Vegas Confident Lions Will Breeze Past Bengals

The Detroit Lions will battle with the Joe Burrow-less Bengals Sunday at 4:25 p.m. (EST) at Paycor Stadium. Burrow, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, is out with a Grade 3 turf toe injury that will keep him sidelined for a minimum of three months.

Headed into its Week 5 matchup with Cincinnati, Dan Campbell's squad, coming off a 34-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns, is presently 10.5-point betting favorites, per DraftKings. Detroit will be looking to notch its fourth straight victory on Sunday in Cincinnati.

Backup signal-caller Jake Browning, who came in in relief of the injured Burrow in Week 2, has started the last two games for Cincinnati. The Bengals have scored a combined 13 points, and have been outscored, 76-13, in Browning's two starts this season. Each of the two games have resulted in a loss for the Bengals.

Cincinnati, which is clearly not the same team without Burrow, is reeling, and now gets the chance to square off with the red-hot Lions.

Closing the week at that 10.5-point mark would be the heaviest road favorite the Lions have been since Week 16 of 2014, when they were 10-point road favorites against the Chicago Bears. Detroit went on to beat the Bears at Soldier Field, 20-14.

This will be the 14th all-time meeting between the Lions and the Bengals, with Cincinnati owning the 10-3 advantage.

The Lions have lost seven consecutive contests with the Bengals, last defeating Cincinnati in 1992. In the last matchup between the teams in 2021 (Campbell’s first year as Lions head man), Detroit lost, 34-11, at Ford Field.

The Bengals, which presently sit at 2-2 and in second place in the AFC North, look like they're headed in the wrong direction. They do possess some playmakers on offense, like receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins who could do damage against a banged-up Detroit secondary.

Terrion Arnold and D.J. Reed – the Lions’ starting outside cornerbacks – could both be out this week with injuries suffered against Cleveland in Week 4.

The Bengals, meanwhile, are also equipped with All-Pro pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson, who already has amassed two sacks and six quarterback hits this season. He's also generated 19 total pressures through four weeks.

Yet, Cincinnati is averaging just 15.3 points per game – the third-lowest points per game average – and is allowing nearly 30 points a game (29.8). That mark represents the sixth-most points allowed per contest.

Subsequently, it's no surprise at all that the oddsmakers are confident the Lions will easily dispatch the Bengals in this Week 5 affair.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call1-800-GAMBLER.

More from Lions OnSI