Vikings vs Bengals Picks: Who Wins Battle of the Backup QBs?
Minnesota, Cincinnati Chasing Playoff Berths
The Minnesota Vikings became just the third team in the last 30 years to win a game 3-0. Now, they’ll take to the road to face a Cincinnati team that is playing well after a slow start. Both teams are 7-6 and looking for a playoff berth. Neither team will have its starting quarterback, although the Bengals have gotten better production from Jake Browning than the Vikings have gotten from their backup QBs. Cincinnati is favored by points and the total on the game is 39. We’ll take a look at both teams and their trends and try to uncover a winning wager in Vikings vs Bengals picks.
Minnesota vs Cincinnati 
Records: Minnesota Vikings (7-6) at Cincinnati Bengals (7-6)
Location: Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
Day/Time:
Streaming: NFL Network
Both Teams Successful When Running Well
Neither the Vikings or the Bengals run the ball particularly well. Both are averaging 3.9 yards a carry against teams allowing 4.2 yards per rush. But both teams have been extremely successful when they’re able to run the ball. When rushing for 100 or more yards, the Vikings are 4-1-1 against the point spread. The Bengals are 4-1 against the NFL odds when rushing for 90 or more yards.
The Vikings are just 3-9-1 in totals, while the Bengals have gone 7-6.
Minnesota is playing its best on the road this season, going 5-2 straight-up and 5-0-2 against the spread. The Bengals are 4-3 at home and 3-3-1 against the point spread.
Of Minnesota’s six losses, only two have been by more than four points. The Vikings haven’t lost a game by more than a touchdown all season.
When the Bengals win, the NFL game scores show an average margin of 27.6-18.4. Only three of Cincinnati’s wins have been by four points or less.
Vikings Undecided at Quarterback
After Nick Mullens led the Vikings to the game-winning field goal against the Raiders, it would seem logical to have him start. But Minnesota coach Kevin O’ Connell hasn’t named a starter yet. Josh Dobbs was horrible against Las Vegas and took too many sacks after his four interceptions the previous game. Mullens is the logical choice.
Alexander Mattison has a sprained ankle for the Vikings, which could leave Ty Chandler as the featured back against the Bengals. Justin Jefferson was also injured against the Raiders and is questionable for Saturday’s game.
The Vikings need to take advantage of Cincinnati’s run defense, which is allowing 4.7 yards per carry. Having Mattison in the backfield would help. But Chandler is capable of having a decent game. The Vikings won’t get the production they did from Kirk Cousins, but need to be able to make some plays through the air to open things up for the ground game.
Minnesota’s defense has been pretty solid this season, allowing just 18.5 points per game. The run defense is allowing just 3.7 yards per attempt. The Vikings are allowing too many passes to be completed against them, but are holding teams to 6.2 yards per pass attempt.
Bengals Winning Without Burrow
When Joe Burrow landed on the Bengals injury report, many people thought the season was over for Cincinnati. But Browning has played well and the Bengals have won the last two games to get back into the playoff hunt. He’s thrown for 629 yards in the last two games while connecting for three TDs and one interception.
But the Bengals have also rushed for more than 100 yards in each of the last two games, keeping the pressure off Browning. Minnesota defends the run pretty well, so Browning may have a tougher time in this game.
The Bengals haven’t played badly on defense. Cincinnati is allowing quite a few yards, but the team has done a good job at keeping teams out of the end zone. The Bengals allow a point for every 17.2 yards allowed, which is tied for fifth-best in the NFL. The Bengals have been helped by going +10 in the turnover department.
Short Week Could Favor Bengals
With the Vikings battling some injuries, playing Saturday afternoon may not be the best thing for Minnesota. But the Vikings can’t control the schedule and have to field the best team they can. Most of the injuries are on the offensive side, however, and Minnesota will need the defense to come up big to compete with the Bengals.
The Bengals are in a slightly negative situation regarding teams that have scored 30 or more points in the last two games and are now home favorites. The last five seasons have seen these teams go 34-41-1 (45.3%) against the point spread. If the team’s most recent game was at home, the record falls to 11-18-1 (37.9%) against the NFL odds.
Vikings vs Bengals Pick
The Vikings vs Bengals picks can’t ignore the fact that Minnesota has played a number of close games this season. Their last three games have been decided by one, two, and three points. That makes Minnesota +4 look a bit enticing. The Vikings are playing well on the road and have a few historical trends in their favor. So, the Vikings vs Bengals picks will take Minnesota +4 in this spot.
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