Raiders at Bengals expert picks, odds: Point spread, total, player props, TV, live stream for wild card game

The first matchup of Super Wild Card Weekend takes place in Cincinnati on Saturday afternoon, as the Bengals host the Las Vegas Raiders. These two teams actually played a couple months ago, as the Bengals coasted to a 32-13 victory in Sin City. However, this Raiders team is playing much better than they were back in November. In fact, Vegas has now won four straight — including a thrilling win-and-you’re-in matchup against the Chargers — to secure a playoff spot. 

Below, we will examine the different betting angles for this postseason matchup. We will provide picks from both CBS Sports and SportsLine experts on this AFC showdown, as well as a few player props that we view as enticing. 

All NFL odds are via Caesars Sportsbook.

How to watch 

Date: Saturday, Jan. 15 | Time: 4:35 p.m. ET
Location: Paul Brown Stadium (Cincinnati, Ohio)
TV: NBC | Stream: fuboTV (try for free)
Odds: Bengals -5.5, O/U 49

Raiders at Bengals spread picks

“The Raiders got into the playoffs by beating the Chargers on Sunday night, while the Bengals are coming off a loss where they rested most of their top players. That’s an edge to the Bengals. Cincinnati has an explosive offense, but the Raiders counter with a wicked pass rush. This will be decided by how well the Bengals can protect Joe Burrow. I think they do it well enough to win the game, but it will be close. The Bengals win their first playoff game since the 1990 season.” — CBS Sports Senior NFL analyst Pete Prisco has the Bengals winning, but likes the Raiders to cover the spread. To read the rest of his Wild Card picks, click here.

“For once, the Bengals actually have a few things working in their favor heading into a playoff game. Not only will the weather be cold, but they’re getting a Raiders team that has to fly across the country on a short week after playing an overtime game on Sunday night. If the Bengals can’t win this week, this drought might not ever end.

“The Bengals’ 31-year playoff losing streak started against the Raiders in January 1991 and I’m going to say it comes full circle on Saturday with a win for Cincinnati.” — Our resident Bengals expert John Breech is picking Cincy to win its first postseason game in 31 years. To read his full entertaining explanation for the pick and to check out the rest of his Wild Card picks, click here.

Before making any Raiders vs. Bengals picks, you need to see which side SportsLine expert R.J. White is on. White, a CBS Sports fantasy and gambling editor, ended the 2020 season on an 80-59 run on all NFL picks, returning more than $1,400 during that span. It’s no surprise, as White has cashed huge twice in the world’s most prestigious football handicapping competition, the Las Vegas SuperContest. He’s leaning to the Over, but you need to check out his against-the-spread pick. For that, head on over to SportsLine.

“This is one of the games that I’m weirdly the most hyped for. Typically, the Saturday afternoon opener is not exactly the slot reserved for a clash of titans, but I’m fascinated to see Joe Burrow in the playoffs. He was nails in big games at LSU and does seem to have that it-factor to pull out a strong performance in the NFL as well. These two teams did meet earlier this season and that game was closer than the 32-13 final suggests. That said, Cincinnati was averaging roughly 37 points in the two games leading up to the regular-season finale where they rested Burrow. If they can keep up that level of play offensively, I’m not sure the Raiders will be able to keep up.” — Tyler Sullivan likes the Bengals to cover the spread this weekend. To read his Wild Card column, click here.

Raiders at Bengals total picks

“Both of these teams are about .500 when it comes to the Over/Under. The Raiders are 8-9 while the Bengals are 8-8-1. The playoffs are definitely the time where you need to keep an eye on the weather. Per Stadium Forecast, Cincinnati has a 50 percent chance of seeing snow with a high near 33 degrees. The Raiders certainly won’t be used to that kind of environment. For the Bengals, they relied on the ground game last time out against the Raiders. Joe Mixon rushed 30 times for 123 yards and two touchdowns while Joe Burrow had season-lows in passing yards (148) and yards per attempt (5.1). The lean is to the Under.” — CBS Sports’ Jordan Dajani.

Before you make any Raiders vs. Bengals picks, you need to check out the latest NFL predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model. The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up more than $7,400 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception six-plus years ago. The model enters the 2021 NFL playoffs on an incredible 136-97 run on top-rated NFL picks that dates back to the 2017 season. To see what the model is saying about the Total, head on over to SportsLine.

Player props

Josh Jacobs rushing yards: Over 59.5 (-110). Over the Raiders’ four-game winning streak, there’s been a commitment to running the ball. Jacobs is averaging 21 carries per game since Week 15, and recorded a career-high 132 rushing yards last Sunday. He’s crossed this number in three straight games and could again if snow flurries pick up. 

Derek Carr interceptions: Over 0.5 (-145). Carr threw for a career-high 4,804 passing yards this season, but also threw a career-high 14 interceptions. As CBS Sports’ John Breech pointed out in his column, Carr’s former head coach Jack Del Rio sees Carr’s kryptonite as cold weather, so we could get an interception come Saturday. 

Joe Mixon receiving yards: Over 19.5 (-120). Mixon has crossed this number in both of the last two games. He caught six passes for 70 yards and a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens, and then seven passes for 40 yards against the Kansas City Chiefs. His average on the year is 19.6 receiving yards per game, but he’s been more active in the passing game as of late. If we have cold, nasty weather, that trend should continue.