Why the Broncos Defense Could Be the Bengals’ Worst Nightmare This Season

So here we are, midweek, nursing the sting of my first truly disappointing football week of the season—ugh, that hurts—but hey, I’m still clinging to hope if my Monday Night Football picks pay off. You know, I’m warming up to the idea of two Monday night games; fewer early games might ruin people’s weekend plans, but more prime-time action? That’s a feast for us gridiron junkies. Tonight, the Bengals make the trip west to Denver to tangle with the Broncos, and boy, don’t you just love when a game’s storyline is thicker than a bowl of chili? The Bengals, riding a modest 2-1 record, are grappling with Joe Burrow sidelined—this season’s suddenly more of a cautionary tale than a highlight reel. Meanwhile, the Broncos, sitting at 1-2, have shown promise without quite closing the deal. Defensive battles, shaky backups, and a key running back who might just be the secret weapon—this matchup demands a closer look. Will Denver’s stingy defense stifle the Bengals’ flashy receivers? Can the backup QB keep the momentum alive? And seriously, how much patience is too much when your franchise QB is out for the count? Let’s dive in and break it all down. LEARN MORE

Bengals vs. Broncos, 8:15 ET

This was the first bad week of football that I’ve had this season, and I’m actually still able to salvage a winning week if both of my Monday Night Football plays cash. The first of which has already been published and is on the Jets and Dolphins games. I personally like the option for two Monday night games, but I know some are fairly opposed. I think there should be more balance during the afternoon and morning games, but we were treated to a ton of football this week. Let’s keep it going. Tonight, we have the Bengals heading into Denver to take on the Broncos.

The Bengals have had a nice start to their season in terms of their record. They enter the game with a 2-1 mark, but the reality of the situation is that this has been a disaster of a season already with Joe Burrow out for multiple weeks. I mentioned this on the Outkick Bets podcast with Geoff Clark, but I would not be surprised to see the Bengals tell Burrow to just wait until next year. By the time he gets back, they will likely be out of playoff contention anyway. Burrow’s injury came in Week 2 against the Jaguars. The Bengals were at home and Jake Browning looked really sharp in his backup duties. Then last week they headed to Minnesota and were embarrassed by the Vikings. The Cincinnati defense looked like last year’s version, and they allowed 48 points to Carson Wentz. I am not expecting them to just roll over again this week, but I do expect that they will probably allow a good number of points to the Broncos. The Bengals have one of the best wide receiver crews in football, but they are facing one of the best pass defenses in the game. Browning is a backup for a reason, so don’t count on him to deliver repeatedly.

The Broncos have been more competitive, but it hasn’t resulted in higher marks for the win column. They are 1-2 for the season with their lone win coming in Week 1 against the Titans. This was a home game, just as this one is for them. In Week 2, they had a penalty go against them which gave Indianapolis a second opportunity to win. The Colts took advantage of it and the Broncos had to accept a tough loss. Week 3 was once again competitive as they faced the Chargers. They certainly hung with them, but ultimately the Chargers were able to escape with a 23-20 win. Denver has a good defense and a solid enough offense, so it may come down to the clutch time performances of both. Can Denver get the stops they need? Can Bo Nix lead the team to get the winning or game-trying drive? I think they can, but right now, they just haven’t shown it. The Bengals have given up five touchdowns already via the ground and air to opposing running backs, so expect a healthy dose of J.K. Dobbins tonight.

I don’t personally love the Broncos to cover this spot. They are the better team, but you’re also playing a team that just got embarrased. Even the Saints played well against the Bills in a similar situation. The defense should be better and I’d expect them to keep it somewhat close, but I do think the Broncos win this game. I also think that the Broncos defense will be too much for the Bengals. I’m backing the Bengals team total under 17.5 points. Give me Dobbins for any time and RJ Harvey for any time touchdowns as well.

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