Lions vs. Bengals Final Score Prediction for NFL Week 5 (Detroit Should Cruise to a Win)

Iain MacMillan | Oct 4, 2025

The Lions are road favorites against the Bengals in Week 5. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Fans of the Detroit Lions started to worry in Week 1 when the Green Bay Packers steamrolled them. Now, here we are just a few weeks later, they're sitting alone atop the NFC North with a 3-1 record. They've looked ultra-impressive three straight weeks, and now they have another favorable matchup ahead of them when they face the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Bengals are spiraling without their star quarterback, Joe Burrow, as Jake Browning has struggled against both the Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos. Can they bounce back in Week 5 and pull off the improbable?

Let's take a look at the latest odds for the game and then I'll predict the game's final score.

Lions vs. Bengals Odds, Spread, and Total

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Spread

• Lions -10.5 (-104)
• Bengals +10.5 (-119)

Moneyline

• Lions -520
• Bengals +400

Total

• OVER 48.5 (-110)
• UNDER 48.5 (-110)

The Lions opened the week as 8.5-point favorites, but has moved up two points since then to -10.5. The total has moved down half a point to 48.5.

Lions vs. Bengals Final Score Prediction

In this week's edition of the Road to 272 Bets, I broke down why I feel comfortable laying the points on the Lions:

It's clear the Detroit Lions' Week 1 loss to the Green Bay Packers was an anomaly. They're quickly becoming one of the best teams in the NFL, and it's not just their explosive and efficient offense. They rank sixth in EPA per play but also sixth in opponent EPA per play. They also rank fourth in opponent success rate.

Meanwhile, the Bengals are a complete disaster with Joe Burrow injured. They're 31st in Net Yards per Play (-1.4), while also ranking near the bottom of the NFL in advanced metrics, both offensive and defensive. There's little they'll be able to do to keep pace with the Lions. I'll lay the points with Detroit.

If I'm going to predict the final score, I have to have a take on the total as well. With it all the way up at 48.5, I'll take the UNDER. The Bengals' offense has been horrific without Joe Burrow, averaging a measly 3.9 yards per snap, which is the second-lowest rate in the league. The Cincinnati offense won't do enough to contribute to this game going over its set total.

Final score prediction: Lions 31, Bengals 13

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