The Cincinnati Bengals welcome the Indianapolis Colts to Paul Brown Stadium on Thursday, as Cincinnati looks to get its first preseason win before the regular season gets underway.
Let's preview the game and dive into my Colts vs Bengals predictions and NFL pick on the total for tonight's preseason Week 3 game.
Colts vs Bengals Prediction: Bet the Under
- Colts vs Bengals pick: Under 34.5 points
My Colts-Bengals pick is on the total, with the best line available at Caesars, according to our live NFL odds page.
Colts vs Bengals Odds
| Colts Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-7 -110 | 34.5 -105o / -115u | -305 |
| Bengals Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+7 -110 | 34.5 -105o / -115u | +245 |
- Colts vs Bengals point spread: Colts -7 | Bengals +7
- Colts vs Bengals total: Over/under 34.5
- Colts vs Bengals moneylines: Colts -290 | Bengals +240
The point spread opened at Colts -2.5 but early action moved the spread more toward Indianapolis, and with bets continuing to pour in on the road favorites, the Colts are now all the way up to -7.
The total opened at 36.5 and has moved down a couple of points, with some books now as low as 33.5. Since our Colts vs Bengals bet is on the under, make sure to shop around for the best (meaning the highest) total.
Sam Farley's Colts vs Bengals Preview
The Colts and Bengals meet on Thursday after a fiery joint practice this week. This is the final of each team's preseason games and one that normally sees the majority of starters rested, although that won't be the case this week.
Joe Burrow only threw seven passes in the Bengals' first preseason game against the Bucs, and we're unlikely to see the former first overall pick on Thursday. We're also unlikely to see key starters, too.
That isn't the case for the Colts, with head coach Shane Steichen confirming on Tuesday that we'll see the starters — including Anthony Richardson — and that they'll "play about a quarter and a half, probably, give or take." That news is the reason why the Colts moved from 2.5-point favorites to 6.5-point favorites.
Whether the offense will do well is another question after the Colts and Richardson got a lot of heat in the joint practice this week. Richardson struggled and notably tried to extend plays with his legs frequently, with Bengals defensive tackle B.J. Hill shouting, "Throw the ball," and cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt saying, "All he does is run."
Then when Richardson did pass he got picked off.
How to Watch Colts vs Bengals: Start Time, Channel, Location
| Location: | Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati, OH |
| Date: | Thursday, August 22, 2024 |
| Kickoff: | 8 p.m. ET |
| TV/Streaming: | Amazon Prime Video |
Use Quickslip to Bet Colts vs Bengals
My Colts vs Bengals Prediction
Colts vs Bengals Best Bet
We're taking the under due to the lack of quality at QB, with the Bengals splitting reps between Logan Woodside and Rocky Lombardi and the Colts using Kedon Slovis, Jason Bean and Sam Ehlinger behind Richardson in their most recent preseason game against the Cardinals.
If Richardson doesn't improve on his practice performance then he'll struggle again here. Given that the under has landed in 26-of-33 preseason games so far, we'll continue to back that with poor offense looking likely here.
Colts vs Bengals Pick: Under 34.5 (-108)
Colts vs Bengals Betting Trends
- 67% of bets and 89% of the money are on the Colts to cover the spread.
- 56% of bets and 63% of the money are on the under.
All data via Action Network's public betting percentages and as of Thursday evening.
