In a Monday Night matchup, the Bengals look to get into the win column facing a Rams team that lost their last game.
The Bengals head into this non-conference affair as a 3-point favorite with the total sitting at 43.5 points. The public has really backed Cincy in this game, as they opened as a 1.5-point favorite and as of Friday morning are a 3-point favorite.
After an impressive win in their opener the Rams lost their last game in a 30-23 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. The total went Over and they have covered the spread in their first two games.
In their last game the Bengals were at home and lost to the Baltimore Ravens 27-24. The total for the game went Over and Cincy has failed to cover in their first two games.
After signing the biggest contract in NFL history in the off-season Cincy QB Joe Burrow has not played well and is banged up and listed as day-to-day.
Late Mistakes Doom Rams
In the 30-23 loss to the 49ers in their last game the Rams only scored six points in the second half and their two late turnovers killed their chances.
L.A. outgained San Fran 386 yards to 365 yards bit they not only turned the ball over twice late but did not force a turnover and gave up 159 rushing yards. Matt Stafford passed for 307 yards with a TD but accounted for both of the turnovers with two picks. Kyren Williams led the way with only 52 rushing yards averaging 3.7 yards per carry and WR Puka Nacua set a rookie record with 15 receptions going for 145 yards.
The Rams need Williams to get it going to help the offense, which ranks 22nd in rushing yards per game and third in passing yards per game. That is especially the case in this game, as the Cincy defense ranks second to last in the NFL in run defense while a respectable ninth in pass defense.
The Time is Now
Now is the time for the Bengals to turn it around, as this is the first game of three in a row facing teams that were sub-.500 last season and are a combined 1-5 this season.
Joe Burrow has a strained calf that he had issues with during training camp and in the last loss to the Ravens passed for 222 yards with two TD and one INT after a bad season opener. If he cannot go rookie Jake Browning will see his first NFL action.
The Bengals’ offense has looked nothing like last season and after two games ranks 30th in passing yards per game and 28th in rushing yards per game. The team boasts one of the best WR duos in the league in Ja’Marr Chase and Tre Higgins, but they have only combined for 159 yards after two games.
Joe Mixon leads the team with 115 yards and has over 55 rushing yards in each of the first two games but has no TD.
Cincy will be facing an L.A. defense that ranks fifth in the league against the pass and only 24th against the run.
Trends
The Rams are 4-1 ATS in their last five games.
The Rams have an Under record of 5-0 in their last five games.
The Bengals are 9-3-1 ATS in their last 13 home games.
The Bengals are 17-8 ATS in their last 25 games following a straight up loss.