Detroit Lions vs. Cincinnati Bengals Picks and Prediction, Sunday, October 5, 2025
Use Code WWWC It’s a top-tier matchup in the afternoon on Sunday, Oct. 5. Read our Detroit Lions vs Cincinnati Bengals prediction along with our other NFL Picks! The Lions are 3-1 this season, and they are riding a three-game winning streak as they look the part of a playoff contender. The Bengals have struggled mightily due to the absence of star quarterback Joe Burrow. Cincinnati has a 2-2 record, but they have been blown out in their previous two games without Burrow. These two teams will meet with the kick-off set for 4:25 P.M. EST.
Detroit on 3-game winning streak
Detroit is 3-1 through the first month of the season. It was a tough start for them with a 27-13 loss to the Packers in Week 1. The Tigers have followed it with three straight wins, notably in Week 3 when they defeated the Ravens on the road.
In their last game, the Lions dominated Cleveland 34-10 at home in Week 4. Cleveland jumped out to a 7-0 lead, but they struggled to move the ball afterwards. The Lions were in control, winning field position and dominating at the line of scrimmage. Detroit’s defense forced Cleveland to go 3-for-14 on third down and secured three turnovers. Quarterback Jared Goff threw for 168 yards on 16-for-27 passing as he had two touchdowns and a pick. It was a big game from Jahmyr Gibbs, who had 91 yards on 15 carries and a score.
Goff continues to be an elite quarterback this year with his 74% passing completion. He has weapons all around him with star running back Gibbs and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. Jameson Williams and Sam Laporta are also big-time weapons for the team, too.
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On defense, Aidan Hutchinson highlights the team with his four total sacks. Linebacker Jack Campbell leads the team with 37 tackles. The entire defense has forced six total turnovers on the year, too.
"We got guys for days," Detroit defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said this week about his group. "I just tell (defensive tackle) Kacy (Rodgers), you just roll them in. I don’t care who’s in the game, we got four defensive tackles, they’re all starting-caliber players and that’s something new around here as you guys know, and it’s a joy. I’m glad my first year doing this, I’m able to just have the comfortability that we can roll those guys as we see fit as the game goes.”
Detroit is averaging 34.3 points per game, which is the best mark in the league. They are passing for 226 yards per game, placing them 10th. The Lions are also the sixth-best rushing attack with 139 rushing yards per game.
On defense, the Lions are allowing 22 points per game, which ranks 16th in the sport. Detroit is the seventh-best rushing defense, giving up 94 yards per game. They are also the 13th-ranked pass defense, giving up 199 yards per game through the air.
Detroit is 3-1 against the spread this season. The Lions have covered in three straight games as they are 2-0 as a favorite. The Lions are 1-1 against the spread when playing on the road. The total is 2-2 when the Lions have played this year. The over is 2-1 when the total is 46 or higher.
As of Thursday, Detroit linebacker Zach Cunningham, tackle Taylor Decker, safety Kerby Joseph, and running back Sione Vaki did not participate in practice. Tackle Alim McNeill was limited in practice.
Bengals offense struggling without Joe Burrow
Cincinnati is 2-2 overall this season. They opened the season with a 17-16 win over Cleveland in Week 1. The Bengals followed it with a 31-27 over the Jaguars while Joe Burrow suffered his turf toe injury, which has him placed on the injured reserve. Burrow is out for the foreseeable future and the Bengals' offense has taken a hit.
In their last game, the Bengals lost 28-3 to the Broncos on the road in Week 4. This performance comes on the heels of a 48-10 loss to Minnesota.
Against Denver, the Bengals accumulated just 159 yards of offense as they went 2-for-11 on third down. The offense couldn’t move the ball at all as they picked up just nine first downs all game. Quarterback Jake Browning threw for just 125 yards on 14-for-25 passing. Chase Brown led the running backs with 40 yards on 10 carries. The offense is simply in a rut.
On defense, Jordan Battle leads the team with 32 tackles. Defensive end Trey Hendrickson has a team-high two sacks. The defense has only forced five turnovers this year, too. Every turnover has been an interception this season.
"They might not have had all the talent in the world then, and we got the best of them that day, but you could see something that was building in the future, whether people believed it at the time or not,” Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said about Detroit. "Now you're here in 2025 and they've had the success they've had over the years, the success they've had this year winning three in a row, it's a really good football team."
Cincinnati is averaging 15.3 points per game, which ranks third-worst in the league. They have the third-worst passing offense, averaging 155.3 yards per game. The Bengals are also the worst rushing attack with 50 yards per game.
On defense, the Bengals are allowing 29.8 points per game, which places them sixth-worst. Cincinnati is the third-worst pass defense, giving up 262 yards through the air. They also rank 26th in rush defense, giving 135.8 yards per game on the ground.
Cincinnati is 1-3 against the spread this season. They are 1-1 against the spread when they have been favored. The Bengals are also 0-2 against the spread as an underdog. In their lone home game, the Bengals covered as a 3.5-point favorite against the Jaguars. The total is 2-2 this season. The under is 2-1 when the total has been set at 44 points or higher this season.
As of Thursday, Cincinnati wide receiver Charlie Jones and defensive end Shemar Stewart did not participate in practice. Defensive tackle BJ Hill, corner Daxton Hill, and center Matt Lee were limited in practice.
Lions vs Bengals Picks
Detroit Lions vs Cincinnati Bengals Spread Pick
- Detroit Lions -10.5
Cincinnati looks like an absolute shell of itself at the moment. Without star quarterback Joe Burrow, the offense lacks any sort of downfield threat with Jake Browning. The Bengals have one of the worst rushing offenses in the league, thanks to their poor passing offense. Defenses are filling the box with defenders as they aren’t scared of any threat in the passing game. Detroit thrives in these scenarios, and they will force a few turnovers and get the ball in good field position.
Cincinnati’s defense is the third-worst passing defense in the sport at the moment. Detroit is going to feast behind Jared Goff and his numerous options. When the Bengals are thinking pass, Jahmyr Gibbs is going to take some long rushes, keeping Cincinnati’s defense on their toes. It’s a bad matchup for the Bengals at an even worse time for them. Expect a big win for Detroit as they continue to coast on their three-game winning streak.
Take the Lions to cover.
Lions vs Bengals Over/Under Pick
- Under 49.5 (5 units)
Cincinnati’s offense has looked out of sorts in its past two games without Joe Burrow. There is little belief that it will change in this game against another top-notch defense in Detroit. The Lions' defense is elit,e and they can rush the quarterback, causing havoc all game long. Cincinnati’s lack of rushing attack will prove once again to be its downfall, as it won’t be able to score many points at all. Detroit’s offense is great, but they can’t score all of the points in this one. The under is 2-1 when the total has been set at 44 points or higher this season in Bengals games.
Take the under on Sunday.
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