The early number for Bengals-Falcons in Madrid points to a game that could still turn into a shootout, even if the market isn’t quite expecting the same chaos Cincinnati just survived.
FanDuel Sportsbook opened Cincinnati as a 3.5-point favorite over Atlanta, with the Bengals at -225 on the moneyline and the Falcons at +188. The first total landed at 49.5 points.
As the line has settled in, Cincinnati is still laying 3.5, but the price has shifted to -102 for the Bengals and -120 for the Falcons. The Bengals’ moneyline is now -184, Atlanta sits at +154, and the over/under has climbed to 50.5.
That opening comes after Cincinnati’s 43-36 overtime win over Tennessee, a game that demanded a huge day from Joe Burrow. He threw five touchdown passes and three interceptions, then finished the job himself with a nine-yard scramble around left end for the winning score. It was just the second offensive overtime touchdown in franchise history.
The Bengals’ offense has been doing its part, but the defense is leaving plenty to be sorted out. Cincinnati gave up 36 points in regulation to a Titans team that came into Sunday with only one win, and the performance echoed the defensive issues that followed the Bengals through much of last season.
Atlanta arrives with its own fresh disappointment after a 16-0 shutout loss to Tampa Bay. The Falcons couldn’t find the end zone, while the Buccaneers didn’t complete a single pass. That sets up a strange but compelling matchup: an Atlanta offense that just got blanked against a Cincinnati defense that couldn’t keep Tennessee under control.
The Bengals and Falcons are set to play Sunday, November 8, at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, Spain. Kickoff is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Eastern time.
In Other News...
Demetrius Knight Jr Keeps Showing Up In Bengals' Biggest Moments
Demetrius Knight Jr. has become one of those Bengals defenders who seems to find himself in the middle of the games most consequential stretches, even when the day starts with a scare. In Sundays overtime win over the Titans, the rookie linebacker was shaken up in the first quarter and needed evaluation before getting back on the field, another reminder that his first NFL season has already included more than its share of bumps and bruises.
Knights latest return mattered almost immediately, because Cincinnati kept leaning on him in a game that stayed tight deep into the second half. He answered with one of the biggest defensive plays of the afternoon, a stop that flipped the momentum and fit the pattern he has been building all season: when the Bengals need a jolt, Knight keeps finding his way into the frame. [Read more 🡒]
Dexter Lawrence Is Giving Bengals Fans Another Reason To Love That Trade
Dexter Lawrence II keeps finding ways to matter for Cincinnati, and his latest contribution came in the Bengals overtime win against the Titans in Week 8. After recovering a fumble, Lawrence helped swing the field position in a game that needed every break it could get, adding another timely moment to a stretch that has already made his arrival from the Giants look like a smart move for Cincinnati.
Zac Taylor has taken notice, praising Lawrences impact and pointing to the key plays he has made in recent games. The Bengals also locked him in with a one-year contract extension recently, a sign they see him as more than a short-term fix. For a team that has spent plenty of time searching for difference-makers, Lawrence is giving fans another reason to like the trade that brought him in. [Read more 🡒]
JaMarr Chases Sideline Frustration Says Plenty About Bengals Offense
JaMarr Chase did plenty of damage against the Titans, hauling in 11 catches for 141 yards and a touchdown, but the bigger takeaway for the Bengals may have been the edge he showed when things bogged down on the sideline. Cincinnatis offense has been searching for a cleaner rhythm early in games, and Chases body language offered another glimpse of how much that has been bothering one of its top playmakers.
Joe Burrow brushed off the sideline frustration as a good sign, reading it as competitive fire rather than a problem. Chase also leaned into the conversation afterward by pointing back to head coach Zac Taylor when asked about the slow starts, a nod to a phrase Taylor has already made part of the teams vocabulary. For a Bengals offense built around high expectations, even the frustration says something about how much is still being left on the field. [Read more 🡒]