Arizona Cardinals (3-12) @ Cincinnati Bengals (5-10)
Sunday, December 28, 1:00 PM ET
This isn’t exactly the premier matchup on the NFL’s Week 17 slate, but there are obviously some major 2026 NFL Draft implications here for both the Cardinals and Bengals.
The Cardinals are entering this game 3-12 with just one game separating them and the Raiders/Giants for the #1 or #2 overall pick in the draft. The Bengals don’t have a shot at the #1 overall pick at this point, but they could use the higher selections in each round to continue reloading this roster for 2026 and beyond.
With that in mind, we saw this past weekend that the Bengals are doing anything but “tanking”. They’re going to come out and put on an offensive clinic against a Cardinals team that has just had a really tough year overall.
The Bengals are favored at home here by seven points, and that feels a little conservative. The Cardinals have lost seven games in a row, and they are one of the most banged-up teams in the NFL right now. I don’t see them really having a shot in this one.
After a dud of a game against the Ravens two weeks ago, Joe Burrow put on an absolute clinic against the Dolphins, completing over 78 percent of his passes with four touchdowns and no interceptions. The Bengals are most likely going to roll in this one by two touchdowns or more.
Prediction: Bengals win 35-13