Free NFL Wild Card Prediction: Raiders vs. Bengals NFL Odds
Looking for Las Vegas Raiders vs. Cincinnati Bengals free NFL Week 18 picks & NFL odds? NFL betting sees the Raiders taking on the Bengals on Saturday, January 15th at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. Cappers Picks provides complimentary handicapping picks all NFL season long including all NFL Wild Card Weekend games so stay tuned for more FREE NFL predictions like this Las Vegas Cincinnati matchup.
NFL Handicapping Analysis: Wild Card Weekend
(10-7) Las Vegas Raiders vs. Cincinnati Bengals (10-7)
Date: Saturday, January 15th, 2022
Time: 4:35 PM ET
Venue: Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati OH
NFL Week 18 ATS Betting Lines: Bengals -6.5 (Bet Now!)
NFL Week 18 Moneyline Odds: Raiders +215| Bengals -250
NFL Week 18 NFL Betting Total: 49
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This is essentially the second playoff game in a row for the Raiders who won what came down to be a play-in game with a 35-32 OT victory over the Chargers on Sunday night. It was the fourth win in a row for Las Vegas, who hopes to continue that momentum Saturday in Cincinnati.
The Titans scored the only official bye in the AFC postseason, but the Bengals basically had one last week as they rested their starters in a 21-16 loss in Cleveland. We will see if that downtime kills momentum for a team that had won three in a row prior.
Las Vegas Raiders
There was no shortage of drama in Sunday night’s win over the Chargers as a tie would have put both teams into the postseason thanks to an Indianapolis loss earlier in the day. The game was knotted 32-32 with 4:30 left in OT but Las Vegas knocked out their division rival with a 47-yard Daniel Carlson field goal.
Now it’s off to Cincinnati where the Bengals went were just 5-4 on the season. The Bengals ranked 26th vs. the pass during the regular season so QB Derek Carr will likely be the x-factor in Saturday afternoon’s playoff opener.
Carr was 20/36 vs. Cincinnati with just 186 yards, but did throw two TDs to Hunter Renfrow. Carr didn’t throw an INT vs. the Chargers after tossing five in the previous four weeks so that’s a good sign.
The Raiders offense has looked better the past two weeks averaging 29 ppg. They had been held to 17 points or less in 7 of the previous 8. Cincinnati can score, averaging 27.1 ppg which was 7th most in the NFL.
Cincinnati Bengals
We can’t take much from Cincinnati’s 21-16 loss last week when the had a season low 182 yards. Joe Burrow and Joe Mixon were among those that rested and Ja’Marr Chase played just long enough to grab two catches for 26 yards to break the Bengals single season record for receiving yards.
Now the big question is if it was the right decision to bench players last week or if it will throw the Bengals out of rhythm? Burrow had been in the zone with 525 and 446 yards passing the previous two games with 8 TDs.
Burrow should be able to bounce back to form against a Raiders secondary that gave up 383 yards and 3 TD passes to Chargers QB Justin Herbert last Sunday. That was on 64 attempts though and Las Vegas did have the #13 pass defense this season (222.9 ypg).
NFL Betting Trends:
- Raiders are 4-1 last 5 as an underdog
- OVER is 14-6-1 in Raiders last 21 as an underdog
- Bengals are 4-0 ATS last 4 overall
- Bengals are 5-1 ATS vs team with a winning record
- Bengals are 2-5-1 ATS last 8 Saturday games
- Bengals are 0-6-1 ATS last 7 playoff games
- Raiders are 0-5 ATS last 5 head to head matchups
4* Free Week 18 NFL Betting Prediction: Raiders +6.5
Not only did the Bengals rest last week, they also had six or more players ineligible to play anyways because of positive COVID tests. Most should be cleared by the wild card game, but it’s just one more thing the team has to deal with on top of Burrow’s 1st playoff game.
NFL Free Week 18 Score Prediction: Cincinnati 23- Las Vegas 20 (Bet Now!)
Burrow is great, but he may have some struggles early on in this game until settling in. Either way, it feels like a field goal game and the +6.5 is just too many points.
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