Every Bengals vs. Commanders Prediction You’ll Ever Need
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Well, so much for that fast start. The Cincinnati Bengals are 0-2 for their third-straight season and fourth time in the last five years. At least it’s a familiar hole they’ve dug themselves into, though, and the team knows that the only way out is by winning. They’ve had plenty of experience in rallying with their backs against an early-season wall, going a combined 12-3 in Games 3 through 7 over the last three seasons combined.
Will that trend continue in Week 3, when they host the Washington Commanders on Monday Night Football? It had better, or Cincinnati’s all-in season will be all out of hope. Let’s see how the experts view this match-up.
ESPN’s NFL Nation: Bengals Win
The expert panel at ESPN unanimously picks Cincinnati to come out the victor on Monday. Their three-person panel gives us an average score of 29.7 to 21.3, or right on the borderline between a one-score game or a comfortable victory. They do believe Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. will present a big problem for the Bengals throughout the night.
USA Today Staff: Bengals Win
So far, we’re 7-for-7 with panelists picking the Bengals, as Cincy sweeps through USA Today panel’s picks like two-day-old Skyline Chili leftovers. The average score here is 26.3 to 17, predicting a fairly punchless night from Washington. Two predictions that especially bode well for the Bengals are Lorenzo Reyes picking the Bengals to “win comfortably” by a score of 30-13, while Tyler “Commsumate Vs” Dragon is already calling Week 4 for Cincinnati to win the catfight over the Panthers.
Bleacher Report: Bengals 34, Commanders 20
OK, now we’re getting some juice, here! The Commanders get a little bit of love here… but just a little. Six of the nine experts on this panel sided with the Bengals, which is Constitutionally Veto-Proof, and the 14-point predicted margin of victory reflects the overwhelming support for Cincy. Brent Sobleski gave Washington a bit of an out, however, citing their pass rush: “Washington’s seven sacks are just two behind the league leader. Meanwhile, the Bengals offensive line remains a sore spot.”
NFL.com: Bengals Win
It’s rare to see the Bengals sweep a predictions pick and not see Burrow immediately listed as the reason why they’d win, but NFL.com’s panel did that. It’s good news for Bengals fans to see that their secondary — which was a focus of the front office in the offseason — garner so much attention early on. Brooke Cersosimo notes: “Lou Anarumo’s unit has allowed fewer than 300 total yards in both games in 2024 and currently ranks second against the pass.” You love to see it.
Clutch Points’ Christopher Hennessy: Bengals Win
Hennessy isn’t just looking out for a Bengals’ win, he’s expecting Ja’Marr Chase to break out with his first touchdown of the year. Oddly enough, Chase hasn’t had a touchdown or a 100-yard game since Week 13 against the Jacksonville Jaguars last year. That’s a span of six games, almost a third of a season. He can go a long way to earning that new contract by torching the suspect Commanders secondary, which Hennessy points out allowed 127 yards to rookie phenom Malik Nabers last week.
The 33rd Team: Bengals 23, Commanders 21
We’ve seen one-score predictions, but this would be a true squeaker for a home game against a moribund team like the Commanders. They’re hedging against a big win with concerns of a “hangover” coming after Week 2’s close loss, as well as banking on Jayden Daniels working some of his dual-threat magic.
The Athletic’s Vic Tafur: Bengals Win
No score here, but Cincinnati gets the edge seemingly less for what Joe Burrow and the Bengals’ passing attack can do, and more for what Daniels can’t do, at least as of yet. Tafur notes that Daniels’ 75% completion percentage is inflated by the fact that he has the lowest average air yards per attempt in the NFL. Interestingly enough, Patrick Mahomes is second-to-last in that regard, and the Bengals’ secondary had little issue bottling him up… at least to the extent where such a thing is possible. Cincinnati shouldn’t fear Washington’s aerial attack.
Riggo’s Rag (Fansided)’s Dean Jones: Commanders Win
We were wondering if anyone near D.C. had any belief in the Commanders, and it turns out, Dean Jones does. Jones correctly points out “The pressure is all on the Bengals. Zac Taylor can not afford to start at 0-3… It’s something Washington can use to its advantage.” After an emotional loss at Arrowhead Stadium in Week 2, it’s possible that an early bad break or two for Cincinnati could get the team into Here we go again mode en route to another letdown.
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