Cardinals vs Bengals

The Bengals enter this one having just snapped a two-game losing streak with a 45-21 dismantling of Miami to get to 5-10, while the Cardinals limp in on a seven-game skid at 3-12 and long since eliminated from the playoff picture, just like Cincinnati. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/nfl/joe-burrow-4-tds-bengals-erupt-2nd-half-vs-dolphins--flm-2025-12-21/?utm_source=openai)) With Kyler Murray still sidelined by a lingering foot issue and Jacoby Brissett continuing to start, Arizona’s ceiling is lower than Cincinnati’s, where Joe Burrow has been cleared to finish out the season and is coming off an efficient four-touchdown outing. ([foxsports.com](https://www.foxsports.com/articles/nfl/no-playoffs-again-for-the-arizona-cardinals-now-the-focus-turns-to-kyler-murrays-future?utm_source=openai)) Tee Higgins’ recent concussion history is a concern, but he returned to make impact plays, and Burrow’s long-term chemistry with Ja’Marr Chase—who shredded Arizona for 192 yards and three scores in their 2023 meeting—tilts the quarterback and high-end skill-talent edge sharply toward the home side. ([cincyjungle.com](https://www.cincyjungle.com/cincinnati-bengals-news/183273/tee-higgins-injury-altered-equipment-concussion?utm_source=openai)) With both teams playing only for pride, variance is a bit higher, but the combination of Arizona’s extended losing streak, backup quarterback, and a Bengals offense that just showed they can still reach a high gear makes Cincinnati the logical moneyline side despite the steep price—worthy of a B+ grade for probability but only modest value at -350. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 26/12/2025 11:34

The total of 52.5 is aggressive for a late-December outdoor game in Cincinnati, where the forecast calls for mild temperatures in the low 60s but steady rain around kickoff at Paycor Stadium, conditions that typically nudge playcalling toward more runs and shorter passes. ([new.cbssports.com](https://new.cbssports.com/nfl/gametracker/expert-picks/NFL_20251228_ARI%40CIN/?utm_source=openai)) Arizona’s offense under Brissett has been high-volume but not always high-efficiency, and their current seven-game slide has featured stalled red-zone trips and late-game mistakes, while the Bengals’ defense just forced three key second-half turnovers to blow open the win over Miami, hinting at at least some defensive pulse. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/nfl/falcons-top-cardinals-first-win-arizona-since-2001--flm-2025-12-22/?utm_source=openai)) Both sides are eliminated from playoff contention, which can lead to looser play, but it also often brings more conservative, evaluation-focused game plans, and Cincinnati’s path as a sizeable favorite likely leans on playing from ahead, leaning on the run with backs like Chase Brown rather than pushing tempo for four quarters. ([sports.yahoo.com](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/reactions-bengals-eliminated-playoff-contention-205928027.html?utm_source=openai)) Between the weather, the possibility of Brissett struggling on the road against an opportunistic defense, and the chance Zac Taylor throttles down if the Bengals get a comfortable lead, the Under 52.5 at -105 gets a B grade as a slightly better value angle than trusting both offenses to trade haymakers in a soggy setting. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 26/12/2025 11:34

Even with Arizona mired in a seven-game losing streak and reeling from a season-long quarterback shuffle, catching the key number and the hook at +7.5 gives the Cardinals room to hang inside the number against a Bengals team that, while buoyed by last week’s explosion, has been inconsistent all year and is also out of the playoff hunt. ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/nfl/falcons-top-cardinals-first-win-arizona-since-2001--flm-2025-12-22/?utm_source=openai)) Brissett has quietly piled up solid volume in relief of Murray—topping 2,700 passing yards on the season—and he still has a legitimate matchup weapon in Marvin Harrison Jr., who’s playing like a true No. 1 after a 1,400-plus-yard sophomore campaign, giving Arizona backdoor-cover potential if they’re chasing late. ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/gamelog/_/id/2578570/jacoby-brissett?utm_source=openai)) On the other side, Burrow-to-Chase remains a nightmare, particularly given Chase’s 192-yard, three-touchdown demolition of this franchise two seasons ago, but Tee Higgins’ recent concussion issues add some fragility to Cincinnati’s margin for error, and sloppy weather plus two eliminated teams can produce uneven, lower-possession scripts that favor the underdog getting more than a touchdown. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ja%27Marr_Chase?utm_source=openai)) The Bengals are the more likely straight-up winner, but with motivation uncertain and Arizona capable of piling up late yardage, Cardinals +7.5 at -118 earns a B grade as a reasonable way to fade Cincinnati’s ability to dominate wire-to-wire. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 26/12/2025 11:34