At +1100, the Cincinnati Bengals had the fifth-shortest odds in the NFL’s preseason to win the Super Bowl, only behind powerful squads like the Kansas City Chiefs and Phildelphia Eagles.
But then the Bengals lost their Week 1 matchup 24-3 to in-state rival Cleveland Browns, their Week 2 contest 27-24 to the Baltimore Ravens and their Week 4 tilt against the Tennessee Titans 27-3.
After these three losses, Cincy’s odds to win the Big Game were as long as +2200.
Ouch.
ADVERTISEMENT
If that wasn’t concerning enough for Bengals nation, quarterback Joe Burrow’s odds to win league MVP also tanked in the team’s rough start to the year.
Burrow opened as the MVP co-favorite along with Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen at +650. By the time Week 6 rolled around, the 2020 No. 1 overall pick saw those odds lengthen all the way out to +2800.
But then Joe Cool and the Bengals found their fire and roared.
From Weeks 5 to 10 (save for their Week 7 bye), Cincinnati defeated the Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills en route to a four-game winning streak.
“What a quarterback does for you in this time of year, he carries you,” sports analyst Willie Colon said on Thursday’s episode of The Carton Show. “He’s been able to carry this team through the last two games — beating the Bills, beating the 49ers.”
The result of this hot streak? Cincinnati’s odds are climbing back up the board.
Joe Burrow starting to look like the best QB in the league?
The Stripes’ Super Bowl futures have shortened from +2200 to +1300 and Burrow’s back in the MVP conversation at +900.
“Joe Burrow is money-good,” Craig Carton chimed in on Thursday’s show. “He’s a top-3 quarterback.”
And it will take a top quarterback to get the Bengals through their next stretch of games.
They face the Houston Texans in Week 10. Then they play the Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars and Minnesota Vikings in Weeks 11, 12 and 14 — all currently winning teams.
When diving into how the team’s odds have lengthened then shortened over the course of the first half of this season, bettors also have to look at how Cincy’s odds to win the conference and division have shifted.
To win the AFC, the Bengals’ odds got as long as +1000. Ahead of their Week 10 showdown with the Texans, those odds are now +750. Their odds to win the AFC North were +650 before Week 8. Now those division odds are a short +320.
So are you putting your money on the bounce-back Bengals?
Stay tuned to FOX Sports as this story and the NFL season unfold!
NFL trending
Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Sponsored Content
Bet the World Cup in Wager.dm
