Cincinnati at Tennessee prediction, game preview, how to watch: NFL Divisional Round Preview
Cincinnati at Tennessee How To Watch
Date: Saturday, January 22
Game Time: 4:30 ET
Venue: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN
How To Watch: FOX
Record: Cincinnati (10-7), Tennessee (12-5)
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Cincinnati at Tennessee Divisional Round Game Preview
Why Cincinnati Will Win the AFC Divisional Round
Do the Titans have the ability to stop the storm?
Yeah, the Tennessee defense has been great, it’s second in the NFL against the run, and the team has been able to roll whenever it’s not turning the ball over a bazillion times – more on that in a second.
It’s not like the D had to deal with a whole slew of high-powered passing attacks over the last two months.
San Francisco went off for over 300 yards through the air, and that’s been about it for the good air shows over the second half of the season.
Yeah, the pass defense was a bit of an issue over the first half of the season when everyone had to throw to try keeping up with what Derrick Henry and the offense were doing, but go back to Week 9 against the Rams for the last time the Titans had to be worried about the downfield pass.
Joe Burrow and company are in a groove, rolling past the Chiefs for big play after big play when it mattered in Week 17, rolling well enough against the Raiders in the Wild Card round, and coming up with over 1,200 passing yards in the last four games …
And no turnovers.
Tennessee is 5-3 over its last eight games. It didn’t turn the ball over in any of the five wins, and gave it up 13 times in the three losses. As dangerous as the Cincinnati offense might be, it’s the defense that has to do its job and hold serve with a few takeaways.
The Bengals forced multiple takeaways in six of the last 11 games, but …
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Why Tennessee Will Win the AFC Divisional Round
Tennessee isn’t screwing up.
There were the four giveaways in the strange 19-13 loss to Pittsburgh in Week 15, but that’s been about it for the big mistakes since giving up nine against Houston and New England back in late November.
Don’t dismiss the rest value here – being a 1 seed means even more than ever.
Cincinnati got to chill out the stars against Cleveland in Week 18, that was an emotion and – in the end – physical game against the Raiders. The Bengal run D only allowed 103 yards on the ground, but Josh Jacobs and the ground attack started to get pounding late.
Tennessee having that extra week for the No. 2 run D in the NFL – and giving King Henry a little while more to get that foot healthy – might be just enough.
Even without 22, D’Onta Foreman and the running game have been great, Ryan Tannehill is starting to find more with AJ Brown rising up late and Julio Jones emerging in Week 18.
How do you combat the Bengal offensive pop? Start running early with all the backs available – all the better if Henry get provide ten good carries – and then rely on the rested and prepared defensive backfield to take care of the rest, because …
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What’s Going To Happen, Who’s Going To Win the AFC Divisional Round
Yeah, the Titans haven’t played too many high-octane passing games for a while, but they allowed over 300 yards to San Francisco in Week 16 …
And won.
Yeah, they got hit hard late by Matthew Stafford and the Rams in Week 9 … and won. Patrick Mahomes threw for close to 260, and the Titans won that, too.
It might seem basic, but Tennessee really is all about the turnover. It can handle itself just fine against the Bengal offense that won’t get much of anything out of RB Joe Mixon, but it can’t give the ball up multiple times and give the brash Cincinnati team any breaks.
Burrow will have a few big moments to make things interesting, but Tennessee will be more physical, it’ll be much stronger on third downs, and it’ll come up with some sensational big plays with its own passing game.
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Cincinnati at Tennessee Divisional Round Prediction, Line
Tennessee 30, Cincinnati 23
Line: Tennessee -4, o/u: 47.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3
Must See Rating: 4.5
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