2018 Cincinnati Bengals Season Odds & Predictions

It could be a make or break time for the Cincinnati Bengals on the heels of back-to-back losing seasons. After last year’s 7-9 campaign, head coach Marvin Lewis appeared to be on his way out after 15 years in Cincinnati. However, he’s back in 2018 alongside the likes of Andy Dalton, A.J. Green, and a few others who have been fixtures on the Bengals for much of the past decade.

To be fair, the Bengals have been one of the most consistent teams in football during that span, reaching the playoffs every year from 2011 to 2015. But after missing out on the playoffs the past two seasons, the Bengals need to do better in 2018. Do the Bengals have what it takes to get back to the playoffs or will they endure a third consecutive losing season?

Cincinnati Expected Win Total & Super Bowl Odds

Oddsmakers view the Bengals as Super Bowl long shots at +11,000. Even when they made the playoffs on a consistent basis, Cincinnati had trouble advancing, so it’s almost impossible to envision them making a deep run this season. The Bengals, meanwhile, are projected to win seven games this year, which is a reasonable expectation. However, it’s important to note that they have been trending downward the past couple of seasons, so falling short of that mark is possible.

Once again, the Bengals will be relying on Dalton at quarterback. He’s played just well enough the past couple of seasons to keep his job. However, there can’t be a lot of confidence in him after he failed to complete 60% of his passes a year ago. Cincinnati’s epic struggles in the red zone last year can also be blamed in part on Dalton, who needs to regain the form he had the last time he led the Bengals to the playoffs in 2015.

The good news for Dalton is that he still has A.J. Green, who remains one of the most dangerous receivers in football. However, the Bengals desperately need Tyler Boyd and John Ross to step up and make teams pay for giving Green so much attention. On the bright side, Cincinnati could have two productive tight ends in Tyler Eifert and Tyler Kroft. When Eifert was hurt last season, Kroft stepped up, so it’ll be nice to have both available this season.

The Cincinnati running game, meanwhile, appears to be in the hands of Joe Mixon. As a rookie last year, Mixon had flashes of brilliance but only averaged 3.5 yards per carry. Giovani Bernard will get some opportunities as well, but the Bengals will rely on Mixon as their primary back. Part of the problem a year ago was the team’s offensive line. The Bengals brought in Cordy Glenn to play left tackle and will insert first-round pick Billy Price at center. But whether those moves are enough to improve one of the worst offensive lines in the league last year remains to be seen.

Defensively, the Bengals were rather average last season. They may need to do better than that this year if they want to improve their win total. They should remain strong up front behind Carlos Dunlap and Geno Atkins. At linebacker, the Bengals will once again have to find a way to get by without Vontaze Burfict, who will miss the first month of the season due to suspension. However, when he returns the Bengals could have a nice set of linebackers. Preston Brown was an important offseason addition while youngsters like Jordan Evans and Malik Jefferson appear to have bright futures ahead of them.

Finally, there is the always reliable Cincinnati secondary. The Bengals have three proven cornerbacks in Dre Kirkpatrick, William Jackson, and Darqueze Dennard. The safety tandem of George Iloka and Shawn Williams also remains intact. The team also drafted safety Jessie Bates in the second round to provide even more depth and play-making ability back there.

With Cincinnati’s defense in good shape, this season could come down to the offense, which still has a number of question marks. Will their young receivers step up? Will the offensive line hold up? Can Dalton improve his productivity? Without firm answers to those questions, it’ll be difficult for the Bengals to finish .500 or better and compete for a playoff spot.

Bengals Schedule & Game-by-Game Predictions

Date Opponent Time
Sep 9 @ Indianapolis Colts 1:00 PM
Sep 13 Baltimore Ravens 8:20 PM
Sep 23 @ Carolina Panthers 1:00 PM
Sep 30 @ Atlanta Falcons 1:00 PM
Oct 7 Miami Dolphins 1:00 PM
Oct 14 Pittsburgh Steelers 1:00 PM
Oct 21 @ Kansas City Chiefs 1:00 PM
Oct 28 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1:00 PM
Nov 11 New Orleans Saints 1:00 PM
Nov 18 @ Baltimore Ravens 1:00 PM
Nov 25 Cleveland Browns 1:00 PM
Dec 2 Denver Broncos 1:00 PM
Dec 9 @ Los Angeles Chargers 4:05 PM
Dec 16 Oakland Raiders 1:00 PM
Dec 23 @ Cleveland Browns 1:00 PM
Dec 30 @ Pittsburgh Steelers 1:00 PM

The Bengals will face four playoff teams within the first seven weeks of the season, so a fast start shouldn’t be expected. However, things will become a little more manageable the second half of the season, leaving the door open just a crack to make a playoff push.

Week 1: at Colts – Loss

Andrew Luck surprises the Bengals by looking like the old Andrew Luck in Week 1. Unfortunately for the Bengals, the Andy Dalton of last season also shows up.

Week 2: vs Ravens – Win

This is an ugly game on a Thursday night. But the Cincinnati defense plays at a high level, forcing Joe Flacco to make mistakes and enabling the Bengals to get their first win of the season.

Week 3: at Panthers – Loss

With Burfict still suspended, the Cincinnati linebackers can’t control the Carolina running game, especially when Cam Newton escapes the pocket. In the end, the Bengals are out-played on the road.

Week 4: at Falcons – Loss

The Bengals still can’t find much of a rhythm offensively, especially on the road. Without much support from the offense, the Cincinnati defense starts to fold, allowing this game to get out of hand.

Week 5: vs Dolphins – Win

Never underestimate the desperation of a 1-3 team. An angry Bengals team is able to run the ball with great success, giving the Cincinnati defense enough support to beat the Dolphins at home.

Week 6: vs Steelers – Loss

Even with the home crowd behind them, the Steelers are too much to handle. Outside of Green, the Bengals simply don’t have the same caliber of playmakers on their roster.

Week 7: at Chiefs – Loss

The Bengals are able to give young quarterback Pat Mahomes some problems. However, the Cincinnati offense sputters on the road.

Week 8: vs Buccaneers – Loss

The offensive line struggles to contain Tampa’s pass rush, resulting in a world of problems for Dalton. He has a rough day while Jameis Winston has plenty of success against the Cincinnati defense.

Week 9: Bye

Week 10: vs Saints – Loss

Playing at home gives the Bengals a fighting chance. But when it comes down to crunch time, Drew Brees is the one making game-winning throws, not Dalton.

Week 11: at Ravens – Loss

The Bengals can’t get their running game going against a strong Baltimore front-7. With the game on Dalton’s shoulders, Cincinnati comes up a little short.

Week 12: vs Browns – Win

The Browns decide to give Baker Mayfield his first start of the season in this game. The Bengals are able to win at the line of scrimmage and spend the day chasing him around the backfield. Even with a modest output from the Cincinnati offense, the Bengals win this game without much trouble.

Week 13: vs Broncos – Win

After last week’s win, the Bengals have the confidence to get off to a fast start. Taking the lead helps to take Denver’s pass rush out of the equation, making it a little easier for the Bengals to win their second straight game.

Week 14: at Chargers – Loss

The momentum of back-to-back wins doesn’t travel to the west coast with the Bengals. They struggle to run the ball, which means the Chargers unleash the pass rush of Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram on a mostly helpless Dalton.

Week 15: vs Raiders – Loss

A fearless Derek Carr throws the ball all over the field against the Cincinnati defense. Even a top-notch secondary can’t keep Amari Cooper contained for 60 minutes.

Week 16: at Browns – Loss

Mayfield gets the better of the Bengals this time around. Losing to the Browns, even on the road, is a sign that perhaps Lewis’ time in Cincinnati is coming to an end.

Week 17: at Steelers – Loss

A disastrous season for the Bengals comes to an unceremonious end in Pittsburgh. With the Steelers pushing for positioning in the playoff race, they hold nothing back and have no problem blowing the Bengals out of the water.

Read More Like This