Packers -4.5 (-110)
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- The Cincinnati Bengals are just 3-7 in preseason games since Head Coach Zac Taylor took over in 2019.
- Jordan Love, along with several other Packers’ starters, are expected to play at least a portion of the game on Friday night.
- The Bengals, who are coming off an AFC Championship Game appearance last season, have already announced that most of their starters won’t play against the Packers.
The Green Bay Packers will visit the Cincinnati Bengals on Friday night in what will be each team’s first preseason game of 2023. After 3x NFL MVP and long-time Packer Aaron Rodgers was traded to the New York Jets in April, 2020 first-round pick Jordan Love will take the reigns in Green Bay and is expected to get the start in this Packers vs Bengals matchup. Meanwhile, Bengals QB Joe Burrow, who likely would have sat anyways, has already been ruled out after suffering a calf injury early on during training camp.
Although preseason games can be unpredictable, this upcoming matchup between the Packers and Bengals holds particular intrigue and may just be a great opportunity for astute bettors. Now, let’s make our best NFL betting picks for this interconference showdown.
Packers vs Bengals Betting Pick
Packers vs Bengals: Packers -4.5 (-110)
Why Bet on the Packers To Cover:
✅ Since Zac Taylor took over as the Bengals’ head coach in 2019, Cincinnati is just 3-7 in preseason games. They have also lost four of their last five preseason matchups.
✅ Packers’ starting quarterback Jordan Love and many other starters are expected to see the field on Friday night against the Bengals. Love will look to get off to a good start in his first preseason game in Year 1 of the post-Aaron Rodgers era.
✅ The Bengals are coming off an AFC Championship Game appearance in the 2022-2023 NFL Playoffs and have nothing to prove in the preseason. Cincinnati has already announced most of their starters will sit in the Packers vs Bengals game on Friday.
This game will be played at Paycor Stadium at 7:00 PM ET on August 11, 2023.
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers finished the 2022 NFL season with an 8-9 record, missing the postseason for just the third time since 2008. Now, all eyes are on 2020 first-round pick Jordan Love, who will take over for Aaron Rodgers and be just the third quarterback to start for the Packers in Week 1 since 1992.
Green Bay stayed fairly quiet during free agency over the offseason; however, they did lose several key pieces from their offense, including wide receivers Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb as well as tight ends Robert Tonyan and Marcedes Lewis.
Overall, it remains unclear which direction the Packers are going, whether they will hope to compete under Jordan Love or look to rebuild after the departure of their 15-year starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Cincinnati Bengals
Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Bengals are coming off a 12-4 season in which they won their division and reached the AFC Conference Championship before suffering a crushing 23-20 defeat to the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
During the offseason, Cincinnati landed 4x Pro Bowl offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. and former Vikings tight end Irv Smith Jr. while also returning all starters from their 2022 offense, which ranked top 10 in the league in points per game, yards per game, and first downs.
Quarterback Joe Burrow and the Bengals enter the 2023 season with the fifth-best odds to win Super Bowl LVIII, and they appear to be more than capable of winning their first league championship in franchise history.
