Bengals (5-4) at Raiders (5-4)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET, Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas TV: CBS
Tipico Sportsbook line: Bengals by 1 ⁄2
Bengals’ keys to victory: The story for the Bengals each week is how well they can protect QB Joe Burrow. When he has time to throw, he is one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in football. And if the Bengals can run the ball with RB Joe Mixon, their offense can be very difficult to stop. The Raiders have an elite pass rush and if the Bengals can’t block them, they will have no chance. This game will be won or lost in the trenches for the Bengals.
Raiders’ keys to victory: The Raiders are at their best when they can stay balanced on offense and run the ball with RB Josh Jacobs. But QB Derek Carr has been very good this year at making plays down the field. Look for Las Vegas to lean on its rushing attack and try to keep a 50-50 pass-run split in
this game. On defense, the Raiders have to create pressure on Burrow. They aren’t a blitz-heavy team as they rely on DE Maxx Crosby and DE Yannick Ngakoue to create their pass rush. If those two can create havoc in the backfield, they shouldn’t have a problem slowing down Cincinnati’s offense.
Matchup to watch: Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase vs. Raiders CB Casey Hayward Jr. Chase has not only been the best rookie receiver in the league this season, he is among the best at the position. Hayward will have a significant size disadvantage in this game, but the veteran cornerback should match up well.
Who wins? Coming off a bye week, the Bengals should have some success on offense against a defense that can be exposed in the secondary.
Bengals, 21-20