NFL Monday Night Football Schedule & Predictions: Denver Broncos at Cincinnati Bengals (VOTE)
The Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals will play on Monday night at 8:30 p.m. EST in a big AFC showdown.
Both of these AFC teams have yet to lose consecutive games, and they both lead their respective divisions. Each team is coming off a win, giving them a combined 20-7-1 record.
Let's see who has the advantage in this game:
Denver Broncos (11-3)
The defending AFC champions are trying to capture the No. 1 seed in the AFC for the third consecutive season. The only losses for the Broncos this season have come against the New England Patriots, St. Louis Rams and Seattle Seahawks.
Quarterback Peyton Manning is playing like his usual MVP self with 37 touchdowns and 11 interceptions and a 106.4 passer rating. Emmanuel Sanders, Demaryius Thomas and Julius Thomas have a combined 30 receiving touchdowns this season. The Broncos' offense ranks fourth in yards gained and fifth in points scored.
The biggest name in Denver over the last month has been running back CJ Anderson, who has been outstanding lately providing the Broncos with a much-needed rushing attack. Anderson is averaging 4.6 yards per carry in his 12 starts this season, and the 23-year-old shows a lot of promise.
Without a doubt, the most underrated factor for the Broncos has been their defense. With the additions of DeMarcus Ware, Aqib Talib and TJ Ward, the Broncos' defense now ranks No. 4 in total yards given up and No. 2 in rushing yards allowed. Von Miller leads the Broncos with 13 sacks, and another Pro Bowl Appearance is certain.
Denver will be playing on the road, so scoring early and silencing the crowd is extremely important. This season, the Broncos are 4-3 on the road. With the Patriots defeating the New York Jets and improving to 12-3, this is a must-win game for the Broncos if they want that No. 1 seed in the AFC. The Broncos have to win their final two games, and New England would have to lose their final game, to the Buffalo Bills.
The Broncos will play the Oakland Raiders in Week 17.
Cincinnati Bengals (9-4-1)
At 9-4-1, the Bengals lead the AFC North, a division which they won last season.
It's going to be a tough game, but the Bengals need this win because the Pittsburgh Steelers are 10-5 and the Baltimore Ravens are 9-6. Quarterback Andy Dalton has been heavily criticized for his big game performances, and this would definitely qualify as a "big game."
Head coach Marvin Lewis is on the hot seat, and he knows this is a must-win game at home. Stopping Manning will a tough task, but the Bengals defense has allowed the fewest passing touchdowns this season. Jeremy Hill leads the Bengals with 877 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, while A.J. Green has a team-leading 959 receiving yards.
Dalton hasn't played nearly as good as we're used to seeing him perform in the past with just 15 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, but the Bengals will need him to come through Monday night. It's unlikely Dalton will outplay Manning, but he just can't make bad throws in critical moments.
This game brings back memories of the '80s rivalry the two teams once had between each other. The Bengals and Broncos made it to a combined five Super Bowls in the 1980s.
The Bengals will play the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 17.
Schedule, Where to Watch
The Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals will play on Monday at 8:30 p.m. EST on ESPN. The game will be played at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. You can view a live game stream here.
Predictions
The Bengals need this win, but so do the Broncos. The weather isn't expected to play a factor, and Manning is just on another level when compared to Dalton. If Anderson can continue his consistent ways, the Broncos should have no problem getting this win. The Bengals will have to establish a powerful running game to keep Manning off the field. The Bengals lost their last home game to the Steelers, 42-21. Their previous home game ended in a loss to the Cleveland Browns, 24-3.
Broncos win 31-17
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