Cincinnati Bengals vs Atlanta Falcons Picks and Predictions for Sunday, November 8, 2026

The NFL heads to Madrid on Sunday, where Cincinnati meets Atlanta at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 9:30 am ET on NFL Network. The Bengals (5-2, 2nd AFC North) beat Tennessee 43-36 in overtime last Sunday, extending their winning streak to three games. Atlanta (3-5, tied for 2nd NFC South) suffered a 16-0 loss to Tampa Bay and has dropped three of its last four. Check out our free NFL picks for Sunday's other matchups.

Cincinnati Bengals Bringing a Hot Offense to Madrid

Cincinnati needed overtime to put away Tennessee last Sunday. The Bengals eventually escaped with a 43-36 victory, their third straight win after dropping two consecutive games earlier in the season. Scoring hasn't been an issue lately. Cincinnati also put up 35 against Baltimore, with Joe Burrow leading an offense averaging 29.4 points per game. The defense has been less convincing, giving up 22.6 per contest and struggling badly against Tennessee.

Burrow has thrown for 2,115 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions, completing 73.0% of his passes. Tee Higgins leads the receivers with 726 yards and four touchdowns, while Ja'Marr Chase has six scoring catches. Chase Brown has gained 340 rushing yards, averaging 3.6 per carry. Defensively, Boye Mafe has 5.5 sacks. Cincinnati will need another sharp performance from Burrow against Atlanta.

Injuries: Cashius Howell and Andrei Iosivas are out. Kyle Dugger, DJ Turner II and Cedric Johnson are questionable.

Atlanta Falcons Looking to Get Their Offense Moving

Getting shut out wasn't how Atlanta wanted to head into Madrid. The Falcons had beaten San Francisco 29-20 on October 25, only to follow that with a 16-0 loss at Tampa Bay. That's three defeats in four games. Atlanta has scored 45 points against New Orleans this season, so the offense has shown it can put up numbers. But with Cincinnati coming off three straight victories, another afternoon without much production would leave the Falcons chasing the game.

Bijan Robinson has been hard to slow down, averaging 5.2 yards per carry with 780 rushing yards and four touchdowns. He's also broken eight runs of at least 20 yards. The passing game hasn't delivered the same results. Michael Penix Jr. has nine touchdown passes and five interceptions, while Drake London has caught 39 passes for 624 yards. Atlanta needs that connection working against a Bengals defense that just allowed 36 points to Tennessee. Getting Robinson going early should help open things up for Penix.

Injuries: Samson Ebukam and Zachariah Branch are out. Brian Robinson Jr., Divine Deablo and Billy Bowman Jr. are questionable.

Key To The Game

Can Atlanta keep Burrow on the sideline? Robinson gives the Falcons a chance to move the chains, but Cincinnati can score quickly with Higgins and Chase stretching the field. The Bengals just hung 43 points on Tennessee. Atlanta can't afford another slow offensive start, especially after failing to score against Tampa Bay.

Cincinnati Bengals vs Atlanta Falcons Game Pick

• Cincinnati Bengals -3

Cincinnati has won three straight, and Burrow's passing numbers make this matchup difficult for Atlanta. He's thrown 20 touchdown passes in seven games, while the Falcons arrive after getting shut out by Tampa Bay. Robinson could give Atlanta a way to control possession, but the Bengals have more ways to score if the game opens up. The three-point spread also leaves little room for a Bengals win that doesn't cover. Atlanta's defense has shown it can compete, though Cincinnati's recent form carries more weight here. I like the Bengals to win and cover the three points.

Cincinnati Bengals vs Atlanta Falcons Over/Under Pick

• Under 52.5

Cincinnati can score in bunches. The Bengals have put up 31, 35 and 43 points during their three-game winning streak, although the latest victory needed overtime. Atlanta isn't matching that pace. The Falcons managed nothing against Tampa Bay, and Penix has thrown five interceptions in six appearances. Robinson should still find room to run, which could help Atlanta hold onto the ball and shorten Cincinnati's possessions. But asking the Falcons to contribute enough points to push this game past 52.5 feels like a stretch after Sunday's shutout. I'm taking the under, with Cincinnati doing most of the scoring.