When the Jaguars (8-3) host the Bengals (5-6) to close NFL Week 13 on "Monday Night Football" (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN), the home team will get a major break. Instead of Trevor Lawrence dueling Joe Burrow in a marquee QB matchup, Jake Browning will start for the Bengals.
The Jaguars don't get many prime-time opportunities, but they're back on track as reigning AFC South champions and on track for a second consecutive division title. They're in the mix for the top conference playoff seed, so they can't take the scrappy Bengals lightly.
Cincinnati is headed for a hard fade out of any kind of wild-card contention in the tough AFC North. Can it play spoiler in this all-feline AFC matchup on the road? Here's a betting breakdown and prediction for the game:
Bengals vs. Jaguars odds, spread, over/under
(All odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook)
Spread: Bengals +8.5 (-110) | Jaguars -8.5 (-110)
Over/Under: OVER 39 (-110) | UNDER 39 (-110)
Moneyline: Bengals +320 | Jaguars -420
The Jaguars have seen this line go as high as nine points in their favor, just short of double digits. They are red-hot, recovering from the bad loss to the 49ers and having ripped division rivals Tennessee and Houston in back-to-back weeks. The Bengals get a little extra time to prep Browning for his second start, but this is his first shot on the road.
Should you bet the Jaguars against the spread vs. the Bengals?
This matchup is horrible for the Bengals without Burrow. They need to run the ball better with Joe Mixon, but that's been an issue all season and the Jaguars have been downright stingy against the run. Browning has a compressed passing game around him with Ja'Marr Chase doing his best as the No. 1. The Jaguars aren't the biggest pass-rushing team, but they can create pressure and force key turnovers with the back seven.
The Bengals' defense is also concerning here. They are struggling against the run, and the Jaguars expect to have Travis Etienne Jr. healthy enough to break out of a slump. The middle of the field will be exploited by tight end Evan Engram well in the passing game and wide receiver Calvin Ridley also is in the zone. Lawrence will have another big game, and Browning will get rattled by the opponent and environment.
Our Pick: Jaguars -8.5 (-110)
Should you bet the Bengals-Jaguars OVER?
The Jaguars have a shot of hitting 40 points and taking care of scoring business by themselves, but they also could slow it down late with a big lead and Etienne leading the strong closing rushing charge in the second half. The Bengals will get some fight from Browning to get a couple of scores when the game outcome is not in the balance.
Our Pick: OVER 39 (-110)
Final score prediction: Jaguars 27, Bengals 14
