Bengals vs. Chargers: Odds, expert picks and predictions

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Bengals aren’t going to get the benefit of the doubt from the oddsmakers or experts to start this season. You don’t just end one year as the worst team in football, and then come into next season with people believing in you. Cincinnati will have to earn respect each and every week. This is more or less an example of how they are viewed going into the season, but it doesn’t have to be how they finish it.

Odds

The Bengals are three-point underdogs going into Week 1, according to Bovada. Usually home teams have a slight edge in being favored, and that is especially true for east coast team’s hosting a west coast team. That isn’t the case here.

The Chargers are going through plenty of changes themselves with Tyrod Taylor starting for Los Angeles, but this is probably more about the perception of Cincinnati.

Betting trends

• The total has gone over in four of Cincinnati’s last five games.
• Cincinnati is 2-16 straight up in their last 18 games.
• The total has gone under in five of Cincinnati’s last five games against the Chargers.
• Cincinnati is 3-9 straight up in their last 12 games at home.
• Cincinnati is 2-4 against the spread in their last six games when playing at home against the Chargers.
• Cincinnati is 2-12 straight up in their last 14 games against an opponent in the AFC.
• The total has gone under in four of Cincinnati’s last five games against an opponent in the AFC West.
• The total has gone over in six of Cincinnati’s last nine games played in September.
• Cincinnati is 4-1-1 against the spread in their last six games played in Week 1.
• The Chargers are 1-6 against the spread in their last seven games.
• The total has gone over in four of the Chargers’ last five games.
• The Chargers are 1-6 straight up in their last seven games.
• The total has gone over in five of the Chargers’ last six games on the road.
• The Chargers are 1-8 against the spread in their last nine games against an opponent in the AFC.
• The total has gone under in four of the Chargers’ last five games against an opponent in the AFC North.
• The Chargers are 5-11 SU in their last 16 games played in September.

Expert Picks

• One of ESPN’s 10 experts took a chance on the Bengals
• Four of CBS Sports’ seven experts are going with Cincinnati
• NFL Pick Watch, which takes into account picks from across the web, has the Bengals only receiving 30 percent of the picks against the Chargers

It is actually fairly surprising to see any outlet with more than one expert taking a chance with the Bengals. Fans may be riding the offseason hype train, but the national media is still isn’t quite there, but it shouldn’t take too much of a show from rookie Joe Burrow in his NFL debut to gain some believers. Of course an uninspiring loss to start the season will have this post looking like 2019 being shocked when anyone takes a chance on Cincinnati.