This article is part of our NFL Picks series.
Buffalo Bills 
at Cincinnati Bengals 
Betting Odds, Picks, and Predictions for NFL Week 9
The Bills were able to get back in the win column in Week 8 with a 24-18 win over the Buccaneers, but they still didn't quite look like themselves. Buffalo is just 2-2 over its last four games and nearly fell short a third time against the Giants in that sample.
The Bengals continued their ascent in Week 8 with a 31-17 road win against the 49ers, a game in which Joe Burrow finally appeared to be at full health. Cincinnati has now won three straight games, with the two road victories in that span coming by 14 points apiece.
Buffalo Bills at Cincinnati Bengals Betting Odds for NFL Week 9
*Best lines at time of writing listed
Moneyline: Bengals -125 (BetMGM Sportsbook) / Bills +110 (DraftKings Sportsbook)
Point spread: Bengals -1.5 (PointsBet Sportsbook) / Bills +2 (DraftKings Sportsbook)
Totals: Over 50.5 points (DraftKings Sportsbook) / Under 50.5 points (DraftKings Sportsbook)
The spread for this game has seen some interesting movement dating back to the summer, when it opened at Bengals -1. Cincy's uneven early-season play led to that number flipping to Bills -1.5 prior to Week 8 action, but Cincinnati's win over the Niners understandably made such an impression on the betting public that the number flipped all the way back and to as much as Bengals -3 at one point this week.
The total has been on a steady ascent over the last week-plus. The figure was between 46 and 46.5 prior to Week 8, but once the Bengals hung 31 points on San Francisco, the figure unsurprisingly began to climb. It was already at 49 before mid-week and experienced another late-week surge to get it to 50.5 going into the weekend.
Buffalo Bills at Cincinnati Bengals Betting Picks This Week
A Bills-Bengals matchup will forever be associated with Damar Hamlin's scary cardiac incident last December, and Buffalo players have spoken this week how a return to Paycor Stadium will trigger plenty of emotion.
While that is certainly a powerful intangible, there is also a much more conventional one, in a football sense, that will be at play Sunday night. Buffalo was embarrassed by the Bengals on their home field in a divisional-round playoff loss the following month, 27-10. The abrupt ending to a season that the Bills had Super Bowl aspirations for naturally has been stinging since that point.
Notably, it's those same Bengals who come into this game with appreciably more momentum in terms of quality of recent play. The two teams are extremely close on paper, as was the case last season. The quarterback, running back and receiver positions are just about dead even between the teams, while the Bills appear to have a clear advantage at tight end.
However, defensively, Buffalo arguably enjoys an advantage. The Bills are allowing 326.1 total yards per game, while the Bengals are ranked 27th with 370.7 surrendered per contest. Sean McDermott's squad is also conceding only 17.0 points per game compared to the Bengals' 20.6, and the Bills have also recorded 28 sacks, seven more than Cincy in just one additional game.
With the offenses so closely matched, it will be the better defense that tips the scales in this showdown as far as on-field factors are concerned. In that respect, Buffalo's edge will show up to pull off the upset, but the explosive offensive pieces on either side will help push this game just slightly over the total.
Team vs./@ Opponent Best Bets:
Bills moneyline (+110 on DraftKings Sportsbook)
Same-Game Parlay- Bills moneyline and Over 50.5 points (+264 on FanDuel Sportsbook)
Buffalo Bills at Cincinnati Bengals Prediction
Bills 28, Bengals 24
As mentioned, there will be plenty of emotion on the Bills' side in this game for a multitude of reasons, and Buffalo will also enjoy a rest advantage. That could well be the tie-breaker between two very talented teams, two units so close in overall talent that even the venue won't have an inordinately high impact. Josh Allen's playmaking prowess will outshine Burrow just slightly in this spot and Buffalo's defense will step up with some key late stops to give the visitors a narrow victory.
