Backup quarterbacks, high stakes and a loud U.S. Bank Stadium crowd — Week 3 hands us a classic toss-up when the Cincinnati Bengals head north to face the Minnesota Vikings. Both clubs suddenly find themselves relying on veteran depth under center, which makes this game higher-variance and perfect for bettors who time the market. I double-checked the schedule and market before writing; below is a tight, publisher-ready breakdown with the consolidated betting block, the key storylines to watch, recent meeting context, and one confident pick.
Game Day Information
- Date: Sunday, September 21, 2025
- Kickoff: 1:00 PM ET / Noon CT
- Location: U.S. Bank Stadium — Minneapolis, MN
- TV: CBS
Betting Odds & Public Betting
- Spread: Bengals +3 / Vikings -3
- Moneyline: Vikings ~-165 / Bengals ~+140
- Total (O/U): 41.5
Place a wager at Bovada.lv.
Track live public splits on the NFL Public Betting Chart.
Key Notes & Storylines
- Quarterback shakeup (huge): Joe Burrow underwent surgery and is on injured reserve; Jake Browning will start for Cincinnati. Minnesota is expected to start veteran Carson Wentz after J.J. McCarthy was ruled out with an ankle injury. This is essentially a matchup of backups — expect more conservative play and greater variance.
- Defense vs. uncertainty: Minnesota’s defense still controls the narrative — home crowd, pass-rush and run-stopping ability are advantages when facing a backup-led attack.
- Explosive-play ceiling trimmed: Without Burrow, Cincinnati’s vertical ceiling is lower; the Bengals still have strong weapons, but volume and timing change with a new starter.
- Coaching & game control: Minnesota can lean on a more conservative, clock-friendly approach with Wentz under center; if the Vikings can control the line of scrimmage, they’ll force Cincinnati to play with urgency.
- Weather & crowd: Minneapolis in late September typically won’t be a weather problem, but the crowd noise and environment at U.S. Bank Stadium favors the home side in tight situations.
Last Three Meetings
- Oct 30, 2022: Bengals 22, Vikings 16
- Nov 13, 2019: Vikings 34, Bengals 10
- Oct 21, 2018: Bengals 34, Vikings 17
The series has bounced around, but recent results show competitive, often low-to-medium scoring affairs — useful context for both spread and total thinking.
Bengals vs. Vikings Prediction
Pick — Vikings -3
Both teams are dealing with quarterback turnover, but the edge here belongs to Minnesota. The Vikings get the home environment, a defense built to force mistakes, and a clear game-plan advantage when leaning on the run and controlling clock with Carson Wentz. Cincinnati’s depth QB can keep them in it, and the Bengals still have explosive weapons, but losing Joe Burrow lowers their ceiling and makes late-game comeback scenarios less likely.
Because this looks like a conservative script favoring the home team’s strengths, take Vikings -3 as the single confident ticket.
Secondary lean: the Under 41.5 is worth consideration if you want a points play — two backup QBs + conservative game plan = lower-scoring tendencies.
Place a wager at Bovada.lv.
Track live public splits on the NFL Public Betting Chart.