Moreover, he emerged as a legitimate deep threat that Burrow could rely on to get past every secondary. Tee Higgins continued his rampage, notching 74 receptions for 1,091 yards and six touchdowns. Also, Tyler Boyd remained consistent, catching 67 passes for 828 yards and five touchdowns.
Cincinnati established a great pass rush last season, with Trey Hendrickson leading the charge. Hendrickson joined the team from the New Orleans Saints in 2022 and had 14 sacks. Now, it means he has had 27.5 sacks over two seasons. Sam Hubbard emerged with 7.5 sacks to assist in the cause. However, the secondary benefited the most from this, with Jessie Bates II and Venn Bell becoming one of the best safety tandems in the NFL. Chidobe Awuzie became one of the best shutdown corners. Ultimately, Evan McPherson became the hero kicker, notching five game-winning kicks.
The Bengals will win 10 games because they have an elite offense led by Burrow, a much-improved pass rush led by Hendrickson, and a kicker that makes everything.
Why The Bengals Won't Win 10 Games
Is the offensive line fixed? The unit allowed 70 total sacks last season, including playoffs. The Bengals remedied this by signing Alex Cappa to play right guard, Ted Karras to fill the void at center and La'el Collins at right tackle. Yes, these three are already better than what Cincinnati previously had. But will it be enough? The number one concern about the O-Line is the depth. Aside from those three, the Bengals return most of the holdovers.
The schedule will be slightly tougher. The Bengals dominated their division last season, going 4-2 with four blowout victories over the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers. History indicates they likely will not repeat the pattern, and that leaves the rest of the schedule. The Bengals have dates with the Titans, Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It will not be easy to defeat those teams, and the Bengals must find ways to replicate their luck.
The Bengals will fall back to earth and not win 10 games. Likewise, the Super Bowl curse will happen, and things will go wrong.
Final Bengals Win Total Prediction
Many will say the Bengals could be a one-year wonder. Also, when teams lose the Super Bowl, they falter the following season. None of those teams had a quarterback like Burrow. He will be the difference-maker. As long as the line protects him, he can stay healthy. A healthy Burrow gives the Bengals a chance to win any game. They will not go 14-3, but they will barely win 10 games and find a way back into the playoffs in a tough AFC race.
Final Bengals Win Total Prediction: Over: 9.5 (-130)
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