Joe Burrow and the Bengals are still in search of their first win entering Sunday's game against the visiting Jaguars. Despite their 0-2-1 record, Cincinnati is a three-point favorite to defeat Jacksonville, according to William Hill Sportsbook. The oddsmakers have set the over/under at 49, a number that, given the capabilities of both offenses, could be broken rather easily. Seven of our eight CBS Sports NFL experts have picked the Bengals to defeat the Jaguars in a matchup between two former division rivals.
Before we break down Sunday's game, here's how you can follow the action in real time.
How to watch
Date: Sunday, Oct. 4 | Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: Paul Brown Stadium (Cincinnati, Ohio)
TV: CBS | Stream: CBS All Access
Follow: CBS Sports App
Preview
After dropping its first two games by a combined eight points, Cincinnati managed to tie the Eagles in Philadelphia last Sunday. While their defense struggled during the first three games of the season, the Bengals' offense has been led by Burrow, who has completed 64.5% of his passes for 821 yards with five touchdowns and just one interception thus far. Burrow has had success despite being sacked a league-high 14 times. Cincinnati has struggled to get its running game going, as starting running back Joe Mixon is averaging just 3.2 yards per carry. The Bengals' defense could receive a big boost this weekend in the form of eight-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Geno Atkins, who practiced for the first time this week after suffering a shoulder injury during training camp.
The rebuilt Jaguars looked impressive during their first two games, defeating the Colts by three points in Week 1 before being on the short end of a three-point game the following week against the Titans. Jacksonville laid an egg in Week 3, however, as its defense allowed Ryan Fitzpatrick to complete 90% of his passes in Miami's 31-13 win on "Thursday Night Football". While their defense has also struggled to get off to a fast start, the Jaguars' offense, led by quarterback Gardner Minshew, is third in the NFL in third down efficiency and second in red zone efficiency. Also contributing to the Jaguars' early offensive success has been running back James Robinson, an undrafted rookie who is averaging nearly five yards per carry.
Prediction
While D.J. Chark's possible return would help, the Jaguars' carelessness with the ball over the past two weeks makes them a clear underdog against a Bengals team that has done a better job taking care of the ball. Cincinnati's defense will give up some points, but they'll do just enough to help Burrow get his first win as an NFL quarterback.
Score: Bengals 27, Jaguars 24
