Game Preview of Detroit Lions @ Cincinnati Bengals. Week 5 of 2025 NFL Season
The Detroit Lions travel to Cincinnati to face the Bengals on Sunday at Paycor Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1:00 PM ET in Week 5. Detroit sits at 3-1, winners of three straight, while Cincinnati has spiraled to 1-3 after two blowout losses.
The Lions have turned into one of the league’s most balanced teams. Jared Goff leads an offense averaging 34.2 points per game, while the defense has been dominant up front behind Aidan Hutchinson. Detroit’s offensive line has yet to allow a sack in three games, a first in franchise history.
Cincinnati is stuck in survival mode. Joe Burrow’s season-ending turf toe surgery forced Jake Browning into the lineup, and the results have been rough. In two starts, Browning has thrown for just 265 yards with one score and two picks. The Bengals have scored only 13 points combined in those games.
Oddsmakers make Detroit a heavy road favorite at -9.5 (-139). The total is set at 48.5, with the Lions projected to push the pace against a Bengals roster full of injuries.
| Date | Opponent | Result | ATS | O/U |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-09-29 | @ DEN | L 3-28 | L 7.5 | u44.5 |
| 2025-09-21 | @ MIN | L 10-48 | L 3.0 | o41.5 |
| 2025-09-14 | vs JAX | W 31-27 | W +3.5 | o49.5 |
| 2025-09-07 | @ CLE | W 17-16 | W +-5.5 | u47.5 |
| 2025-01-04 | @ PIT | W 19-17 | W +-2.5 | u48.5 |
| 2024-12-28 | vs DEN | W 30-24 | W +3.5 | o50.5 |
| 2024-12-22 | vs CLE | W 24-6 | W +10.0 | u46.5 |
| 2024-12-15 | @ TEN | W 37-27 | W +-6.0 | o46.5 |
| 2024-12-09 | @ DAL | W 27-20 | W +-5.0 | u51.0 |
| 2024-12-01 | vs PIT | L 38-44 | L 3.0 | o46.0 |
Detroit converts QB pressures into sacks at a 9.9% rate, best in the NFL. The Bengals allow sacks on nearly 10% of dropbacks, bottom tier.
The Lions finish drives, scoring touchdowns on 70% of red-zone trips. Cincinnati’s defense allows TDs on 66.7% of red-zone stands.
Detroit’s offensive line is elite in protection, giving up a sack rate of just 3.2%. The Bengals’ pass rush has been weak at 3.8%.
Bengals receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins remain dangerous, but Detroit’s secondary is thin with D.J. Reed on IR and Kerby Joseph and Terrion Arnold questionable.
Lions are built to hit explosive runs (5.9% rate, 78th percentile), while Cincinnati’s offense ranks bottom three in explosive run rate.
Detroit’s defense is excellent at stuffing short-yardage plays (69.2% stop rate on 3rd and short, 100th percentile). That creates tough situations for Jake Browning.
Spread: Lions -9.5 (-139). Detroit has covered in three straight games, while Cincinnati has been outscored 76-13 in their last two.
Total: Under 48.5 (-111). Bengals haven’t topped 20 points since Week 1, and Browning struggles to move the ball.
Anytime TD: Jahmyr Gibbs -250. He dominates red-zone usage for the league’s most efficient red-zone offense.
Prop: David Montgomery Over 50.5 rushing yards (-118). Faces a Bengals front missing multiple guards and giving up big runs.
Prop: Amon-Ra St. Brown Over 71.5 receiving yards (-120). Bengals secondary allows 8.4% explosive passes.
Prop: Jake Browning Under 226.5 passing yards (-161). He’s averaging just 132.5 yards in two starts.
Anytime TD: Ja’Marr Chase +160. Still elite, and Detroit’s secondary injuries give him a shot at a big play.
The Lions enter this matchup as one of the NFC’s hottest teams. Jared Goff is playing efficient football, the backfield of Gibbs and Montgomery is thriving, and Detroit’s offensive line is dominating games. Even with injuries at cornerback, the Lions look like a balanced contender.
Cincinnati, meanwhile, is in free fall. Jake Browning has been unable to move the ball, and the offensive line is battered. Even with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins on the outside, the Bengals have been stuck in neutral.
Detroit’s pass rush against Cincinnati’s O-line could decide this game quickly. Hutchinson and company have the edge, and if Browning falls behind, it could get ugly.
The market reflects the gap. Detroit is favored by more than a touchdown, and the total sits near 48.5. With the Bengals struggling to score, the under is in play. Detroit looks poised to snap a 33-year drought in Cincinnati and extend their early-season surge.
| Statistic | Offense | Rank | Defense | Rank | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Points | 61 | #30 | 88 | #18 | |
| Total Points Per Game | 15.3 | #30 | 22 | #16 | |
| Total Touchdowns | 7 | #26 | 11 | #23 | |
| Passing Touchdowns | 5 | #26 | 7 | #21 | |
| Rushing Touchdowns | 2 | #26 | 4 | #16 | |
| Other Touchdowns | 0 | #28 | 0 | #20 | |
| Total Kicking Points | 19 | #32 | 22 | #28 | |
| Total Two Point Conversions | 0 | #20 | 0 | #31 | |
| Kick Extra Points | 7 | #24 | 10 | #11 |
| Statistic | Offense | Rank | Defense | Rank | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net Passing Yards | 621 | #30 | 796 | #20 | |
| Net Passing Yards Per Game | 155 | #30 | 199 | #20 | |
| Passer Rating | 74.8 | #30 | 95.1 | #14 | |
| Passing Attempts | 120 | #24 | 118 | #10 | |
| Completions | 75 | #26 | 74 | #26 | 🏈 |
| Completion Percentage | 62.5 | #23 | 62.7 | #10 | |
| Passing 1st downs | 33 | #28 | 41 | #16 | |
| Passing 1st Down % | 58.9 | #6 | 58.6 | #23 | |
| Longest Pass | 42 | #25 | 48 | #17 | |
| Passing Fumbles Lost | 2 | #4 | 1 | #7 | |
| Receiving Targets | 114 | #22 | 117 | #21 | |
| Receptions | 75 | #26 | 74 | #7 | |
| Receiving Yards After Catch | 332 | #28 | 306 | #4 | |
| YAC Average | 4.4 | #27 | 4.1 | #6 |
| Statistic | Offense | Rank | Defense | Rank | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rushing Yards | 200 | #32 | 376 | #7 | |
| Rushing Yards Per Game | 50 | #32 | 94 | #26 | |
| Rushing Attempts | 76 | #32 | 98 | #9 | |
| Yards Per Rush Attempt | 2.6 | #32 | 3.8 | #26 | |
| Rushing 1st downs | 14 | #32 | 22 | #12 | |
| 20+ Yard Rushing Plays | 0 | #32 | 2 | #16 | |
| Long Rushing | 12 | #32 | 28 | #21 | |
| Rushing Fumbles | 0 | #32 | 2 | #16 | |
| Rushing Fumbles Lost | 1 | #13 | 2 | #5 |