No one. And I mean no one expects the Bengals to walk out this game with a victory. And that is no disrespect to the Bengals, it’s just that the Jags are really that good. They are the best offensive-ranked team in the league. They average 40 points per game. From the outside looking in, it seems like the Bengals’ best-case scenario would just be making it close. But here at Any Given Sunday, we are not just looking from the outside. We analyze and take deep dives to make cases for both sides. And to make a case for the Bengals, we will need to have an uncomfortable conversation about the bloated offensive stats from the Jags.
As mentioned the Jags average 40 points per game. They rank 1st in most offensive stats. But if we are being honest, stat-padding has a lot to do with it. We have witnessed it on national TV. Whether it was Trevor force-feeding Brian Thomas Jr. or an unsportsmanlike touchdown while the game was out of reach. Now that’s not to say this offense isn’t great because it is. But this offense is far from being unstoppable. In fact, we have seen this offense be stopped in both Week 17 and 18 by the Titans and Colts. Trevor Lawrence does have a habit of making predetermined reads and if the Bengals can capitalize on those, they can win.
The Bengals are on a 7-game win streak after starting 5-5. Now if that sounds familiar, it’s because the Colts came into the playoffs on a 7-game win streak of their own. And what did the Colts do last night? Upset the Texans. Coming into the playoffs with momentum is very important. Joe Burrow, like Anthony Richardson, is playing his best football. We are 2/2 on upsets so far, and the Bengals could add another.
My Prediction: Jags win 42-35
I do think this game will be closer than expected, but the Jags have the better coach in my opinion. It gets tough in the playoffs. Every decision matters. Every possession. It’s about adapting and I feel Coach Chris has a few more tricks up his sleeve. As he stated, “You have seen what I wanted you to see.”.
Tune in at 1 PM EST to watch this matchup.
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