San Francisco 49ers at Cincinnati Bengals - 12/12/21 NFL Picks and Predictions

The San Francisco 49ers and Cincinnati Bengals face off on Sunday in a cross-conference NFL showdown at Paul Brown Stadium. When these two teams faced off in September of 2019 it was the 49ers that won 41-17.  This is a big game for both teams as they try to make the playoffs.

The 49ers come into this game with a 6-6 record overall and they have gone 5-7 against the spread. In the last game against the Seattle Seahawks they jumped out to a 14-7 lead in the first quarter, but the offense couldn’t find a whole lot of success the rest of the game and that led to the 30-23 defeat. The 49ers are averaging 25.3 points per game while their defense is giving up 23.2 points per game. In the last game Jimmy Garoppolo had two interceptions, and in this game, he needs to take better care of the ball. On the season Garoppolo has thrown for 2,641 yards, 15 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. 

On the other side of this matchup is the Cincinnati Bengals who sit with a 7-5 record and they have gone 6-6 against the spread. The Bengals have been so inconsistent this season and the last two games have been a perfect example. Two games ago against the Pittsburgh Steelers, they won 41-10, but in the last game they were defeated 41-22 against the Chargers. The Chargers on the season are averaging 27.6 points while their defense is giving up 22.3 points per game. Joe Burrow has thrown for 3,135 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. Joe MIxon has also rushed for 978 yards and 12 touchdowns. Burrow is dealing a figure injury although it appears he is going to go in this game.