Two teams with little recent postseason success open the 2021-22 NFL playoffs when the Raid-ers take on the Bengals in an AFC wild-card match-up Saturday afternoon in Cincinnati. Las Vegas, going back to its days in Oakland, is looking for its first postseason victory since 2003 while the Bengals are questing for their first playoff win since 1990! These two teams just met back in November, a Cincinnati victory and cover in Vegas. Now the Bengals are favored by almost touchdown at home for this one. How are we playing this AFC wild-card game with our free NFL betting pick?
NFL Wild-Card Betting Lines
The NFL wild-card betting odds opened Cincinnati as a six-point favorite over Las Vegas, with an over/under of right around 49. Early betting action then edged the Bengals down to -5.5. According to Sagarin’s NFL ratings at sagarin.com Cincinnati should only be favored by 3.5 points for this game.
Raiders-Bengals NFL Wild-Card Betting Preview
Las Vegas rides a four-game winning streak into this postseason after out-lasting the Chargers in one of the craziest games of this season last Sunday night 35-32 to clinch a playoff spot. The Raiders led that game 10-0 early and 29-14 late, only to allow the Chargers to score twice, the second time on the final play of regulation, to force OT. Then, after both teams kicked field goals on their first possessions of extra time, Vegas finally won it on another field goal at the overtime buzzer. The Raiders got out-gained by the Chargers 440-346 but out-rushed Los Angeles 174-85, gaining crucial yardage on the game-winning drive on the ground. So Las Vegas out-gained three of its last four opponents and out-rushed three of its last four foes. At 10-7 overall the Raiders finished two games behind first-place Kansas City in the AFC West this season and enter these playoffs as the No. 5 seed in the AFC. Cincinnati, meanwhile, just completed its successful regular season with a meaningless 21-16 loss at Cleveland last week. The Bengals, playing without QB Joe Burrow and many others, gave up the first 14 points of the game, pulled to within 14-10 in the third quarter and 21-16 with two minutes left and covered the spread as a 6.5-point underdogs. Cincinnati got out-gained by the Browns 376-182 and out-rushed 205-79. But they got some key guys some rest. Prior to last week the Bengals won three games in a row. At 10-7 overall Cincinnati is the champion of the AFC North and the No. 4 seed in the AFC. These two teams just met back in Week 11 of this season, a 32-13 Bengals victory in Las Vegas. Cincinnati led that game 10-6 at the half, scored the first six points of the second half and later tacked on the last 16 points to pull away and cover at -2.5. The Bengals out-rushed the Raiders that day 159-72 and won time of possession by a 37:23 split. Also, that game played under a total of 51.
- Get more details: Laa Vegas at Cincinnati Wildcard Betting Stats
Common Opponents
These two teams played seven common opponents this season – the Ravens, Chiefs, Browns, Broncos, Chargers, Steelers and Bears. Cincinnati played 6-4 SU, 7-3 ATS against those foes, Las Vegas 6-4 SU, 5-5 ATS.
NFL Wild-Card Betting Trends
Over the last six NFL wild-card rounds the home teams are just 13-13 SU, 8-17-1 ATS. Over the last six NFL wild-card rounds the favorites are 15-11 SU but only 8-17-1 ATS. The Raiders played 3-3 both SU and ATS against teams that made the playoffs this season. The Bengals played 4-2 both SU and ATS against teams that made the playoffs this season.
Totals Report
The unders played 9-8 in Raiders games this season, which averaged 48 total points. The unders also played 9-8 in Bengals games this season, which averaged 49 points. Over the last six NFL wild-card rounds the unders are 17-9.
