The Tennessee Titans head to Paycor Stadium on Sunday afternoon carrying a 1-6 record into their eighth game of the 2026 regular season, and the betting market has only gotten colder on them. Tennessee opened the week as a 10-point underdog against the Cincinnati Bengals, but that number has since moved all the way to +12.5.
That shift lines up with how the Titans Wire staff sees this matchup playing out. Every pick in the room points the same direction: Cincinnati, and by a healthy margin.
Mark Mihalko expects the Titans to look flat after the shocking trade of Jeffery Simmons to the Chicago Bears, predicting a 34-13 Bengals win. He sees Cam Ward and the offense having a few early moments, but not enough to matter against Joe Burrow and an explosive Cincinnati attack.
Serena Burks also has Cincinnati rolling, going with a 35-20 result. She said the Titans have essentially written off their season after trading Jeffrey Simmons, and she doesn’t think the defense can handle Burrow or that Ward and the offense can keep pace.
Dan Benton is even more blunt, calling for a 30-10 Bengals victory. He pointed to Tennessee being in fire-sale mode, the departure of defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, the Cam Ward experiment appearing to be failing, and morale sitting at an all-time low. On the other side, he noted that Burrow’s Bengals are on a two-game winning streak and need the win to stay in the hunt in a division that has been more competitive than expected.
Bryan Manning has it 27-13 for Cincinnati. He said the Titans now have to deal with Burrow and the Bengals offense without star DT Jeffery Simmons, and he also highlighted Cincinnati’s defense, which he said has been better than advertised after the additions of DTs Dexter Lawrence and Jonathan Allen.
Parish Sharkey sees Tony Pollard building on his best game of the season, with another 100-plus-yard rushing day, but still has the Bengals winning 36-20. In his view, Tennessee’s defensive issues continue against the best passing threat it has faced this season, and Cincinnati comes away with its fifth win in its last six matchups.
Kevin Hickey picked the Bengals 27-17. He wrote that Cincinnati should have little trouble handling Tennessee, with Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins creating a tough assignment for a Titans defense that has already struggled to slow opponents and now must do it without Jeffery Simmons.
Hickey also noted Pollard’s 129-yard, three-touchdown outing against Cleveland, but said Tennessee will need more than that to pull off the upset. With the Titans also without rookie wide receiver Carnell Tate, he expects Cincinnati’s offense to take advantage and win comfortably.
Tyler Henry rounded things out with a 31-13 Bengals pick. He called it a mismatch between two teams going in opposite directions, pointing out that Cincinnati enters the week a half-game back of first place in a tightly packed AFC North. He expects the Bengals to play with urgency and capitalize on a Titans defense that just traded away its best player.
In Other News...
Jeffery Simmons Revealed The Part Of Leaving Titans That Hurt Most
Jeffery Simmons did not sound like a player focused only on the football side of a major move. After being traded to the Chicago Bears, the defensive tackle opened up about how difficult it was to leave his family in Nashville, a personal layer to a deal that already carried plenty of weight for both teams.
Chicago paid a steep price to get him, sending two first-round picks to Tennessee, a clear sign the Bears believe Simmons can be a difference-maker as they chase a division title under coach Dennis Allen. He arrives with strong defensive production this season, but the emotional adjustment may be just as real as the football transition as he settles into a new locker room and a new city. [Read more 🡒]
3 Titans Rookies Are Still Waiting For Their Chance
The Titans have spent much of the season trying to sort out their rookie class, and three names keep coming up for the wrong reasons. Nick Singleton, Jackie Marshall and Pat Coogan have all been around the conversation without making much of a mark, which is a reminder that not every first-year player finds an immediate lane in the NFL. For Tennessee, the issue is less about pedigree than opportunity, and in each case there has been at least some opening to claim a bigger role.
Singleton has had chances but has struggled with vision and awareness, while Marshall was passed over on the depth chart even when he had a shot to climb. Coogans situation is a little different, since injuries elsewhere have not translated into meaningful work for him. There is still time for all three to change the story before the season is over, but for now the Titans are waiting to see which rookie, if any, can finally turn a small opening into something more substantial. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Still Have 3 Reasons To Believe Against Cincinnati
Even after the close loss to Cleveland and the stunning trade of defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons to the Chicago Bears, there are still a few signs Tennessee is not simply limping into Week 8. The Titans have found a little more rhythm on the ground, and the offense has put up more points in back-to-back weeks, which at least suggests some progress as they get ready for Cincinnati.
The defense has also given the Titans something to hang onto, forcing five turnovers over the last two games and creating extra chances for an offense that has not had much margin for error. Cincinnati brings a dangerous attack, so Tennessee will need those recent positives to travel with it, but the broader picture is not as bleak as it might have looked a week ago. [Read more 🡒]