Bengals, Cardinals Close Out Week 3 of NFL Preseason Sunday Night

By: Monte Scates | Friday, August 22, 2014
NFL Preseason

Arizona Opened as a 2.5-Point Home Favorite Against Cincinnati.

The Cincinnati Bengals will travel to Arizona to take on the Cardinals on Sunday Night Football to close out Week 3 of the NFL preseason. The LVH SuperBook opened Arizona a 2.5-point favorite with the total set at 43 (click here to check the latest NFL odds). Week 3 carries so much importance in the preseason because this is when the starters usually play the most in preparation for the start of the regular season, so many teams will keep their starters in for the entire first half and some through the third quarter.

Cincinnati has yet to win a game this preseason, losing by two points to the Kansas City Chiefs (41-39) in Week 1 and by eight to the New York Jets (25-17) in Week 2. Both games went "over" the total with the Bengals going 0-1-1 against the spread.  Keep in mind, they are the defending AFC North champions with a Season Win Total of 9 posted at the SuperBook.

But the most important thing for Cincy is not wins and losses in the preseason, it's the health of star defensive tackle Geno Atkins, who is battling back from a torn ACL and is scheduled to return for the regular-season opener against the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 6. However, Atkins has not been ruled out for the preseason and listed as doubtful to play in this game (click here to check our updated NFL injury report). He is not the type of player the Bengals will want to rush back onto the field, although he still hopes to play.

The Cardinals are dealing with a serious injury to an All-Pro defensive lineman as well, as Darnell Dockett tore his ACL in practice last week and will be lost for the season. This is a serious blow to a unit that ranked sixth in total defense last season and also lost starting linebacker Karlos Dansby in free agency to the Cleveland Browns. Without those two impact players, many are expecting Arizona's defense to take a big step back this year, putting even more pressure on the offense to produce.

The Cardinals are 1-1 straight-up this preseason but 2-0 ATS. A player to keep an eye on for Arizona is wide receiver Michael Floyd, who is coming off a breakout season last year with 65 catches for 1,041 yards and five touchdowns. Look for the team to lean on Floyd more this season as star WR Larry Fitzgerald gets another year older.

The best individual matchup of the night will be between Bengals All-Pro WR A.J. Green and Cardinals All-Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson. This will be as good as just about any head-to-head player matchup you will see all year and should be very fun to watch. Fans and bettors can expect Green and Peterson to be playing with a regular-season level of intensity.

Arizona's regular season win total is 7.5 OVER -155, and getting there will be tough considering the difficult opponents the team must face twice each in the NFC West. Even though it's the preseason, playing well against a playoff team from last year in the Bengals could go a long way in giving the Cardinals the confidence they will need heading into the regular season.


 
 
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