The NFL Week 9 slate is chock full of compelling matchups with high stakes. You can add the Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals to that list. These two AFC Super Bowl hopefuls will face off in Sunday Night Football, on November 5, at 8:20 p.m. eastern standard time, on the field at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio.
With the Bills struggling in recent weeks, many experts are forecasting a win for the Bengals. That sentiment has spilled over to the latest NFL online betting odds:
Please remember to double-check these online NFL betting odds until you actually submit your wager. Our Cincinnati Bengals vs. Buffalo Bills betting odds are accurate entering Tuesday, October 30. That gives the best NFL online betting sites plenty of time to adjust their lines in advance of Sunday night’s kick-off.
It comes as no surprise that the Bengals enter as favorites to beat the Bills on Sunday night. Buffalo has looked off for much of this season. The offense has committed more turnovers than usual. And the defense has suffered more lapses than normal. Cincinnati, meanwhile, is on the rise. Quarterback Joe Burrow is no longer battling ankle injuries, and they have a wildly talented receiving core.
Will the Bengals’ recent momentum carry them past the Bills and result in another bump for their betting lines to win the Super Bowl? Or are linemakers and gamblers alike officially underestimating Buffalo? We’ve got piping hot Bills vs. Bengals predictions for you below!
Are the Buffalo Bills Worth the Risk as They Take on the Cincinnati Bengals?
This is the first game the Bills are opening as underdogs this season. It probably won’t be the last, either. Buffalo’s schedule in the second half of the season is absolutely brutal. That’s why so many people believe their 5-3 start is actually damning.
There’s some merit to that thinking. However, the Bills have not suddenly wilted into a paper tiger. Their year-long vitals are still in good shape. Buffalo has top four offense and top three defense. Despite their turnover woes, the offense, in particular, found more of a normal in a Week 8 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Let’s also not forget the Bills continue to take care of business when they move the chains. Only one team scores on a larger share of their red zone possessions. Buffalo is also currently second in third down conversion rate.
To their credit, the Bengals are a different team from the one that started this season. They’re not just healthier. They are allowing just 13.3 points over their past three games and working off a convincing Week 8 win over potential Super Bowl favorite San Francisco 49ers. Yet, Cincinnati’s resume isn’t quite enough for us to pick them here. Playing at home certainly helps, but they remain too reliant on more modest-length throws to keep the offense on the field.
Grinding apart the Bills defense is a losing battle, even now. They are whizzes at snuffing out quick-fire, middle-of-the-field snaps, and just a handful of defenses have held up better in the red zone. Let’s also not forget Buffalo is out for revenge after Cincinnati eliminated them, as underdogs, in the NFL playoffs. Stuff like that matters. More than anything, though, the Bills defense is just too talented to keep riding the current roller coaster. Speed in the secondary is certainly a problem against Cincinnati’s vaunted receiving core, but the presumed lack of downfield targets gives Buffalo some semblance of a cushion.
OSB Prediction: Buffalo Bills (+134)
The Point Spread for Buffalo vs. Cincinnati is on the Rise
Bettors seem pretty convinced that this is the Bengals’ game to lose. As a result, the Bills are currently getting more on the point spread line than they were at open:
- Cincinnati Bengals, -2.5 (-118)
- Buffalo Bills, +2.5 (-102)
This spread is ultimately too infinitesimal for us to endorse it as an alternative Bills pick. It’s a smart move for anyone who expects the Bengals to win. But if you’re like us and rolling with a Buffalo upset, your best value lies with trying to parlay the two wagers.
Failing that, look to see which NFL online sportsbooks will sell you points. You should get a fairly nice return on getting the line to move toward Buffalo Bills at -3.5 or so.
OSB Prediction: Buffalo Bills, +2.5 (-102)
Will the Bills and Bengals Offenses Deliver Prolific Performances on Sunday Night?
Linemakers are bracing for a higher-scoring matchup between the Bills and Bengals in Week 9. You can see the latest NFL over/under betting odds below:
- Over 48.5 (-115)
- Under 48.5 (-105)
This over/under seems heavily rooted in recent events. The Bengals began the season unable to score at a consistent clip. But Cincinnati has hit 30 or more points in two of their past three games. Improved health from quarterback Joe Burrow has gone a long way. And you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better receiving trio than Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd.
It is Buffalo’s offense that has instead taken on the role of inconsistent performer. The Bills have not scored more than 25 points since Week 4.
Cincinnati’s passing defense remains all over the place, but they have the bandwidth to force turnovers in droves. That’s another area in which Buffalo has struggled.
In the end, we haven’t seen nearly enough elite play for long enough stretches from either offense to anticipate a shootout. While the market has gravitated toward the “over,” we’re more enticed by the “under.”
OSB Prediction: Over 48.5 (-105)
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