- Bengals face sordid playoffs history vs. the Raiders
- Raiders four-game win streak includes 4-0 mark ATS
- Jones and Patriots futures fade down the stretch
Throw out the Cincinnati Bengals’ 21-16 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, where Joe Burrow and Tyler Hendrickson, and other starters were given the day off because Cincinnati could not improve off of it’s No. 4 seed after winning the AFC North.
#RuleTheJungle
Rule The North
Rule The Playoffs pic.twitter.com/lurYB19dNz— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) January 10, 2022
When you subtract that, Burrow and Company put together a three-game winning streak that has Cincinnati in the playoffs for the first time since 2015. Consequently, Cincinnati looks for its first playoff win since a 41-14 victory over the Houston Oilers in 1991.
The Bengals haven’t been to the Super Bowl since 1988, where the franchise lost to the 49ers, 20-16, on a late touchdown drive where Joe Montana hit John Taylor with a 10-yard touchdown pass with under a minute to play.
Joe Burrow meets with the media as the Bengals prepare to face the Las Vegas Raiders. https://t.co/GMmOFT84ds
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) January 11, 2022
Cincinnati comes into Saturday’s game with the Las Vegas Raiders with odds at (+1600) to win the Lombardi Trophy, although they were handed a (+4400) chance on Dec. 15.
There’s plenty of optimism in Cincinnati, where Burrow has helped resurrect the pride and mantra of the franchise as he finished the season with a 70.1 completion rate with 34 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions. However, he has 11 TD passes and ZERO interceptions in his last four games played.
NFL leader in completion percentage? Joe Burrow.
NFL leader in yards/pass attempt? Joe Burrow. pic.twitter.com/EzUnVcOALJ— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) January 11, 2022
The Bengals also have the fourth-best odds to win the AFC as they are at (+700) with Kansas City as the leader at (+175) while Tennessee (+330) and Buffalo are second and third (+350).
Cincinnati has covered its last four games as the Bengals are favored by four vs. the Raiders, but they are 4-5-0 ATS at home and 2-3-0 as the favorite.
Raiders Carrying Momentum into Cincinnati
Las Vegas has won four in a row after Daniel Carlson’s walk-off field goal in overtime gave them a 35-32 win over the Chargers, who were then expelled from the playoffs.
Our 2022 opponents are set.
Learn more » https://t.co/fGltCietWz pic.twitter.com/j7H1gSfwqY
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) January 11, 2022
The Raiders have odds at (+6000) to win the Super Bowl, but were hit with (+15000) the week before the 16-14 walk-off win over the Cleveland Browns which started this four-game winning streak.
Quarterback Derek Carr has five touchdown passes, but four interceptions and two fumbles lost during the period. He has completed 68.4 percent of his passes over those four games.
Pressure makes diamonds. ? pic.twitter.com/fyCJQOx5Iq
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) January 11, 2022
The biggest key is that Josh Jacobs is healthy and has given Las Vegas a running game with 376 yards on 84 carries during that periods.
Las Vegas, as we mentioned with (+2000) odds to win the AFC, was the underdog in the last three games and covered the spread and has covered four of the last five times that it has received points.
49ers on a Quest
The 27-24 overtime win over Los Angeles pushed the Niners into the No. 6 seed, where they open with the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on Sunday.
The pick that saved the Playoffs! @Tavonn_
Next up: #SFvsDAL on CBS pic.twitter.com/UrOzrgIMhf
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) January 11, 2022
Niners utility man Deebo Samuel has shown why he can be used anywhere as his immense ad dynamic skill set was potentially the major reason why San Francisco defeated the Rams for the sixth consecutive time.
Samuel had a 16-yard touchdown run and a 24-yard touchdown pass in Sunday’s win. Dallas has a very average defense in giving up 350.1 yards per game so Samuel could have a big day in both the pass and run games.
"Jauan down there somewhere."
-Deebo Samuel, probably pic.twitter.com/4LWywCvFpf
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) January 10, 2022
The 49ers are stationed with odds at (+2000) to win the championship after sitting at (+4400) going into Week 15.
San Francisco is 4-1-0 ATS in its last five games and they have only been road underdogs twice and split those two games.
Fading Patriots in a Quagmire
New England has lost three out of its last four games with the only win coming in a 50-10 beatdown of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Once the Indianapolis Colts ended that Patriots’ seven-game winning streak, it became apparent that the defense had some major issues against the run. Buffalo, Indianapolis, and Miami rushed for a combined 535 yards in the last three Patriots losses.
Again, throwing out the Jacksonville game, quarterback Mac Jones is only 60-of-107 (56%) in those last three losses with three touchdowns and five interceptions.
“We understand what’s at stake and we’re just excited for the opportunity.”@MacJones_10 looks forward to Saturday’s playoff game on @MerloniFauria: https://t.co/5KkpEvsnlN
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) January 10, 2022
The Pats have odds at (+1000) to win the AFC while hosting a (+2200) number to win the Super Bowl. Before the loss to Indianapolis, New England had moved to the fourth-best Super Bowl odds in the NFL at (+750).
The NFL betting sites did not give up on New England as well as the Patriots were favored in all three of the losses and of course, failed to cover. The Patriots are 9-8-0 ATS on the season and are 4-3-0 after a loss.
