Stat of the Jay: How Many Times Have the Bengals Been Favored by 7+ Points Despite Owning a Losing Record?

Jay Morrison | Oct 30, 2024

Andy Dalton drops back to throw in the second quarter against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. 100117 Bengals / Sam Greene, Cincinnati Enquirer via Imagn Content Services, LLC

CINCINNATI – Despite losing to the Philadelphia Eagles 37-17 to fall to 3-5, the Cincinnati Bengals opened as 8.5-point betting favorites for Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

The line has since shrunk to 7, but it still had me curious how many times the Bengals have been favored by 7 or more despite having a losing record more than a month into the season.

For that to be the case, the oddsmakers either have to see the team as being much better than its record indicates, or the opponent has to be absolutely dreadful.

Perhaps both qualifiers are in place this week.

This is the 17th time in franchise history the Bengals have been favored by 7 points or more despite having a losing record more than four games into a season.

But it’s the first time in nearly seven seasons.

The most recent incident was 2017, when the Bengals were 4-6 and facing the 0-10 Cleveland Browns.  Cincinnati won and covered with a 30-16 triumph.

Only four other instances have occurred since 2000.

Early in the 2017 season, the Bengals were 11-point favorites against the Indianapolis Colts despite being 2-4. Cincinnati won 24-23.

In 2016, they were 2-4 but 11-point favorites against the Browns and won 31-17.

In 2007, it happened in back-to-back weeks.

The Bengals were 4-8 and 10.5-point favorites at home against the St. Louis Rams. They won 19-10.

The following week, they were 8.5-point favorites in San Francisco and lost 20-13.

That loss was a rare one.

The only other time the Bengals lost as a favorite of 7 points or more despite having a losing record was way back in 1971 when they were 4-8 and 10-point favorites against Pittsburgh.

The Steelers, who actually had a better record at 5-7, came into Riverfront Stadium and won 21-13 in a game that featured five Cincinnati turnovers.

In the 16 games in which the Bengals have been favored by at least seven points despite having a losing record, they are 14-2 overall and 10-6 against the spread.

Here are the others:

1999: 3-10 but favored by 7 vs. Browns, won 44-28.

1997: 6-9, favored by 7 vs Ravens, won 16-14.

1985: 5-7, favored by 7.5 vs Oilers, won 45-27

1984: 7-8, favored by 13.5 vs Bills, won 52-21

1984: 1-4, favored by 9 vs Oilers, won 13-3

1983: 4-7, favored by 9 vs Oilers, won 38-10

1977: 2-4, favored by 7 vs Oilers, won 13-10

1971: 3-7, favored by 7 vs Chargers, won 31-0

1971: 2-7, favored 9 vs Oilers, won 28-13.

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