Cincinnati Bengals Away Favorite Betting Trend

The Bengals' struggles as road favorites stem from a franchise culture that historically lacks the killer instinct required to close out games when expectations are elevated. Cincinnati has long been a team that plays better with their backs against the wall rather than when positioned as the hunter, and this psychological dynamic becomes magnified on the road where they lack their home crowd's energy to maintain momentum. Their offensive approach under various coaching regimes has favored conservative game management when protecting leads, often leading to predictable play-calling that allows inferior opponents to hang around longer than they should. The Bengals' defense, while capable of generating pressure, has consistently struggled with late-game execution and preventing big plays when teams abandon their ground games in desperation mode. The franchise's historical playoff struggles reflect this same mentality - they've rarely demonstrated the ruthless efficiency needed to cover spreads when the market respects them enough to make them road chalk. Cincinnati tends to win these games but in nail-biting fashion that rarely covers the number. This trend matters most when the Bengals are favored by 3-7 points on the road against divisional opponents, where familiarity breeds contempt and emotional letdowns are most likely to occur.