Need an extra best bet for NFL Week 11? You've come to the right place! Our industry expert has a full breakdown of Bengals vs. Chargers below. Best of luck with your wagers! Let's get into the Sunday Night Football breakdown!
Most bettors in the market don't seem to know what to do with this game from a point spread perspective. Most online sportsbooks opened this line LAC -1.5 and that's where most shops sit at the time of this writing. There are a couple of shops that are offering LAC -1 if you like that side.
As for the total, most shops opened the line at 43 but it's been nothing but Over money since then. So much sharp action has come in that the line is now sitting at 47 or 47.5 at most sports betting apps. Cincy has been an Over machine, so the move isn't all that shocking.
It's been tough sledding lately for the Bengals, as they've lost 2 of their last 3 games and are now sitting at 4-6 on the season. However, Cincy has played much better on the road (3-2) than at home (1-4) this year. Zac Taylor knows that this is a must-win game if his squad wants to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Joe Burrow is putting together another phenomenal season, as he's thrown for 2,672 yards and 24 TDs so far. As expected, Burrow loves throwing the ball to former LSU teammate Ja'Marr Chase (981 rec yds, 10 TDs). Cincy's main problem on offense has been their running game, which ranks just 26th in yards per rush.
Cincy's defense is tough to figure out. They do a great job of stopping the run and their secondary hasn't played too poorly either. That said, this unit really struggles to get any semblance of a pass rush (30th in sack rate).
Jim Harbaugh has exceeded all expectations so far in 2024. The Chargers are 6-3 and in excellent position for a Wild Card berth. That's a heck of a turnaround when you consider how much of a dumpster fire this squad was under Brandon Staley.
The Chargers make most of their hay with their running game, as they run the ball 49.91% of the time (6th most in the NFL). JK Dobbins has carried most of the load at RB, as he's run for 670 yards and 6 TDs. Justin Herbert is finally healthy, and he's done a masterful job taking care of the football (11 TDs, 1 INT).
Los Angeles is basically the exact opposite of Cincy on defense. They make their living by getting lots of pressure on opposing QBs and their secondary does a good job of limiting big plays. LA's main concern on D has been stopping the run.
I hate to step in front of the Chargers train, but we should see a maximum effort from the Bengals in this spot. Cincy suffered a heartbreaking loss on Thursday Night Football against the Ravens, but the extra days off should help them heal up physically.
LA has won 3 straight, so this is the ideal time to sell them at a relatively high point. The Chargers have been playing well but the Bengals present a huge step up in class for them.
Burrow is the best QB they've faced since playing against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs on September 29th in Week 4. The wrong team is favored here! Cincy wins this outright!
Prediction: Bengals 27 - Chargers 24