Cincinnati Bengals Medium Favorite (-3.5 to -7) Betting Trend

The Bengals' struggles as medium favorites stem from their franchise's historical tendency to play down to competition and their inconsistent offensive execution in games where they're expected to control the tempo. Cincinnati has long been a team that thrives as underdogs with a chip on their shoulder, but when the pressure shifts to them being the hunter rather than the hunted, they often fail to deliver the decisive performances that justify laying points. Their quarterback situation, whether during the Andy Dalton era or Joe Burrow's development, has shown a pattern of inconsistency when facing teams they should dominate. The Bengals often struggle to establish early leads against inferior opponents, allowing games to remain closer than the spread suggests. This is compounded by their defense's tendency to give up backdoor scores or fail to generate the turnovers needed to create blowout scenarios. The coaching staff's conservative approach in these spots has historically prevented Cincinnati from stepping on opponents' throats when ahead, leading to narrow wins that don't cover the number. Their offensive line issues over the years have also made it difficult to sustain drives and control clock when protecting leads. This trend matters most when Cincinnati faces divisional opponents or teams with nothing to lose late in the season, where motivation disparities become most pronounced.