Week 13 of the NFL season is fast approaching. The Los Angeles Chargers will hit the road and face off against the Cincinnati Bengals. It's time to continue our NFL odds series and make a Chargers-Bengals prediction and pick.
Both of these teams have been having similar seasons. The Los Angeles Chargers are 6-5 and coming off a tough loss to the Broncos. While the Cincinnati Bengals 7-4 and coming off a dominant victory. This should be a good matchup between two teams fighting for a playoff spot.
For more insight on the Chargers-Bengals matchup in Week 13, listen below:
Here are the odds for the Chargers-Bengals Sunday NFL matchup courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Odds: Chargers-Bengals Odds:
Los Angeles Chargers: +3 (-110)
Cincinnati Bengals: -3 (-110)
Over 49.5 (-110)
Under 49.5 (-110)
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Why The Chargers Could Win
The Los Angeles Chargers have been having an underwhelming season. While it is always a good thing to have a winning record, Chargers fans had higher hopes for this team than just barely being a winning team. Los Angeles lost by 15 to the Broncos in a game that should have gone differently. The Chargers will be looking to turn things around on Sunday and take a step in the right direction. A win against the Bengals would be huge for Los Angeles. There is a big difference between being 7-5 and 6-6. If LA can get a win on Sunday, there may still be hope for this Chargers team.
The leader of the Los Angeles Chargers is Justin Herbert. Herbert has been having an very similar season to his rookie campaign. Against Denver he threw for over 300 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. On the season he has thrown for over 3,200 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. While he may not have notably improved on his rookie season, there is something to be said for consistency. Herbert is consistently throwing for 300 yards a couple touchdowns and an interception or two. This type of outing has allowed LA to be competitive and stay in games (for the most part). If Herbert can limit interceptions on Sunday then the Chargers should be able to keep this game close and they may even come out ahead.
On the other side of the ball, the Chargers defense ranks 14th in the league in total yards allowed. They have struggled in containing the run, allowing over 145 rushing yards to opposing teams per game. On the bright side they have limited passing yards to barely over 204 yard per game. A big key to success for the Chargers in this game will be stopping the run. If Cincinnati establishes their run game early then it could be a long game for LA. But if LA is able to step up on defense and stop the run, then the rest of the defense should be able to keep them in the game.
Why The Bengals Could Win
The Cincinnati Bengals are having a very solid season. They will be looking to elevate their record to 8-4 on Sunday and continue to make a playoff push. The Bengals made a statement last Sunday when they dominated the Steelers, winning 41-10. If Cincinnati can carry that momentum into this week then they should have no problem taking care of business at home. The Bengals are a good team and they were on full display last week. Expect Cincinnati to keep on playing great football.
Leading this Bengals team is quarterback Joe Burrow. Burrow didn't need to do much last week because the Bengals run game looked unstoppable. Regardless, he did manage to throw for 190 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. He was 20 for 24 on pass attempts and made very few mistakes. On the season Burrow has thrown for over 2,800 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. His chemistry with Jamaar Chase and the rest of the team has been a big reason for the success of this Bengals team. Burrow looks poised to have another solid performance at home this week.
On the defensive side, the Bengals rank 13th in the league in total yards allowed. Cincinnati has had a good amount of success in stopping the run. Opposing teams average only 93 rushing yards per game against the Bengals. They also do a solid job of limiting the passing game, holding opponents to roughly 25o passing yards per game. The Bengals defense is solid, and as long as they don't make any major mistakes they should be able to keep this team in the game. Cincinnati should be able to get a win at home against a weaker opponent.
Final Chargers-Bengals Prediction & Pick
This will probably be a close game, but the Bengals have an edge. These two teams have been trending in opposite directions. The Chargers have been underwhelming all season, while the Bengals have exceeded expectations. Cincinnati should be able to handle Los Angeles and cover the spread. Pick the Bengals to win and cover.
FINAL CHARGERS-BENGAL PREDICTION & PICK: Cincinnati Bengals -3 (-110)
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