Teams with postseason aspirations will face off Saturday when the Minnesota Vikings take on the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. The Vikings (7-6), who are 6-2 after a slow start to the year, are the sixth seed in the NFC playoff picture entering the weekend. The Bengals (7-6), who appeared to be in trouble after quarterback Joe Burrow went down with a season-ending right wrist injury, have bounced back with two consecutive wins and are now 10th in the AFC, but just one game out of the fifth spot. Cincinnati is among a logjam of six AFC teams with a 7-6 record, with three teams at 8-5.
Kickoff from Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati is set for 1 p.m. ET. The Bengals are 3-point favorites in the latest Vikings vs. Bengals odds via SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 40.5. Before making any Bengals vs. Vikings picks, you need to see the NFL predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's advanced computer model.
The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up well over $7,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception. The model enters Week 15 of the 2023 NFL season on an incredible 176-129 run on top-rated NFL picks that dates back to the 2017 season. It is also on a 30-21 roll on top-rated NFL picks since Week 7 of last season.
The model also ranked in the top 10 on NFLPickWatch four of the past six years on straight-up NFL picks and beat more than 94% of CBS Sports Football Pick'em players four times during that span. Anyone who has followed it is way up.
Now, the model has set its sights on Vikings vs. Bengals and just locked in its picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several NFL odds and betting lines for Bengals vs. Vikings:
- Vikings vs. Bengals spread: Cincinnati -3
- Vikings vs. Bengals over/under: 40.5 points
- Vikings vs. Bengals money line: Minnesota +139, Cincinnati -165
- MIN: Vikings are 5-0-1 against the spread in their last six road games
- CIN: Bengals are 8-0 ATS in their last eight December games
- Vikings vs. Bengals picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Bengals can cover
Running back Joe Mixon led Cincinnati with a season-high 125 yards from scrimmage, including 79 yards rushing, and a rushing TD last week. It was his 14th career game with 125 or more scrimmage yards and a touchdown. Mixon will look for his third game in a row with 115 or more scrimmage yards and a rushing touchdown. He has rushed for a score in three of the past four games at home and had 150 yards from scrimmage (127 rushing, 23 receiving) and a rushing touchdown in the last meeting with Minnesota. Mixon is one of two players (Derrick Henry) with 1,000-plus scrimmage yards and seven-plus rushing TDs in each of the past three seasons.
Defensively, linebacker Logan Wilson powers the Bengals. He leads the team with 107 stops, including 67 solo, and has forced three fumbles. He has registered one sack and four tackles for loss, and has knocked down seven passes, while picking off three. Wilson had 10 tackles and a pass breakup last week, the fifth game this season he has registered 10 or more tackles. He had seven tackles in the last meeting with the Vikings, a 27-24 win at Cincinnati on Sept. 12, 2021. See which team to pick here.
Why the Vikings can cover
Tight end T.J. Hockenson continues to be a heavily-utilized weapon for the Vikings' offense. In 13 games, he has 85 receptions for 839 yards (9.9 average) and five touchdowns. He has 12 explosive plays of 20 yards or more, including a long of 29 yards. Hockenson has 50 or more receiving yards in nine straight games, tied for the second-longest active streak in the NFL. He had eight catches for 74 yards in his only career game against the Bengals as a member of the Detroit Lions on Oct. 17, 2021.
Defense has come to the forefront for the Vikings since Cousins' injury. Last week against the Raiders, the Vikings pitched their first shutout since 2017 and recorded their first 3-0 win since blanking Green Bay in 1971. Safety Camryn Bynum leads the team with 103 tackles, including 71 solo, with one-half sack for two yards and two tackles for loss. He has registered one forced fumble, broken up nine passes and picked off two passes. See which team to pick here.
How to make Bengals vs. Vikings picks
SportsLine's model is leaning under the total, calling for 40 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread has all the value. You can only see the model's NFL picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Vikings vs. Bengals on Saturday, and which side of the spread has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Bengals vs. Vikings spread you need to jump on, all from the model on a 176-129 roll on NFL picks, and find out.
