Football betting matches up two of the top teams in the AFC on Sunday as the San Diego Chargers host the Cincinnati Bengals. Each team could clinch a playoff spot with a win in this NFL betting contest. Football betting has San Diego as a 6.5 point favorite with a total of 43.5. The Chargers have been rolling lately and look like the second best team in the AFC behind the Indianapolis Colts. The Bengals were doing well until last week when they got a reality check in Minnesota and were blown out in football betting.
The Bengals were playing a team with a winning record for the first time in a month and they lost by 20 points. Even though they lost in NFL betting, the Bengals can clinch the AFC North with a win in one of their final three games. To get a first round bye the Bengals must do more than win just one game though and it would start on Sunday at San Diego.
This football betting matchup on Sunday has the Cincinnati defense going up against the San Diego offense. The Bengals have only given up more than 20 points three times this season. San Diego has scored at least 20 points in every game this season so something has to give. For the Bengals to win in football betting they must slow down the San Diego offense. They must also run the ball effectively. When Cedric Benson has 25 carries or more in the last two seasons, the Bengals are 7-0.
San Diego has won four of the past five meetings in this series and overall they lead the series 18-11. The last time the teams met in San Diego was in 2003 as the Bengals won in football betting. The teams played in Cincinnati in 2006 and the Chargers won 49-41.
Cincinnati has been an excellent football betting underdog. They are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games as a football betting underdog. The Chargers are 15-7 in NFL betting in their last 22 home games. San Diego is 4-1 vs. the football betting odds in the last five meetings against the Bengals.
Five of the last six Cincinnati games have gone under in football betting. Seven of the last eleven San Diego games vs. AFC teams have gone over the NFL betting total. In this series between Cincinnati and San Diego, five of the last seven games have gone over in football betting.