The Arizona Cardinals and Cincinnati Bengals both seek their first win of the season and will face one another in Cincinnati Sunday morning at 10 a.m. Arizona time. The Bengals are favored at home but have struggled mightily and are coming off a short week in which they lost 27-3 to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
How will this game end up?
Bengals Wire managing editor Chris Roling and I give our dueling predictions. Both are good news for the Cardinals.
Chris Roling: Cardinals 24, Bengals 21
I’m honestly a little more excited to see a full game from Kyler Murray. He’s exactly the sort of mobile rookie who has torched the Bengals for years for whatever reason. If he can extend plays with his feet, the Bengals haven’t shown the ability to keep proper angles or wrap up consistently. That should worry Bengals fans, of course, which is why I’ll roll with the Cardinals to pull off the minor upset here, 24-21.
Jess Root: Cardinals 27, Bengals 13
Cincinnati seems to be struggling so much. They can’t protect Andy Dalton, can’t run the ball and are missing targets in the receiving game. I expect the Cardinals to finally get the sort of game going they want. They get a lead and get some stops. The defense pressures Andy Dalton and limits the running game. David Johnson has a big game and Kyler Murray throws for 300 yards and two touchdowns.
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