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Believe it or not, the Bengals are still favored over the Patriots. They are currently favored by 1.5 points and the over under is 45.
This is a statement game for the Bengals. While the odds makers may favor them, the majority of the media does not. A win here can right the ship for this team.
| Name | Pick | Score | Blurb |
| Elliot Harrison - NFL.com |  |
27 - 24 | How susceptible will the Patriots be to the run? And will Rob Gronkowski play? The Bengals were just rocked by " Hoyer to Cameron." How does "Brady to Gronk" sound? Defensive stalwart Vince Wilfork is definitely out for New England. So does that mean the Bengals can run it time and again? They'll have to, as Andy Dalton is not making teams pay downfield. Speaking of big plays, Cincinnati isn't getting any huge runs, either; no one in a Bengals uni has scampered for more than 20 yards on any one attempt. Overall, the ground attack is ranked 22nd (83.8 yards per game). We're predicting another Kenbrell Thompkins touchdown this week |
| Don Banks - SI | |
24 - 20 |
Picked against the Patriots last week and lived to regret it. The Bengals were my preseason AFC Super Bowl selection, but third-year quarterback Andy Dalton is not giving any indications he's about to take the necessary step up in weight class from the middleweight division. New England is going to sweat out another narrow victory and then it'll head home to prepare for a glamor showdown against Drew Brees and the high-powered Saints in Week 6. |
| Pete Prisco - CBS |
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27 - 24 | This is a huge game for the Bengals since they are coming off a road loss to the Browns. The offense has to get it cranked it up. That means more from Andy Dalton. The Patriots are playing consecutive road games, which is tough. I see the Bengals front getting after Tom Brady in this one. |
| Coley Harvey - ESPN | |
21 - 17 | Cincinnati will come out energized Sunday, motivated by last week's loss. Expect the Bengals to jump out early, much the way they did against the Packers two weeks ago. The problem, though, is that Tom Brady is, well, Tom Brady. The Patriots should pull this one out late. |
| Mike Reiss - ESPN | |
24 - 20 | With the Patriots' offense finding its rhythm, and the defense having been a strong point through four weeks, I'm not sure the Bengals have enough firepower to keep pace. The return of receiver Danny Amendola, and possibly tight end Rob Gronkowski, should further help New England. |
| Greg Cote - Miami Herald |
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27 - 20 | Upset! I know three of the Patriots' four wins have been narrow. I also know losing run-stopper Vince Wilfork leaves a huge void. But I just trust Tom Brady SO much more than I trust sloppy Andy Dalton, and now it looks like Brady might have Danny Amendola back. English have won six in a row on the road, and Bill Belichick is 13-3 all-time vs. 'Gals. |
| Mike Florio - ProFootballTalk |  |
27 - 24 | The Bengals are learning how to be a good team. A week after failing to win a game they should have, the Bengals find a way to prevail in a contest many assume they'll lose. And down goes another of the undefeated. |
| Michael David Smith - ProFootballTalk | |
21 - 20 | The Patriots will miss Vince Wilfork's presence on the defensive line. Look for Bengals running back Giovani Bernard to have a big day as the Patriots suffer their first loss of the season. |
Then there are the experts that pick the winners without a score projection or a writeup. Some of those are here:
| Media Guy | Pick |
| Marcus Allen - ESPN | |
| Mike Golic - ESPN | |
| Merril Hoge - ESPN | |
| Ron Jaworski - ESPN | |
| Chris Mortensen - ESPN | |
| Adam Schefter - ESPN | |
| Mark Schlereth - ESPN | |
| Tom Jackson - ESPN | |
| Keyshawn Johnson - ESPN | |
| Mike Ditka - ESPN | |
| Chris Carter - ESPN | |
| Jason La Canfora - CBS |
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| Josh Katzowitz - CBS | |
| Ryan Wilson - CBS | |
When I ran the simulation at WhatIfSports.com, the Bengals come up with a big win.
What do you think about the prediction super fan?
