Bengals Betting Line Continues to Swell to Rare Heights for Home Game as Public Heavily Backs Lions

CINCINNATI – Cincinnati Bengals coaches and players remain steadfast that they have the talent and will to turn around arguably the worst two-game stretch in franchise history.

The sportsbooks and betting public are not so confident.

The Bengals opened as 8.5-point underdogs against the Detroit Lions on Sunday night.

That was more than 24 hours before Cincinnati looked listless in a 28-3 loss to the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football.

After the game, the line swelled to 9.5.

As of Wednesday evening, it’s still growing and up to 10.5.

If it holds there, it will be the biggest underdog number they’ve had in five years.

The last time a Bengals team was an underdog of more points at home was the 2020 season finale, when Brandon Allen was quarterbacking the team after Joe Burrow’s season-ending knee injury.

The Bengals were 13.5-point underdogs in that game.

They wouldn’t have covered a 33.5-point spread.

Baltimore won that game 38-3, with Bengals quarterback Brandon Allen going 6 for 21 for 48 yards with two touchdowns.

Two weeks prior, the Bengals were 14.5-point underdogs at home to the Steelers on Monday Night Football and stunned their division rivals 27-17 with Ryan Finley starting for the injured Allen.

The Bengals 1-3 at home as underdogs of 10 points or more in the Zac Taylor era, losing also to the Patriots (10.5, 34-14) and Ravens (10.5, 49-13).

But they are 3-3 in their last six overall, beating the Jaguars (10.5, 17-4) and Broncos (10, 31-21) in 2000. The Denver game was the Corey Dillon record breaker with 278 yards.

This will be just the 23rd time in franchise history the Bengals have been double-digit underdogs as home.

They a surprising 8-14 in the previous 22.

And they are 13-4-1 against the spread in the last 18.

The Lions are favorites of at least 10.5 points on the road for the first time since 1973, when they were exactly 10.5-point favorites and lost to the Saints 20-13.

Do with that what you will.

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