The Detroit Lions and Cincinnati Bengals will clash in Week 5 of the NFL season on Sunday. As the 2025 season heads into October, Cincinnati is desperate for a win to avoid a 2-3 start. Detroit will aim to prevent that and improve to 4-1 in the process. Who will come out on top when there are Lions and tigers (but no bears) on the field in Cincinnati? Continue reading to get my Lions vs Bengals prediction below.
Our Lions vs Bengals Pick
- Pick: Lions –10.5
- Confidence: ★★★★☆
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Detroit Lions @ Cincinnati Bengals
- Date & Time: Sunday, October 5, 2025, 4:25 PM ET
- Venue: Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati, OH
- Broadcast: FOX
Lions vs Bengals Odds
| Line | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Lions –10.5 | Detroit –650, Bengals +425 | 49.5 points |
Key Storylines
The top storyline here is Cincinnati’s loss of Joe Burrow. Burrow is sidelined with a Grade-3 toe injury and is expected to be out for a substantial stretch of this season. His absence has forced the Bengals to lean on backup quarterback Jake Browning, weakening the offense significantly. Cincinnati has lost two games in a row in blowout fashion and they will look to avoid a third straight loss with Browning under center.
Detroit is firing on all cylinders. In Week 4, they dismantled the Browns 34-10, turning turnovers into points and showing balance in their passing and rushing attacks. Amon-Ra St. Brown caught two touchdowns and Jahmyr Gibbs chipped in with 91 rushing yards and a score. The Lions look like title contenders early in the season and they will try to get a fourth straight win after dropping their opener to the Green Bay Packers.
Quarterback Play
Detroit: Jared Goff has settled into a rhythm early in the season. He may not be the flashiest arm in the league, but his efficiency is some of the best at his position in the NFL. He has completed nearly three-quarters of his passes and has nine touchdown passes to just two interceptions.
Cincinnati: Jake Browning probably did not expect to play so much football this season. But he has struggled in the place of Joe Burrow. He has three touchdown passes to five interceptions so far this season and he has to limit turnovers if the Bengals want any chance at avoiding a third straight loss.
Betting Trends
- Detroit is 3-1 against the spread so far this season.
- Cincinnati is 1-3 against the spread heading into Week 5.
- Both teams are 2-2 on over/unders through Week 4.
- Detroit is 1-1 on the road for the season.
- Cincinnati is 1-0 in their home games thus far.
Lions vs Bengals Model Projection
- Score Projection: Detroit 28 – Cincinnati 14
- Win Probability: Detroit 75%, Cincinnati 25%
Final Thoughts
The Bengals could have been such a good team this year if Joe Burrow was healthy. But without Burrow to lead the passing attack, the Bengals don’t have enough offense to hide the shortcomings of their defense. I will lay the points with Detroit in this game, as they will only need to score into the mid-20s to win by double-digits here.
