Week 5 Bengals vs. Cowboys NFL Predictions

October 3, 2008 by Q

NFL Week Five Betting – Cincinnati Bengals at Dallas Cowboys

The Cincinnati Bengals (0-4 SU, 1-3 ATS) are down in the dumps, and heads may roll soon. On Sunday they are going into rather unfriendly territory for a team looking to post its first win on the board, as they are facing off against the Dallas Cowboys (3-1 SU, 2-2 ATS) in NFL action that is set to begin at 4:15 PM ET at Texas Stadium (artificial turf) in Irving, TX.

Sunday, October 5

BetUS NFL betting odds: DALLAS -17, Total 44
NOTABLE STAT: Dallas averages 8.3 yards per pass; Cincinnati averages 4.8

KEY NFL FOOTBALL BETTING TREND: Bengals have covered six of their last 19 games

In the BetUS NFL football betting odds, the Cowboys are listed as a 17-point favorite, with a posted total of 44 points.

Here are some NFL football betting trends as they relate to this matchup (reflecting numbers going into the 2008 season):

* CIN is 6-12-1 ATS in its last 19 games
* CIN has lost four of its last five games SU
* CIN has played eight of its last ten games UNDER the total
* CIN is 3-6-1 ATS in its last ten road games
* CIN has lost 10 of its last 12 road games SU
* CIN has played four of its last six road games UNDER the total
* DALL has covered two of its last nine games
* DALL has won 16 of its last 21 games SU
* DALL has played six of its last eight games UNDER the total
* DALL has covered one of its last five home games

Also…

* CIN has covered five of the last seven meetings
* Five of the last seven meetings have gone OVER the total

Many of the questions surrounding the Bengals at this very moment involve the quarterback situation. Carson Palmer has an elbow injury, and has been limited in practice. He is currently listed as questionable, but we expect that he will be in the lineup on Sunday, which would seem mandatory, given the way substitute Ryan Fitzpatrick performed, completing 21 of 35 passes and turning the ball over four times.

Chad Johnson has only caught 11 passes, and Cincinnati’s had problems developing a third option to join Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Help has arrived in the form of Chris Henry, who has just finished his four-game suspension, and Cedric Benson, another problem child who disqualified himself in training camp with Chicago and will back up Chris Perry at running back.

In CowboyLand, they’re dealing with the latest outburst by Terrell Owens, who doesn’t think he’s had the ball thrown to him enough. But his teammates have become immune to such things, and one would not expect that this is going to be an ongoing controversy. Dallas has obviously found a guy who can make big plays on offense in Felix Jones (8.2 ypc), an every-down back in Marion Barber (311 yards) and maybe even a complementary wideout to go with T.O. in Miles Austin (24.6 yds/catch). There would appear to be too much artillery for the Bengals to deal with.

But remember that this is the NFL, and that is a very big number to cover. Remember that Cincinnati has big-league receiving talent, and Dallas does not have an interception in four games. Remember that Cincinnati’s defense, ravaged by injury last year, is healthier and improved. And Remember that Dallas is just 2-7 ATS in its last nine games. Hoping that Palmer is healthy enough to play, we’re going to grab the points with the Bengals, the 17-point underdog in the BetUS NFL football betting odds.