We are right in the middle of the 2021 NFL season! The Cincinnati Bengals face the New York Jets on Sunday. It's time to continue our NFL odds series with a Bengals-Jets Week 8 prediction and pick.
The Bengals are putting themselves in a great position to contend this season. They are 5-2 to start the year and are tied for the best record in the AFC. They are fresh off a dominant win over the Baltimore Ravens last weekend. Joe Burrow is playing like the No. 1 that he was, and the rest of the offense is benefiting from it. Joe Mixon, Jamar Chase, and C.J. Uzomah are lighting up the numbers this year. The defense is playing very well and is stopping very good offenses. This week, they face a favorable opponent in the 1-5 New York Jets.
The Jets are once again at the bottom of the totem pole. It's another miserable season for the Jets who are finding difficulties staying in games. QB Zach Wilson is out this week, which makes it even more difficult for them. Mike White is starting for the first time in his career. It will be interesting to see how this one plays out. The Jets just gave up 54 points to the New England Patriots. The Bengals offense should be stoked to play a team trending in the wrong direction. With a Bengals win, they will be the No. 1 seed in the AFC for two weeks in a row. With that being said, let's take a look at the odds for Sunday.
Here is how the bookmakers have set the odds for the Bengals-Jets game.
NFL Odds: Bengals-Jets Odds
Cincinnati Bengals: -10.5 (-110)
New York Jets: +10.5 (-110)
Over: 42.5 (-105)
Under: 42.5 (-115)
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Why The Bengals Could Cover The Spread
Article Continues BelowOver 10 points for an NFL spread is a lot. However, I expect the Bengals to cover this spread. This team is playing well too well right now not to dominate the Jets. The Jets just aren't playing competitive football and will be without their starting QB. White has a lot to prove this week against a solid Bengals defense.
I expect Burrow and company to run up the score and show why they can compete for a Super Bowl this season. It's only week 8 and there is a lot of football left to be played. But the Bengals look really good when they're fully healthy. Health is the biggest concern for this team, but they are healthy for the most part. A dominant win Sunday should put them in a great position to make the playoffs.
Why the Jets Could Cover The Spread
The Jets are unlikely to cover this spread, but this is how they will do it. New York's defense will need to play their best game of the season. It will be a daunting task, but it is possible. The Jets will need to slow the game down and control the time of possession. A perfect start for the game for the Jets would be to receive the ball during kickoff and utilize a 7-8 minute drive resulting in a touchdown. That right there would give them a big advantage because it would force the Bengals to speed up their game plan.
The entire roster will need to step up and play well. They showed that earlier in the year when they beat the Tennessee Titans. The Titans were missing a ton of starters, but the Jets got the job done. They will need to play a similar style as they did when they beat the Titans.
Final Bengals-Jets Prediction & Pick
I expect the Bengals to run over the Jets. after giving up 54 to the Patriots, this team seems defeated as it is. Wilson isn't playing and so I don't expect the Jets to score many points. As a result of that, I would consider the under for this game also. There just isn't much from the Jets right now that can show a reason why they can compete this week.
FINAL BENGALS-JETS PREDICTION & PICK: Bengals -10.5 (-110)