The Arizona Cardinals travel to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals on Sunday in a matchup between two teams that are out of playoff contention. These teams have both reached double-digits in the loss column already this year and will try to get a win to make things feel slightly better with the end of the regular season approaching. Before kickoff from Cincinnati, you can find my Cardinals vs Bengals prediction right here.
Our Cardinals vs Bengals Pick
| Pick: | |
| Confidence: | 4/5 |
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Arizona Cardinals vs Cincinnati Bengals
- Date & Time: Sunday, December 28, 2025, 1:00 PM
- Venue: Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati, OH
- Broadcast: FOX
Key Storylines
Cincinnati enters this game as the clear betting favorite after a strong offensive showing in Week 16 that saw them score 45 points on the Miami Dolphins, led by a four-touchdown performance from quarterback Joe Burrow and contributions from Ja’Marr Chase. Chase continues his Pro Bowl-caliber season with over 1,250 receiving yards and remains one of the most dangerous weapons in the league. The Bengals are outside of postseason contention with a 5-10 record, but they will try to build something positive late in the season.
Arizona is 3-12 and has struggled mightily. They will likely continue to rely on veteran Jacoby Brissett at quarterback and tight end Trey McBride, who has set NFL receiving records for his position this season. While McBride’s production has been a bright spot, the Cardinals have had trouble closing out games and scoring consistently in the second half. Those are big reasons that the Cardinals have dropped seven games in a row.
Quarterback Play
For the Cardinals, Brissett has been a high-volume passer in the wake of Kyler Murray’s season-ending injury, ranking among the league’s leaders in pass attempts and completions since taking over at quarterback. His overall efficiency ranks outside the top tier in the league, however, and Arizona’s inability to establish a consistent ground game has put undue pressure on the passing offense of Arizona. McBride remains Brissett’s top target and should see plenty of action against Cincinnati’s secondary.
Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow has returned from his injuries and has looked sharp in recent action, delivering multiple touchdown passes without an interception in Week 16 against the Dolphins. His rapport with Chase and Tee Higgins, who has returned from concussion protocol, gives Cincinnati a dangerous aerial attack that can exploit even the best secondaries in the league.
Betting Trends
- Arizona is 6-9 against the spread going into this game.
- Cincinnati is 7-8 against the spread so far this season.
- Both of these teams have gone over the total in 9 of their first 15 games.
Cardinals vs Bengals Model Projection
Final Thoughts
