While it's hard to believe that an offense featuring Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins is 0-3, we’ve seen slow starts from Cincinnati before. They’ve bounced back in similar situations, like their 2022 run to the AFC Championship after starting 0-2.

Burrow is set up for a big bounce-back game against a weak Panthers defense. Carolina is missing key defensive players like Brian Burns and Derrick Brown, leaving them with no consistent pass rush. This gives Burrow all the time he needs to carve up a defense that has struggled mightily. With weapons like Chase and Higgins, expect the Bengals' offense to move the ball easily. If Cincinnati builds a big lead, they’ll also exploit Carolina's awful run defense, potentially giving guys like Chase Brown more touches.

On the other side, Andy Dalton showed some spark for the Panthers, but that came against a banged-up Raiders defense. The Bengals’ defense is improving against the run, so expect them to keep Chuba Hubbard in check, making it harder for the Panthers to control the game on the ground.

At 0-3, this is extremely close to a must-win situation for Cincinnati. From a trend perspective, the Bengals are 19-11-1 ATS following a loss since the 2020 season and that includes 5-1 ATS as a road favorite. With Cincinnati fighting to save their season, they’re in a great spot to cover the -4.5 and get back on track.