Cincinnati Bengals – Buffalo Bills
USA - NFL
07/11/2023 - 02:20 CET
If there was any doubt, it is gone. Cincinnati Bengals are back. Last week, they defeated the San Francisco 49ers on the road by 17:31, led by an impressive performance by Joe Burrow. One of the best quarterbacks in today's NFL struggled with a calf injury in the first four weeks, but now that he's mobile and moving without issues, the Bengals' offense looks excellent. Due to Burrow's injury, wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase suffered the most, as he didn't receive good passes. However, that has changed, and he scored a touchdown last week. Running back Joe Mixon also had his best game of the season, and these Bengals looked like the same team that reached the Super Bowl and the conference finals in the past two years.
On the other hand, the Buffalo Bills don't appear to be one of the top three teams in the conference. They had some bright moments, such as a convincing win over the Miami Dolphins, but recent losses to the New England Patriots and struggles against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Giants point to problems. Quarterback Josh Allen often makes rookie mistakes, and aside from Stefon Diggs, there isn't another reliable playmaker on offense. Gabriel Davis has had some good games, but he was the subject of criticism in the first few weeks of the new season. The defense was impressive in the early weeks, but from the moment Tre'Davious White and Matt Milano got injured, things haven't been the same on that side of the field. Given how good White and Milano are as defensive players, it's no surprise.
With a healthy Burrow, the Cincinnati Bengals' offense might be the best in the entire NFL. Moreover, when you score 31 points on the road against a team like the San Francisco 49ers, there's no need to say much more. Additionally, the Buffalo Bills' zone-based defensive approach is well-suited for Burrow. This was evident last season when the Bengals easily outplayed the Bills in Buffalo (10:27) in the conference semifinals. Compared to that game, the Bills' defense is significantly weaker, and the offense doesn't look as good as it did ten months ago. On the other hand, the Bengals have been playing their best football in recent weeks. In the NFL, anything is possible on any given Sunday, but the Bengals are strong favorites in this game. Momentum, home field, better form, a better offense – everything is in their favor.