Cardinals vs. Bengals Preseason Week 1 NFL Picks: Battle of Backup QBs

The banged-up Arizona Cardinals are set to square off against the high-flying Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1 of the NFL preseason. Here are our best Cardinals-Bengals picks to make ahead of Friday night kickoff.

The preseason hasn't been kind to either head coach featured in this matchup, both of whom took up their respective posts in 2019. Cardinals' coach Kliff Kingsbury has a 2-4 preseason record with the team and Bengals' Zac Taylor has had nearly identical luck at 2-5.

Both teams will be without key starters, meaning this game will ultimately come down to strategy and depth.

Here are our Cardinals-Bengals NFL picks for preseason Week 1 (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Cardinals vs. Bengals Game Info

Date/Time: Friday, Aug. 12, 7:30 p.m. ETTV: Regionally TelevisedLocation: Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati, OHWeather: 80 degrees, 10% chance of precipitation, 9-mph winds

Cardinals vs. Bengals Odds Analysis

There's a chance that this game, with an Over/Under total currently set at 31, could end up with a low point total, given how many starters are likely to sit. However, a large consensus of NFL sports bettors feels quite differently as 72% of the tickets and a whopping 98% of the cash are on the Over, according to Pregame.com. A lot of major sportsbooks are sitting at a similar O/U total of 31, and the same goes for the spread which generally sits between -1.5 and -2 for the Bengals.

Cardinals vs. Bengals Picks

Cardinals vs. Bengals ATS Pick

Bengals (-130)

The lack of available high-end options truly makes this game a toss-up in many ways. On the other hand, Arizona running backs Eno Benjamin and Darrel Williams will be playing. Both are competent NFL players vying for a backup role, so they'll be motivated to make big plays.

Unfortunately, that advantage might not mean much as the Cardinals will have very limited options at quarterback. They are planning on starting Trace McSorley - an inexperienced 26-year-old. He likely won’t play the full game but his replacement, Jarrett Guarantano, has never taken an NFL snap. A QB combination of Jake Browning and Brandon Allen will give the Bengals a better chance at passing TDs.

Cardinals vs. Bengals O/U Pick

Over 30.5 (-110)

To be completely blunt, this game is going to be sloppy. It's the first game of the preseason for both teams, meaning players will be rusty. It may just be the preseason, but 30.5 is still a very low total to hit. Four touchdowns and a single field goal would do the trick - provided there aren't any missed PATs.

The general strength at running back, compared to some of the defensive positions, should lead to missed tackles and holes in the line. A path to four rushing TDs and a field goal between two teams in 60 minutes isn't hard to envision, making this pick seem like a slam dunk.

Cardinals vs. Bengals Prop Pick

Bengals to win by 1-13 points (+155)

The chances of this game being close are high. Both teams play with decent pace, but the number of scoring opportunities shouldn't lead to any one team running away with it. The matchup is fairly even, which is why the betting odds aren't too extreme one way or the other.

Unfortunately, prop bets are few and far between in the preseason, with individual player props being virtually non-existent. On the bright side, props like this one are available and these markets are a good way to boost your odds in order to receive larger payouts. Cincinnati has a good chance of winning this game, but it would be somewhat surprising if the team won by more than 13 points.

Where to Bet on Cardinals vs. Bengals Picks

Here are our top-rated sportsbooks:

FanDuel SportsbookCaesars SportsbookDraftKings SportsbookPointsBetBetMGM

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

Cardinals vs. Bengals picks made 8/10/2022 at 6:41 p.m. ET