Cincinnati Bengals vs. Tennessee Titans Pick and Prediction for the Divisional Round (2022)

The Cincinnati Bengals picked up their first playoff win since 1990 last week. They held off a comeback from the Las Vegas Raiders to win 26-19. This week, the Bengals will take on the Tennessee Titans.

Cincinnati will look to carry their momentum, while Tennessee needs one win to make it to their second AFC Championship Game in the last three seasons. I don’t think many expected one of these teams in the AFC Championship Game before the season.

Let’s check out the odds for Saturday’s Divisional Round matchup.

BetOnline gives the Tennessee Titans a (-3.5) point advantage. However, they better be careful with the Cincinnati Bengals. Cincinnati closed the season covering in four straight games, before covering in the Wild Card Round. That game also went under the 48.5 point total.

Tennessee covered in three of their last five games, but the point total is more intriguing for them. The Titans haven’t played in a game with the projected point total over 45 since Week 9. I should note only two of those games went over 47 points.

The Bengals won’t have Larry Ogunjobi after he suffered a foot injury last week. Trey Hendrickson is in concussion protocol, and his status is up in the air.

Who do we think will come out on top on Saturday? Let’s check out a preview for the Bengals and Titans.

Everyone knows the strength of the Cincinnati Bengals is their offense, in particular Ja’Marr Chase. Chase didn’t do much in the Bengals’ regular-season matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders. He was a big factor last week, racking up nine receptions for 116 yards.

Overall, the Raiders didn’t have an answer for the Bengals’ offense. Check out their drives in the first half.

The great news for the Bengals is the Tennessee Titans had one of the worst pass defenses in the regular season. They allowed the eighth-most passing yards. Interestingly enough, that was one spot higher than the Bengals pass defense.

Now yards can be deceiving. Cincinnati’s 27.1 points per game rank seventh, while Tennessee’s defense allowed the sixth-fewest points. That should make things interesting on Saturday.

I have to imagine the Titans will do everything they can to stop Chase. That’s easier said than done, but Joe Burrow might want to look elsewhere.

I’m not sure if the run game will be an option considering the Titans allow the second-fewest rushing yards. I want to see if Tee Higgins can have a bounce-back performance. Higgins had a strong close to the season, but he was a non-factor last week.

I understand Chase is the go-to guy, but they need to work Higgins into the passing game. If they can get him going early, the Titans’ defense won’t be able to focus on Chase.

The Bengals should focus on their passing game this week. I’m sure they’ll try and mix in the run game, but they won’t have much success. It’ll come down to whether someone like Higgins or Tyler Boyd can step up alongside Chase.

This season, the Tennessee Titans surprised many people with their 12-5 record. They had a bit of a rough stretch after Derrick Henry’s injury, but they won four of their last five games to clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

We know Henry hasn’t played since Week 8, but A.J. Brown also wasn’t a major factor down the stretch. Brown had a monster performance in Week 16, but that was the only time in his last six games he cleared 70 yards.

The Cincinnati Bengals defense is a lot like the Titans. Check out their passing and rushing numbers.

It’ll be interesting because we know how much the Titans love to run the ball. The Las Vegas Raiders had success on the ground last week, with Josh Jacobs racing up 83 yards. It’ll be a little easier with Larry Ogunjobi out.

Tennessee’s run game will depend on the status of Derrick Henry. Henry had an unreal start to the season, clearing 110 rushing yards in five straight games. A foot injury brought his season to a halt, but he could be back this week. His return is a big reason Kevin Roberts has the Titans over the Bengals in his expert picks and predictions for the Divisional Round.

We already talked about Brown, but what about Julio Jones? Can he finally step up and be the player the Titans traded for? A great performance will go a long way towards the Titans making the AFC Championship Game.

Let’s check out my game pick for this Divisional Round matchup.

This was a tough pick because I honestly believe the Cincinnati Bengals offense gives them the advantage. However, I’m worried about their defense. They already struggle to defend the pass, and losing Larry Ogunjobi will make a big difference in the run game.

I expect Derrick Henry to suit up and play. We don’t know how he’ll play coming off the injury, but he’ll be a difference-maker.

The Division Round kicks off with this matchup. Fans can watch it Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET on CBS. Until then, you can check out the top NFL betting sites to make your picks.