The Buffalo Bills will look to lock up the top seed in the AFC when they travel to Paycor Stadium to take on the Cincinnati Bengals in the season finale of Monday Night Football.
Buffalo (12-3) can clinch the top seed in the conference with a win. That would give the Bills home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and a first-round bye. Buffalo beat the Chicago Bears 35-13 last week to earn its sixth straight win. Quarterback Josh Allen threw two touchdown passes, and running back Devin Singletary had 106 yards and a touchdown.
Cincinnati (11-4) can earn the top seed in the AFC if it wins out and Kansas City loses one of its final two games. The Bengals held off the New England Patriots 22-18 last week to win their seventh straight game. Quarterback Joe Burrow threw for 375 yards and three touchdowns, but Cincinnati needed its defense to force a late turnover to close out the game.
FanDuel Sportsbook lists the visiting Bills as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 49.5.
Let’s take a closer look at the odds and trends:Buffalo Bills at Cincinnati Bengals
Time/TV: 8:30 p.m. ET Monday, ESPN
Point spread (from FanDuel Sportsbook): Buffalo -1.5
Money line: Bills -116; Bengals -102
Over/under: 49.5
Analysis: The Football Power Index at ESPN gives Buffalo about a 52% chance of winning. The line opened at Buffalo -1.5, moved to 1 and then back. Both teams are on long winning streaks right now and seem to be peaking at the right time.
There is going to be a lot made of the battle between Burrow and Allen, but this game could come down to the team that runs the ball better. The Bengals run defense seems to be playing better football right now and should keep Singletary and James Cook from having huge games.
Allen has not been as effective on the road, with eight of his 13 interceptions coming away from Buffalo. The Bengals’ pass rush can make things uncomfortable for quarterbacks; just ask Tom Brady. Burrow wants to make his name as a big-game quarterback, and there’s no bigger game in the NFL this week.
Prediction: Bengals 28, Bills 27
