Cincy Jungle
The Bengals are currently 3.5-point favorites against the Jacksonville Jaguars next Sunday, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. It’s the Bengals’ home opener and their Open in Orange game.
Jacksonville beat the Carolina Panthers 26-10 in Week 1. Running back Travis Etienne rushed for 143 yards on 16 carries, averaging 8.94 yards per carry. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw for 178 yards on 19/31 passing with a touchdown and an interception. Linebacker Foye Oluokun had 10 tackles to lead the Jaguars’ defense.
Jacksonville’s money line is +160, while Cincinnati’s is -190. The over/under is 49.5.
These two teams have played two great games in the last four seasons, with the Bengals winning both of them. The Bengals beat the Jaguars 24-21 at home in Week 4 of the 2021 season, with Evan McPherson winning the game on a 35-yard field goal as time expired.
In Week 13 of the 2023 season, the Bengals beat the Jaguars 34-31 in overtime with McPherson winning the game with a 48-yard field goal. Both games were in primetime: Thursday Night Football in 2021 and Monday Night Football in 2023.
Joe Burrow did not play in the game in 2023. It was two games after sustaining a wrist injury in Week 11 that season. He was terrific in the 2021 game, throwing for 348 yards and two touchdowns as the Bengals rallied from a 14-0 halftime deficit. That game was the first Ring of Honor game in Bengals history.
Burrow’s first win as an NFL quarterback came against the Jaguars in Week 4 of the 2020 season, a 33-25 Bengals win.
With the offensive firepower of both teams, the over may be a wise play.
Both Burrow and Lawrence are former No. 1 overall draft selections and national championship-winning quarterbacks in college. Their college teams, LSU and Clemson, faced off in the National Championship in 2019, with Burrow’s LSU Tigers winning 42-25. A lot of Joe Burrow’s aura came from that game, most notably Smokin’ Joe.
