2010 Cincinnati Bengals Future Wager

Free NFL Pick: Take Cincinnati Under 8

The Cincinnati Bengals are coming off their second playoff appearance since the 1990 season when they lost in the Divisional Round to the Los Angeles Raiders 20-10 when Bo Jackson’s young and exciting career was ended with a severe hip injury. In 2005 they made their first appearance in 15 years only to lose QB Carson Palmer on their second offensive play of the game after he connected on a 66-yard club-postseason record pass to Chris Henry, but injured his knee and left the game with Jon Kitna taking his place. The Steelers went on to win 31-17. Last year, the Bengals swept through the AFC North division going 6-0 and finishing 10-6 in the regular season, good enough for a AFC North crown and a shot at the New York Jets. The Jets took the game 24-14 after defeating the Bengals the week before in Week 17 37-0 at the Meadowlands. Interesting fact is that the Bengals were NFL Football betting nightmares as they burned the betting public with an 0-8 ATS record as a favorite in the 2009 season. They did cash the first six games as an underdog outright and went 7-2 ATS for the season as a dog.

A surprise for the Bengals was the play of supposed washed up running back Cedric Benson who they took a shot with after he was released from Chicago two years ago. The former Longhorn back rushed for 1,251 yards and six touchdowns for the Bengals. QB Palmer bounced back from reconstructive surgery on his injured knee in 2008 for a decent 2009. He passed for nearly 3,100 yards and 21 TD’s, but did throw 13 INT’s. Palmer seems to be getting old fast and so does his receiving corps. 10-year veteran wide receiver Chad Ochocinco caught just 72 passes for just over 1,000 yards, with an even older Laveranues Coles as the number two with just 43 catches for just over 500 yards. Coles is now gone and the Bengals have brought in Antonio Bryant from Tampa Bay and Matt Jones from Jacksonville as replacements. In the 2010 NFL Draft they selected Jordan Shipley out of Texas and then got one of the top pass-catching tight ends in Jermaine Gresham out of Oklahoma. The defense did a good job in 2009 allowing just 304 yards of total offense per game, a number in which they improved in each of the last four seasons. No real superstars line the defense, but they do add a superstar in only controversy in Pacman Jones. They lose sure-footed kicker Shayne Graham to division rival Baltimore and bring in local guy Mike Nugent. Nugent came into the league with a ton of hype for a kicker, but has not lived up to it.

The Bengals face one of the strongest schedules for the 2010 NFL season. Not only do they have to play Baltimore and Pittsburgh twice, they have to face a murderer’s row of New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, New York Jets, San Diego Chargers and the Indianapolis Colts. It’s hard to imagine this team having a winning record this season. Also going 6-0 again in the AFC North is very unlikely. The Bengals will certainly be looking up in the standings in 2010.

Free NFL Pick: Take Cincinnati Under 8

Vegas Experts sports handicappers will be offering free NFL betting information, NFL Futures and free NFL football picks when the preseason kicks off with the NFL Hall of Fame Game in August. Be sure to check back on a regular basis for the latest free NFL football betting odds and betting information.