Bengals Will Boat-Race Brownies On MNF In Week 8
Monday Night Football in Week 8 features an AFC North meeting between teams heading in opposite directions when the Cincinnati Bengals (4-3) travel to FirstEnergy Stadium to play the Cleveland Browns (2-5) at 8:15 p.m. ET.
Cincy has won four of its past five games including back-to-back victories at the New Orleans Saints and vs. the Atlanta Falcons and covered the spread in all five.
Cleveland is on a 4-game losing skid (1-3 against the spread (ATS) with the latest being a 23-20 loss at the Baltimore Ravens as 6.5-point road underdogs in Week 7.
Bengals QB Joe Burrow is 0-3 in his career vs. the Browns and Burrow is making his 1st career start on Monday Night Football. Burrow will be without his No. 1 weapon, WR Ja'Marr Chase.
Betting Details (DraftKings)
Banged-up Browns
According to OutKick's Dr. David Chao, even with the Chase injury, Cincy's health edge over Cleveland is one of the biggest of any Week 8 matchup.
The Browns will be without No. 1 TE David Njoku, shutdown CB Denzel Ward, and Pro Bowl G Wyatt Teller. A few other Cleveland starters are listed as "questionable" as well including the Browns' other two starting cornerbacks.
Even if Cleveland was at full strength, Cincy would still be the right side for MNF.
Cincy is starting to look the part
It's a big number to lay with a road favorite vs. a divisional foe in primetime. However, the Bengals are beginning to look like the team that won the AFC in 2021. While the Browns are starting to burst at the seams.
Cleveland QB Jacoby Brissett played well for the first few weeks but is starting to turn back into a pumpkin. Over his last 4 games, Brissett has a 60.3% completion rate with 2 passing TDs, 4 interceptions, a 74.4 QB Rating, and 10 sacks.
Cincinnati Bengals Joe Burrow spikes the football after rushing for a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. (Todd Olszewski/Getty Images)
Also, there are more arguments that this price is too cheap instead of too expensive. Cincy outranks Cleveland in net expected points added per play (+0.138 vs. -0.40 EPA/play) and net success rate (+4.9% vs. +0.9%).
Finally, the Bengals are 8-1 ATS in their last nine road games. Cincy is 4-2 ATS (+3.7 ATS margin) as road favorites since the beginning of last season.
'Narrative-ville'
There are no stats or numbers to back this up but Burrow is going to light up the Browns on MNF. This is Burrow's first MNF appearance and he's winless against Cleveland.
Furthermore, Burrow will be doing a MNF pre-production meeting with ESPN's new MNF TV crew Joe Buck and Troy Aikman. My hunch is Burrow wants to put on a show in front of another alpha quarterback in his MNF debut.
BET: Bengals -3.5 (+100) at DraftKings Sportsbook, up to -4
The Cincinnati Bengals' odds vs. the Cleveland Browns for Week 8's Monday Night Football from DraftKings Sportsbook as of Monday, October 31st at 10:30 a.m. ET.