The Cincinnati Bengals Week 4 game against the Tennessee Titans is a pivotal early-season matchup for both teams. Sunday's Bengals-Titans game features a pair of 1-2 teams, and our Bengals Week 4 predictions suggest that the reigning AFC North champions will claw their way back to .500 in a low-scoring affair.

The Bengals avoided what would've been a concerning 0-3 record by holding off the Los Angeles Rams 19-16 on Monday Night Football. Joe Burrow managed to play through the calf injury that he suffered in training camp and nearly kept him off the field in Week 3. If Cincinnati wants any chance of making a third straight AFC Championship Game appearance, the team needs Burrow to start playing like the star quarterback that he's proven to be since 2021.

The Titans' quarterback play has also been underwhelming, though it's not exactly a surprise. Ryan Tannehill threw for just 104 passing yards in Tennessee's 27-3 loss against the Cleveland Browns in Week 3. One week earlier, Tannehill was nearly perfect when he completed 20 of 24 passes in a 27-24 overtime win against the Los Angeles Chargers.

The versions of Tanneill and Burrow that show up in Tennessee might ultimately determine the winner. Cincinnati is a 2.5-point road favorite at FanDuel Sportsbook. The Bengals have -146 odds to win straight up. The Titans are +124 underdogs at home.

Let's make some bold Bengals predictions for Week 4. Note that these are bold predictions. It's unlikely that each prediction will be correct, but they have a better chance of happening than what the odds indicate.

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3. Bengals QB Joe Burrow will have 300+ passing yards, but Cincinnati will score 21 points or fewer

The Titans' pass defense has been among the worst in the NFL. Burrow has struggled through three games. Will Tennessee's defense or Cincinnati's quarterback prevail in Week 4? The answer might be both.

Burrow should be able to put up big passing numbers in Tennessee. He had 259 yards on 49 attempts in Week 3 and finally got in a groove in the second half, connecting with Ja'Marr Chase 12 times. The Titans have played poorly against opposing quarterbacks since the start of last year. Only four teams are giving up more passing yards per game in 2023 than the Titans, which managed to make Deshaun Watson look good for the first time in almost three years.

That doesn't necessarily mean the Bengals are going to put up a lot of points. Burrow's calf injury will limit what Cincinnati's offense can do, particularly its ability to create explosive plays. He probably won't be much more mobile six days later. Burrow was strictly in shotgun against the Rams last Week 3, largely throwing quick, short passes. Burrow had 53 dropbacks. Expect a similar approach from head coach Zac Taylor against a Titans' defense that limits opposing rushers to a league-low 2.6 yards per carry.

Burrow has +250 odds at FanDuel to throw for at least 300 yards. The Bengals' total is 21.5 with -106 odds for the under. A parlay that features both bets offers +360 odds.

2. The Bengals will sack Titans QB Ryan Tannehill five times and hold him below 200 passing yards

The Titans' offensive line has been their undoing in 2023. Tennessee has totaled 18 points in its two losses. Tannehill has been sacked 13 times in three games. Coming off a dominant performance against the Rams. the Bengals' pass rush should be able to feast in Tennessee.

Cincinnati's defensive line is mostly responsible for the team avoiding a 0-3 start. The Bengals sacked Matthew Stafford six times in Week 3. The Rams quarterback was under constant pressure, and it was responsible for at least one of his two interceptions. Trey Hendrickson had two sacks and might be in line for another big game.

Tannehill's one big game came against the Chargers, which allow a league-high 337 passing yards per game. The Titans quarterback has two sub-200 yard games, including an abysmal performance in Cleveland. Cincinnati has limited quarterbacks to a 61.1% completion rate.

1. The Bengals will cover the spread in a game that features fewer than 38.5 points

The Bengals-Titans game has all the makings of a low-scoring Cincinnati win. With Burrow hampered, the Bengals' defense is going to have to lead the way in the first half of the 2023 season. The version of Burrow is still better than Tannehill. Tennessee is well-coached and is unlikely to be blown out at home. Cincinnati has just enough to escape Tennessee with a victory.

The Bengals rank dead last with 4.0 yards per play. The Titans aren't much better with 4.4 yards per play, ranking 29th overall. Neither team has scored more than 24 points in regulation.

FanDuel offers +126 odds for the Bengals Week 4 game to go under 38.5 points. Cincinnati has -106 odds to cover the 2.5-point spread. Parlaying both bets has +304 odds. Look for the Bengals to beat the Titans with a final score in the neighborhood of 17-14 or 20-17.