Bengals vs Giants Preseason Week 2 NFL Picks: Cincinnati Aims to Rebound Against Injury-Riddled Giants

The New York Giants will be looking to build on a narrow 23-21 win over New England in last week’s NFL preseason opener as they play host to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunda. Find out who we like in our Bengals-Giants picks. 

With their starters nailed to the bench, the Bengals were outclassed in last week’s crushing 36-23 loss to Arizona. While the team has no plans to play their starters, the Giants’ recent rash of injuries provides them with a golden opportunity to atone for last week’s sloppy performance.

Here are our Bengals-Giants picks for NFL preseason Week 2 (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook and PointsBet).

Bengals vs. Giants Game Info

Date: Sunday, Aug. 21, 7 p.m. ET
TV: Regionally televised, NFL Network
Location: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
Weather: 75 degrees, 40% chance of precipitation, 12-mph winds

Bengals vs. Giants Odds Analysis

The betting line for Sunday night’s matchup opened with the New York Giants as 2-point favorites. The spread has grown since then to as much as 6-points at PointsBet

A wider offering exists for sports bettors seeking value on the moneyline. The Bengals opened as +210 moneyline underdogs at most sportsbooks, with DraftKings now listing them as a +180 wager. However, they have remained a lucrative +200 bet at both Caesars and PointsBet.

While both these teams turned in steady offensive performances in their respect preseason openers, the total has faded since opening. The biggest slide has come at DraftKings, where the number now sits at 38 from an opening total of 42.

Bengals vs Giants Picks

Bengals vs Giants ATS Pick

Bengals +6 (-115)

The Bengals opted to dress very few starters in last week’s preseason-opening 36-23 loss to Arizona, and little is expected to change in Sunday’s clash at MetLife Stadium. With quarterback Joe Burrow still recovering from injury, the lion’s share of the work under center was handled by Jake Browning.  While Browning was far from dominant connecting on just 13 of 24 pass attempts for 190 yards and no scores, the former Washington Huskies star could once again be in line for a busy night after second-stringer Brandon Allen suffered a concussion in last week’s loss to the Cards.

Whoever is under center for Cincy will not have the benefit of any starters to target. Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Joe Mixon are all expected to have the night off, as are the members of Cincinnati’s retooled offensive line.

While the Bengals’ decision to once again sit their regulars creates an opportunity for New York, the Giants are wrestling with a plague of injuries that could force them to turn to their starters sooner than planned. QB Tyrod Taylor drew praise from both the media and his teammates for his performance in last week’s win.

With key members of the New York offensive line, along with offensive stalwarts like Matt Breida, Sterling Shepard, Darius Slayton, and Kadarius Toney, all sidelined by injury, the Giants may be forced to turn to regulars like Saquon Barkley to fill out the lineup.

Despite this, the Bengals should have more than enough to keep this close.

Bengals vs Giants O/U Pick

Over 38 (-110)

Tyrod Taylor has his eye squarely focused on the starting quarterback job in New York. He should enjoy plenty of opportunities and motivation to generate offense against the Bengals’ second and third-string defense. The Bengals have nowhere to go but up, making Sunday’s date with New York timely.

Sports betting fans taking the Over enjoyed steady payouts in Week 1 of the NFL preseason. That includes the games involving the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tennessee Titans, which finished Over 33 and 32, respectively.

Where to Bet on Bengals-Giants Picks 

Here are our top-rated sportsbooks:

FanDuel Sportsbook
Caesars Sportsbook
DraftKings Sportsbook
PointsBet
BetMGM 

SEE ALSO: All picks, odds, and sports betting news. Be sure to check out SportsbookReview.com’s community forums and betting tools.

Bengals-Giants picks made 8/20/2022 at 11:52 a.m. ET