Raiders (10-7) at Bengals (10-7)
Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET, Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati TV: NBC
Tipico Sportsbook line: Bengals by 6 ⁄2
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Raiders’ keys to victory: Keep it quick. The Bengals struggle against tight ends, and that was true in Week 11 as TE Darren Waller caught seven passes for 116 yards against them. Quick-hitters to WR Hunter Renfrow will also negate a strong pass rush. Defensively, the Raiders will have to double WR Ja’Marr Chase while toughening up against the run. In the first meeting, they allowed 159 rushing yards and two scores on a 4.2-yard per-carry average. Ditto for cleaning up penalties – they were flagged seven times for 77 yards in Week 11, while Cincinnati was flagged once for 5 yards.
Bengals’ keys to victory: Have QB Joe Burrow come out swinging with Chase and RB Joe Mixon. The Raiders have to hit the road for a Saturday playoff game after playing 70 minutes in Week 18. Chase is two games removed from 266 yards and three scores in a win, so odds are he’ll be open and making plays. The defense, led by DE Trey Hendrickson, held the Raiders under 300 yards, so sending pressure on third downs and disrupting timing will again be key.
Matchup to watch: Raiders DE Maxx Crosby vs. Bengals offensive line. Crosby gave the Bengals problems in Week 11. The Bengals will start a backup right tackle, so there’s potential for Crosby to move around and make gamechanging plays.
Who wins? The Bengals have been firing on all cylinders, and defenses still haven’t been able to stop Chase. Like last time, they can command the tempo with an early lead, enabling the running game and pass rush to take over.
Bengals, 30-24