Jaguars Will Bounce Bengals On Monday Night

Bengals vs. Jaguars, 8:15 ET

I was looking forward to this game a few weeks ago. I wanted to see how the Bengals would get on against the Jaguars in a battle of the jungle cats. Unfortunately, due to injury, this one won't live up to the luster that it once carried. That's okay though as we can still put together a play in it and make the most of this game between Cincinnati and Jacksonville.

The Bengals weren't exactly having a stellar season this year, but the loss of Joe Burrow for the year pretty much ruins any remaining hope that they had. He left during the Ravens game, and now is done for the season. Against the Steelers, a respectable defense and division rival, the Bengals could only muster 10 points with Jake Browning under center. To his credit, Browning played fairly well. He was 19-for-26 in the game with one touchdown and one interception. The problem is that the ground game can't really get anything going to help take some of the pressure off of him. Joe Mixon averaged just two yards per carry and had 16 total yards. The Jacksonville defense is strong enough that they can likely force the Bengals into a similar game and take away any running lanes. The Bengals defense is strong enough overall, but they probably don't have the edge over Trevor Lawrence.

CINCINNATI, OH - JANUARY 15: Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon (28) warms up before the game against the Baltimore Ravens and the Cincinnati Bengals on January 15, 2023, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, OH. (Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Jaguars were the laughingstock of the NFL for quite some time but over the past two years or so, they've compiled a really nice team and squashed most of the rumors of moving them to London. This season they have an 8-3 record with their losses coming to the Chiefs, 49ers, and Texans. All three are going to be, or at least likely to be, playoff teams. Maybe likely is an overstatement for Houston, but they are a good team. Lawrence was hailed as the best quarterback or most sure thing in quite some time. He's been good but I wouldn't call him great. He has plenty of weapons at his disposal, and he does spread the love around, but the 12-to-7 touchdown to interception ratio is something that he needs to fix. The offensive line of Jacksonville should get a big push against the Bengals defensive line and give running back Travis Etienne space to make some magic. The Bengals allow the fourth most yards to opposing backfields in the NFL.

I don't think there is much of a question about who wins this game. The Jaguars should take it, and I think they make this a two or three-score game. The Bengals will put up a fight, but their offense just won't be able to keep pace and eventually will fall too far behind. I don't expect the Jaguars to run up the score or anything, but this shouldn't be a close game. The total is reflective, mostly, of the fact that Cincy will struggle to score. I'm taking the Jaguars to cover the 8.5 or 9.5.

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