Last week, the Cincinnati Bengals unexpectedly pulled off an upset victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. On Friday, they'll face another team known for its sturdy defense. Cincinnati will battle the Washington Football team at FedEx Field as part of the NFL Week 2 preseason schedule. Cincinnati will deploy a host of backups while Joe Burrow is out for at least another week, and Washington's pass rush could terrorize the reserves. Whether the visiting team can win a second straight road game remains to be seen.

Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET. Caesars Sportsbook lists Washington as a 5.5-point favorite, up one from the opener, while the over-under is 35. Before finalizing any Bengals vs. Washington picks or any NFL preseason Week 2 predictions, make sure to check out what SportsLine's NFL insider Mike Tierney has to say.

A national sportswriter whose work appears in The New York Times and Los Angeles Times, Tierney has covered the NFL for decades and reported from seven Super Bowls. Tierney does not consider himself a pet lover, but he likes 'dogs,' preferring to evaluate each game from the underdog's point of view. 

Tierney has used that philosophy to crush the NFL, going 187-147 against the spread the past three seasons. All-time at SportsLine (2016-20), Tierney is 347-291 on all NFL picks, returning $2,534 to $100 players. In Washington games, Tierney has gone 23-9-1 in his last 34 against-the-spread picks, returning $1,298 to $100 players. Anybody who has been following him is way up. 

Now, Tierney has examined Friday's Bengals vs. Washington game from every angle and recently released his expert NFL picks and analysis. You can visit SportsLine now to get his NFL picks. Here are several NFL odds and betting trends for Bengals vs. Washington:

  • Bengals vs. Washington spread: Washington -5.5 
  • Bengals vs. Washington over-under: 35 points 
  • Bengals vs. Washington money line: Washington -240, Bengals +200
  • CIN: Bengals were 4-4 against the spread on the road last season 
  • WAS: Washington was 5-4 against the spread at home last season 

Why the Bengals can cover

Cincinnati has opted to sit Joe Burrow for a second straight preseason game. That doesn't mean the Bengals can't move the chains, though. Cincinnati racked up 303 yards against the Buccaneers and won by 11 after entering the matchup as a six-point underdog. Despite turning the ball over four times, the Bengals outgained Tampa Bay by nearly a two-to-one margin on offense.

Washington struggled to slow down the Patriots' limited offense last week and could have similar trouble against a team with better weapons. Cincinnati's young core could get more opportunities in Week 2 of the preseason.

Why Washington can cover

Cincinnati has opted to sit Joe Burrow for a second straight preseason game. That doesn't mean the Bengals can't move the chains, though. Cincinnati racked up 303 yards against the Buccaneers and won by 11 after entering the matchup as a six-point underdog. Despite turning the ball over four times, the Bengals outgained Tampa Bay by nearly a 2-to-1 margin on offense.

Washington struggled to slow down the Patriots' limited offense last week and could have similar trouble against a team with better weapons. Cincinnati's young core could get more opportunities in Week 2 of the preseason.

How to make Bengals vs. Washington picks

Tierney has analyzed this matchup from all angles and we can tell you he's leaning over on the point total. He has also identified a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. He has provided a complete breakdown on which side of the Bengals vs. Washington spread he likes on SportsLine.

Who wins Bengals vs. Washington? And which critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must back? Visit SportsLine now to see Mike Tierney's Bengals vs. Washington prediction, all from the NFL expert on a 23-9-1 roll on picks involving Washington, and find out.