Bengals vs. Raiders: Analysis, odds, expert picks and predictions

The Bengals are actually favored this week, which could be the last time that happens this season.

The Bengals haven’t really been favored the past few weeks, which has been an unfortunate side effect to them being winless since October and losing their two cornerstone players on offense.

Still, the Bengals played their closest game in awhile last week against the Chargers when they actually had a chance to win the game late. Morale victories don’t count for much, but there could be some momentum to build off of as the Bengals will be playing their home finale this week against the Raiders.

What do the oddsmakers and experts think of this matchup?

Odds

The Bengals are currently three-point favorites against the Raiders, according to Bovada. This is the Bengals final home game of the 2018 season, which means it will likely be the final time they are favored.

It should be noted again that home teams are usually viewed as field goal favorites against equal talent teams, so that means the oddsmakers view Cincinnati as almost equal in talent to the Raiders who are 3-10 this year.

Betting trends

• Cincinnati is 2-6 against the spread in its last eight games
• Cincinnati is 0-5 straight up in its last five games
• The total has gone over in four of Cincinnati’s last six games
• Cincinnati is 0-5 against the spread in its last five games at home
• Cincinnati is 1-4 straight up in its last five games at home
• Cincinnati is 4-1 against the spread in its last five games when playing Oakland
• The total has gone under in six of Cincinnati’s last eight games when playing Oakland
• Cincinnati is 5-0 against the spread in its last five games when playing at home against Oakland
• Cincinnati is 4-1 straight up in its last five games when playing at home against Oakland
• The total has gone under in four of Cincinnati’s last five games when playing at home against Oakland
• Oakland is 7-13-2 against the spread in its last 22 games
• Oakland is 3-14 straight up in its last 17 games
• The total has gone under in 14 of Oakland’s last 20 games
• Oakland is 1-4 against the spread in its last five games on the road
• Oakland is 1-8 straight up in its last nine games on the road
• The total has gone under in six of Oakland’s last nine games on the road
• Oakland is 1-4 against the spread in its last five games when playing Cincinnati
• The total has gone under in six of Oakland’s last eight games when playing Cincinnati
• Oakland is 0-5 against the spread in its last five games when playing on the road against Cincinnati
• Oakland is 1-4 straight up in its last five games when playing on the road against Cincinnati
• The total has gone under in four of Oakland’s last five games when playing on the road against Cincinnati

Expert picks and predictions

• Fox Sports is predicting a 30.5 to 24.8 point victory for the Bengals
• Five of ESPN’s 10 experts are picking Cincinnati
• CBS Sports has five of their eight experts taking the Bengals
• Five of SB Nation’s seven experts are going with Cincinnati
• NFL Pick Watch, which takes into account picks from around the web, has the Bengals receiving 66 percent of the picks.

It is nice to see the Bengals as favorites again. Last week, it was almost impossible to find an expert that would take the Bengals over the Chargers, but they almost pulled off the upset regardless. Even against the Raiders, who are fresh of defeating the Steelers, experts seem comfortable with taking Cincinnati who hasn’t won in their last five games. Hopefully they’re right.

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