Detroit Lions (3-1) vs Cincinnati Bengals (2-2)

Fast facts: 4:25 p.m. ET; Oct. 5; Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati; Fox; WXYT-FM 97.1.

Line: Lions by 10.

The coaches: Lions — Dan Campbell (47-36-1 overall, 42-29-1 with Lions); Bengals — Zac Taylor (48-54-1 overall, all with Bengals).

Last meeting: Oct. 17, 2021, Bengals won 34-11.

Key matchups

Lions DB Amik Roberton vs Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase

The Lions are dealing with their first bit of injury adversity of the 2025 season, with cornerback D.J. Reed likely out for a while after suffering a hamstring strain in the team’s 34-10 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. Reed was the team’s biggest free-agent addition in the offseason, brought in to handle No. 1 receivers like Chase — who is not just Cincinnati’s No. 1 receiver, but arguably the No. 1 receiver in the entire NFL.

And it’s not just Reed dealing with an injury. Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold left Sunday’s game with a milder injury than Reed’s, and All-Pro safety Kerby Joseph has been dealing with a knee issue all season. That means that defensive back Amik Robertson, who has played as a primary corner for the Lions before, might have to slot in against Chase instead of in his usual nickelback position.

The good news for Robertson is that Bengals Pro Bowl quarterback Joe Burrow won’t be the one slinging passes to Chase as Burrow continues his recovery from a turf toe injury. That job falls to backup Jake Browning, who looked fine replacing Burrow in 2023 but has looked pretty terrible over two starts so far in 2025, with five interceptions and just 6 yards per attempt. If the Lions’ pass rush pressures Browning like they pressured Cleveland’s Joe Flacco last week, Chase might not even get a chance to impact the game the way he usually does. That could be a huge relief for Robertson.

Lions QB Jared Goff vs Bengals S Jordan Battle

Cincinnati’s defense has given up 397.8 yards per game so far in 2025, third-worst in the NFL. Much of that has come off an unimpressive pass defense that Denver quarterback Bo Nix just torched for a career-high 326 yards. Assuming the Lions can keep All-Pro defensive end Trey Hendrickson off the stat sheet, Goff should have an easy time finding receivers downfield.

As long as he doesn’t throw the ball to Bengals’ safety Jordan Battle.

Battle is one of 13 players with multiple interceptions so far in 2025, picking one off in the season opener against Cleveland and another in his team’s win against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2. The former Alabama standout also leads his team in tackles, though that might have something to do with opposing quarterbacks finding ways to get the ball downfield against the Bengals.

His presence in the secondary shouldn’t prevent the Lions from passing, or even going deep. But the Lions don’t want to give extra possessions away, and the best way for Goff to take care of the football is knowing where Battle is at all times and keeping away from him.

Scouting report

Lions offense vs Bengals defense

It seems presumptious to say the Lions might use the upcoming Cincinnati game as a “get right” opportunity for wide reciever Jameson Williams, but considering how bad the Bengals’ pass defense has been this season (allowing 262 passing yards per game, third-worst in the NFL), that may not be the worst idea.

Williams had a rough game against the Browns on Sunday, hauling in just two catches on eight targets with multiple drops that would have turned into big plays. It ultimately didn’t matter, as the more veteran receivers Kalif Raymond and Amon-Ra St. Brown combined for three touchdowns in the win, but the Lions’ offense would significantly benefit from having Williams as a credible deep threat.

Even so, the Lions should still be fine even without Jamo in the mix. St. Brown has been otherworldly in clutch spots, already hauling in six touchdowns through four games, while the running back tandem of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery keep handling their assignments while trading off big games. Oh, and Goff still has the second-highest passer rating among all NFL starters through four games.

The biggest concern for the Lions’ offense is Trey Hendrickson, an All-Pro defensive end who recorded 35 sacks in 2023-24 combined. But considering how well the Lions handled the even more formidable Myles Garrett, it’s hard to imagine much changing this week in pass protection. Edge: Lions.

Lions defense vs Bengals offense

Cincinnati’s offense put up just 13 points and 330 yards against the Broncos on “Monday Night Football.”

Wait sorry, that’s a typo … the Bengals have put up 13 points and 330 yards against their last two opponents combined.

And yes, they faced two top-10 defenses in the Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos, with a backup quarterback at the helm in those two games. But even with Joe Burrow behind center, the Bengals have only put up one game with at least 200 total yards and more than 20 points so far this season. They are the worst team in the NFL by total offense (205.3 yards per game), gaining 75 fewer yards per game than even the Cleveland Browns, whose offense often looked impotent against the Lions on Sunday.

Basically, if the Lions defense somehow makes this a close game, you might see some defenders running wind sprints after the game is over.

The biggest question for the Lions defense entering the game is how the secondary will handle an injured D.J. Reed and a hobbled Kerby Joseph, especially against All-Pro receiver Ja’Marr Chase. But with the Bengals running game bringing basically nothing to the table, the Lions can focus all their attention on covering Chase and pressuring backup quarterback Jake Browning. Edge: Lions.

Christian Romo’s prediction for Detroit Lions vs Cincinnati Bengals

BetMGM has the Lions favored by 10½, but I don’t think it would be crazy if the Lions doubled or even tripled that margin of victory.

Detroit, by some measures, has the best offense in football, and Cincinnati, by other measures, has the worst offense in football. Detroit has an MVP candidate at quarterback and just about all of their skill players clicking before the toughest stretch of their regular season begins. The Bengals, on the other hand, are pretty much done for 2025 despite sitting in second place in a tough AFC North.

Don’t let the records fool you, because this is not a game between two contenders. This is a game between a team that, if healthy, may not lose more than three games all season and a team that may not win another game until December. Late December, even. The pick: Lions 42, Bengals 14.