Las Vegas Raiders (2-6) will face off against the Cincinnati Bengals (3-5) on Sunday at 1 p.m. EST, with the game broadcasted on Fox. According to BetMGM NFL Odds, the Bengals are favored by 7.5 points. Both teams have a record of 4-4 against the spread. Historically, the Raiders lead the series with a record of 21-13. Their last encounter resulted in a Bengals victory, where they defeated the Raiders 26-19 during an AFC playoff game on January 15, 2022.

In their previous outings last week, the Raiders lost to the Kansas City Chiefs with a score of 27-20, while the Bengals were defeated by the Philadelphia Eagles, losing 37-17. Analyzing the teams’ offensive and defensive statistics, the Raiders rank 21st overall in offense, 31st in rushing, 18th in passing, and 26th in scoring. Their defense, however, stands out as tied for 11th overall but struggles against the rush, ranking 19th. Conversely, the Bengals hold the 18th position in overall offense, find themselves 28th in rushing, 7th in passing, and 11th in scoring. Their defensive performance, unfortunately, is lacking, as they rank 24th overall and 24th against the rush. Notably, the Raiders have a turnover differential of minus-13, while the Bengals maintain a neutral differential.

For the Raiders, running back Alexander Mattison is a player to keep an eye on after a disappointing performance against Kansas City, where he rushed for only 15 yards on 14 carries, marking one of the worst averages in franchise history for a back with that many attempts. Despite Cincinnati’s issues in run defense, it will be crucial for Mattison, along with Zamir White, to perform significantly better in this matchup.

Looking at the Bengals, quarterback Joe Burrow’s performance will be critical due to the team’s struggle to establish a running game. Cincinnati boasts the seventh-best passing attack in the league, and Burrow is currently among the top in passing yards and holds a completion rate of 70.3%.

One of the key matchups to watch will be the Bengals’ receivers against the Raiders’ secondary. Burrow managed to pass for 234 yards last week, connecting with seven different receivers. Notably absent was Tee Higgins due to a quad injury. Ja’Marr Chase has emerged as a standout player, leading the NFL with 674 receiving yards and seven touchdowns while also ranking fourth in total receptions and yards-after-catch. On the defensive side for the Raiders, safety Tre’von Moehrig leads his team with two interceptions.

In terms of injuries, the Raiders could be missing center Andre James (ankle), while guard Dylan Parham (foot) may return after being sidelined for the last two games. For the Bengals, Higgins and offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. (knee) are both listed as day-to-day.

Historically, the Bengals have been dominant in recent matchups, winning five of the last six dating back to 2012. Notably, they defeated the Raiders twice in the 2021 season, including a significant victory in the wild-card round of the playoffs.

In other notable stats, Raiders tight end Brock Bowers leads the league with 52 receptions, marking a remarkable achievement for a rookie tight end. Defensive end Maxx Crosby illustrates a unique contrast in performance with an 11.1% quarterback pressure rate, the lowest of his career despite tallying 6.5 sacks, representing 36.8% of his team’s total. Crosby inches closer to a milestone of 60 career sacks. Additionally, safety Moehrig has contributed with four tackles for loss and two interceptions, placing him in a distinguished group among the franchise’s defensive backs.

The Bengals’ running game remains a struggle as their running backs combined for only 43 yards against the Eagles last week, continuing a trend of limited ground yardage. Chase continues to be a force in the league with seven receiving touchdowns, and linebackers Germaine Pratt and Logan Wilson lead the team in tackles.

For fantasy football enthusiasts, the performance of Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki is noteworthy, as he recorded seven catches for 73 yards against the Eagles, standing third on the team in receiving behind Chase and Higgins.