NFL picks: Tennessee Titans vs. Cincinnati Bengals Divisional Round picks and analysis

The Tennessee Titans are getting ready to host a Wild Card game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday afternoon in Nashville. The Titans had the one-seed and first round bye, so they’ll kick off their playoff campaign here against the red-hot Bengals. An ever-important spot in the AFC Championship Game is up for grabs. The road to Super Bowl LVI travels through Nashville! What a time to be alive.

Our friends over at DraftKings Sportsbook currently have the Titans as 3.5-point favorites against the Bengals, with an Over/Under of 48. The line has remained relatively steady throughout the week. The folks over at FiveThirtyEight have the Titans at a 66% chance of winning.

We here at MCM (along with surprise guests and familiar faces) made our picks and predictions!

Myself, Justin Melo (@JustinM_NFL): Playoff football is all about being able to run the ball and the will to win the line of scrimmage on both sides. This greatly favors the Titans, as their front seven has been one of the best performing units in the league. Offensively, the Titans are getting their horses back and got healthy at the opportune moment. Derrick Henry should have great success running the rock behind a surging O-line, and against a struggling, banged-up Bengals defensive line. Playing at home in front of a rambunctious home crowd will also provide a boost. The Titans will make enough plays on both sides of the ball to reign victorious and advance to the AFC Championship Game. Titans 27, Bengals 20.

Mike Miracles (“Semi-Retired” Writer, Former MCM Contributor! @MikeMiracles): What’s up, MCM?!? The Bengals have the flashy quarterback and the high-flying receivers, but the Titans have clear advantages in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Ultimately, I think the Titans offense gets a boost from finally having Henry, A.J. Brown, and Julio Jones are healthy at the same time and we see a relatively comfortable 31-20 win for Tennessee.

Turron Davenport (ESPN NFL Nation Reporter. @TDavenport_NFL): The Titans have generated 35 sacks using just a four-man pass rush, which is the second most in the NFL. They have only blitzed on 18% of their rushes this season. Meanwhile, Joe Burrow’s QBR dropped by 34.6 when he hasn’t faced a blitz. Impacting Burrow with the front four and dropping seven into coverage will be the key to the Titans winning the game.

Terry Lambert (MCM Contributor, @TLambertTN) - In a season that’s been full of injuries, the Titans have managed to get healthy at the right time. People forget how good this offense is with Henry in place, and assuming he’s fully ready, Tennessee has the pieces in place to outscore Cincinnati. I think you get just enough from the Titans’ defense late in this one to get to the AFC Championship. Titans 27, Bengals 23

Luke Worsham (A to Z Sports, @Luke_Worsham): In their third consecutive postseason appearance, the Titans aren’t just happy to be here. They’re legitimately on a mission to win a title, and that gives them a real advantage. Assuming Derrick Henry redons his crown and the front four continues wreaking havoc on QBs, Tennessee will beat Cincinnati, and the team will have a real shot at winning it all. Score: 27-21 Titans.

We hope you enjoyed this post as much as we enjoyed putting it together! Stay tuned to MCM.