Week 3 of the 2024 NFL season finishes with a Monday Night Football doubleheader that ends when the Washington Commanders travel to Paycor Stadium to take on the Cincinnati Bengals. Two Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks will take the field when Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals host Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders in the second of two Monday Night Football games. Burrow and the Bengals are still searching for their first win of the season after suffering a 26-25 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs last week. The Commanders, meanwhile, will try to make it two wins in a row after knocking off the New York Giants, 21-18, last week.
Kickoff from Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati is set for 8:15 p.m. ET. Cincinnati is a 7.5-point favorite in the latest Commanders vs. Bengals odds via the SportsLine Consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 46.5. Before locking in any Bengals vs. Commanders picks, make sure to check out the NFL predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up well over $7,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception. The model enters Week 3 of the 2024 NFL season on an incredible 187-130 run on top-rated NFL picks that dates back to the 2017 season. It is also on a 41-22 roll on top-rated NFL picks since Week 7 of 2022.
The model also ranked in the top 10 on NFLPickWatch four of the past six years on straight-up NFL picks and beat more than 94% of CBS Sports Football Pick'em players four times during that span. Anyone who has followed it is way up!
Now, the model has simulated Commanders vs. Bengals 10,000 times and just revealed its coveted NFL picks. Head to SportsLine now to see them. Here are several NFL odds and NFL betting lines on the spread, money line and over/under for Bengals vs. Commanders:
Despite being 0-2, the Bengals are still talented on both sides of the ball. Thus far, Cincinnati is 10th in the NFL in total defense (288) and second in pass defense (128.5). Cincinnati is also giving up 21 points per game. Defensive end Trey Hendrickson is an effective pass-rusher who finds a way to put opposing quarterbacks in difficult situations. The 29-year-old has 12 total pressures, seven hurries, and two sacks.
Cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt is a physical defender who has a strong straight-line speed to pick up ground. In two games, the Nebraska product has nine total tackles, two pass breakups, and one interception. Linebacker Logan Wilson is an additional force that finds his way to the ball. He leads the team in total tackles (24) with 12 stops in back-to-back outings. See who to back at SportsLine.
Despite having a rookie signal-caller, Washington features one of the NFL's most explosive offenses. The Commanders are averaging 362.0 yards per game this season, which ranks sixth in the league. They've been particularly effective on the ground, averaging 176.5 rushing yards per game, the third-most in the NFL.
Washington rushed for 215 yards in last week's win over New York. Running back Brian Robinson Jr. led the way in Washington's win, recording 17 carries for 133 yards. For the season, Robinson Jr. has racked up 173 rushing yards and a touchdown on 29 carries. He is averaging 6.0 yards per carry and now he'll look to dissect a Cincinnati defense that is giving up 159.5 rushing yards per game this season. See who to back at SportsLine.
SportsLine's model is leaning Over the total, projecting the teams to combine for 56 points. The model also says one side of the spread cashes in well over 50% of simulations. Head to SportsLine to see its picks.
So who wins Commanders vs. Bengals on Monday Night Football, and which side of the spread cashes well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Commanders vs. Bengals spread to back, all from the model that has returned well over $7,000 on top-rated NFL picks, and find out.
Bengals and Commanders Inactives Announced
The Cincinnati Bengals and Washington Commanders have announced their Week 3 inactives for Monday Night Football.
The big question mark was Vonn Bell, who will play tonight while dealing with a back injury. No surprise to see BJ Hill is out after being doubtful to play due to his hamstring injury, while Sheldon Rankins was previously ruled out due to his own hamstring injury. Because the Bengals are so thin at defensive tackle, they elevated Domenique Davis off the practice squad ahead of tonight’s contest. It’s also notable that first-round pick Amarius Mims is active and will make his NFL debut tonight off the bench.
For the Commanders, here is who will be out tonight:
- CB Emmanuel Forbes
- QB Sam Hartman
- S Darrick Forrest
- TE Colson Yankoff
- LB Dominique Hampton
- G Chris Paul
- DE Clelin Ferrell
Washington starting defensive end Clelin Ferrell was ruled out of Monday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals because of a knee injury, removing a key defender from a struggling defense. Ferrell, signed to a one-year deal in the offseason, has been dealing with an undisclosed knee issue this season. He was listed as questionable for the Week 2 game vs. the New York Giants but played and recorded a sack. Ferrell was listed on the injury report in Week 1 as well but was a full participant in practice all week.
Washington (1-1) plays at the Bengals (0-2) on Monday night. The Commanders' defense ranks 29th in scoring and 22nd in yards per game.
Quinn said the team would make a decision on the status of cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr. during pregame warmups but that it was more likely he'd play the following week at Arizona. Forbes had surgery on his right thumb after the season opener and did not play in Week 2 vs. the Giants.
The Bengals' Defensive Injuries
The Bengals already had ruled out defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (hamstring). They held out slim hope that they would have defensive tackle B.J. Hill, listing him as doubtful for Monday Night Football. Hill, though, is among the team’s inactives.
The Bengals will have safety Vonn Bell, who was questionable with a back injury. Cincinnati’s other inactives are wide receiver Trenton Irwin, offensive lineman Jaxson Kirkland, tight end Tanner McClachlan and tight end Tanner Hudson (knee).
The Commanders' Defensive Injuries
The Commanders’ inactives are defensive end Clelin Ferrell (knee), cornerback Emmanuel Forbes (thumb), free safety Darrick Forrest, strong safety Dominique Hampton, quarterback Sam Hartman, offensive guard Chris Paul and running back Colson Yankoff. Hartman will serve as the emergency third quarterback.
The Commanders are looking to make the NFL world sit up and take notice with the primetime audience watching intently. Gaining victory at the Cincinnati Bengals would represent a major statement of intent - one that would indicate things are trending in a positive direction under new head coach Dan Quinn and his accomplished coaching staff.
Washington is the biggest underdog of Week 3 according to sportsbooks. There were a few surprises throughout the league as teams continued to work out their respective kinks. The Bengals are a good squad, but they're coming off two straight defeats to begin the campaign and might be feeling the pressure to get their season on track. This is something the Commanders can take advantage of despite having plenty of problems to iron out. They don't look well matched defensively versus the Bengals' high-octane offense led by star quarterback Joe Burrow. Washington might need to turn it into a shootout to stand any chance of keeping things close.
That puts the onus squarely on rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. The No. 2 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft has done well within a controlled offense through two games. Kliff Kingsbury's been ultra-cautious about piling too much pressure on the young signal-caller. This could be the time to open things up with the bright lights of Monday Night Football beckoning.
Washington will be without its sack leader for the clash, which isn't ideal. Clelin Ferrell suffered a knee injury that didn't get better in time to make the trip. Things look more promising for rookie second-rounder Johnny Newton, who could be getting an increased workload based on Quinn's comments to the media.
There's another potential stumbling block facing the Commanders. The Bengals are finally ready to get stud wide receiver Tee Higgins back involved to resume his productive partnership with Ja'Marr Chase. Considering the problems suffered by Washington's secondary, this could be a major problem if the pass-rush cannot make Burrow uncomfortable.
It's all hands to the pump for Washington. Whether that'll be enough to counteract the significant firepower at the Bengals' disposal is another matter.
Who Will Step Up For the Commanders?
With key players out for both teams, this game could come down to which team can adjust best. Can the Bengals find a way to contain the Commanders' explosive rushing attack, even without Sheldon Rankins and BJ Hill? And can the Commanders overcome the absence of Clelin Ferrell and Emmanuel Forbes to slow down Joe Burrow and the Bengals' offense? The answers to these questions will determine the outcome of this crucial Monday Night Football matchup.
It is important to note that the information provided in this article is based on the latest available data and injury reports. However, the status of players can change rapidly, so it is always advisable to check with official sources for the most up-to-date information before making any decisions based on this article.
