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Currently the Bengals are a 3.5 point favorite over the Bills in Buffalo this Sunday. Before the game, we've once again peeked behind the curtain of SBNation blog Buffalo Rumblings to see what is being said about the Bills' game against Cincinnati this weekend.
Understandably, there is some hesitation as to whether the Bills can compete based on the way the Bengals have been playing up to this point:
I have the feeling we'll lose to the Bengals which is the reason that the TEN game was so important. Don't get me wrong though, I'll still be rooting for us to win, I just don't think we'll beat this fantastic Bengal team next week but I hope I'm wrong.
Others hope that the Bengals somehow overlook this game or play poorly for the Bills to steal one away:
They're due to lay an egg!
Why not at The Ralph? Bengal run game isn't anything to brag about and the way the secondary is playing I like our odds. Defense should keep this one close if the offense is struggling a bit.
Other logic is that the Bengals probably won't go undefeated:
hoping that the Bungles come out flat against us after a big win
their not gonna go undefeated, and next Sunday is as good as any for them to get smacked in the mouth!
Or that Bengals quarterback, Andy Dalton, has one of his poor games:
Dalton has had a few good games in a row
I do not think he will continue this hot streak against a team with a winning record.
There is still a lot of confidence in this Bills team. Some fans have their eyes on the postseason:
The Bills need to prove that they belong in the playoffs by beating the Bengals next week
Then there is the always fun "who have you played" argument. One fan thinks the Bengals have had the benefit of not playing a team with a winning record:
Strength of opponent
The Bengals are 5-0 against teams with a combined record of 8-17. None of those teams have a record better than .500. Their opponents on average have 1.6 wins and 3.4 losses through Week 5. If you take out the Bengals wins, opponents are 8-12.The Bills are 3-2 against teams with a combined record of 12-10. Three of the 5 teams have records better than .500. Their opponents on average have 2.4 wins through and 2 losses through Week 5. If you take out the Bills games, opponents are 9-8.
So, not to diminish the Bengals' accomplishments in the early going, because they have certainly been playing great and have won some tough games, but when you compare strength of opponent I think it makes this week's matchup look a little closer than it might if you just looked at their respective records.
Lastly, here is a fan who seems to know a bit about the Bengals. He praises the offense for what it has accomplished and tries to remain cautiously optimistic on the Bills' chances:
Cincy's the real deal
I'm with you in that I believe our defense can keep us in any game. With that said, their offense has been playing great starting with Dalton. It's not just the AJ Green show anymore, he spreads the ball around and finds his open receivers. Tyler Eiffert is also having a great year now that he's healthy which could be a tough matchup for us. On offense, our o-line needs to step up cause their front four are very good. I really don't see us winning this game, with all of our injuries, but what a boost of confidence it would be if we did (especially with EJ under center.) Regardless, i'll be there hoping for the best, Go Bills!!!
The Bengals have the opportunity to continue their incredible season by beating a beat up Bills team. I think they enter the bye next week with an unblemished record. Most importantly I hope there are no significant injuries this weekend. WhoDey!