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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Jess Root

Expert picks for Cardinals-Bengals in Week 5

The Arizona Cardinals take on the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday at State Farm Stadium. The Bengals enter Week 5 struggling and the Cardinals have given fans confidence early in the season, even at 1-3.

Is this a game the Cardinals can win?

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What do the experts say?

Below, we have some expert picks — from myself, Bengals Wire managing editor Chris Roling and more, as well as a poll for fans to vote in.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

Jess Root, Cards Wire

Cardinals 23, Bengals 17

Chris Roling, Bengals Wire

Bengals bounce back

At the risk of looking like a fool, this feels like the get-right game for Burrow. The clips from practice have suggested all restrictions are off and if the coaches don’t adjust properly this time, heads might roll. Don’t get me wrong, this was penciled as a trap game even before the season because the Cardinals don’t get the respect they deserve. But this is right in the zone where the Bengals rebounded the last two years after a slow start, about a month in when coaches and players really got in gear. I would expect something similar to the Ravens game – slow start in the first half before really coming alive in the second to steal it.

Dan Graziano, ESPN

Cardinals (+3) over Bengals

The Cards are playing pretty well right now, beating the Cowboys two weeks ago and hanging with the 49ers for three quarters Sunday. The Bengals are … not playing well. Burrow doesn’t look right, the pass protection is still a mess, the offense can’t get going and they may not have Higgins for this game. It feels like a must-win for a Bengals team that entered the season with the highest of hopes, but it also feels like a game that Joshua Dobbs and this plucky Arizona bunch could steal.

NFL Network panelists

The last two weeks were unanimously for the Cardinals’ opponent. This is 6-4 in favor of the Bengals.

Vote in the poll!

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