The Detroit Lions head to Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, with freshly signed QB Joshua Dobbs to take on the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET (NFL+).
With Detroit's lack of QB depth, Cincinnati is a 6.5-point favorite, but my Lions vs. Bengals predictions expect both the weather and the backups to lead to a low-scoring game, as part of my NFL picks for Thursday, Aug. 13.
Lions vs Bengals predictions
| Pick |  Probabillity |
|---|---|
| Bengals ML | 71% |
| Under 38.5 | 51% |
| Tahj Brooks TD | 23% |
| Bonus pick: Colbie Young 25+ receiving yards | 53% |
Percentages courtesy of Kalshi, one of the best prediction market apps.
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Who will win Lions vs Bengals? Bengals (71%)
The Lions are in a precarious situation with who will be behind center, which is why the Bengals have the clear advantage. Dan Campbell has said he won't play Jared Goff, and backup Teddy Bridgewater just retired, which means Joshua Dobbs, who was signed this week, and undrafted rookie Luke Altmyer are the Lions' QB options.
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Lions vs Bengals Over/Under pick: Under 38.5 (51%)
Between the weather, the Detroit Lions' QB situation, and the Cincinnati Bengals' historically weak preseason performances, this could be an ugly game offensively for both sides.
The Lions are adamant that Jared Goff (and the rest of their stars) won't be on the field in Cincinnati, despite Teddy Bridgewater's sudden retirement. Campbell joked, "Even if we didn’t have a quarterback, Goff’s not playing."
That leaves Detroit with the recently signed Joshua Dobbs, who has nearly double the turnover-worthy plays in his career (30) than he does TD passes (17), and undrafted rookie Luke Altmyer. And while the Bengals' QB situation is far better, Cincinnati has been one of the worst preseason teams during Zac Taylor's tenure.
Since Taylor became head coach in 2019, the Bengals are 4-14-1 in the preseason and have averaged just 18 points in their 19 preseason games, scoring fewer than 17 points on eight occasions.
Lions vs Bengals touchdown scorer pick: Tahj Brooks (23%)
While the Bengals are planning to play their starters, it's hard to imagine Taylor keeping any key players in after the first quarter, especially with the Lions resting all of their big names.
Chase Brown and Samaje Perine are locks to make Cincinnati's roster, which means second-year running back Tahj Brooks should see the bulk of the carries once they're out of the game.
Though the former sixth-round pick had an unnoteworthy rookie season, he was one of the top backs in the country two years ago at Texas Tech. His bruising style helped him find the end zone 18 times while ranking Top 15 nationally in rushing yards after contact (872) and 15+-yard runs (26).
Against the Lions' second- and third-string defense, Brooks can run wild in the rain.
Bonus Lions vs Bengals player prop: Colbie Young 25+ receiving yards (25%)
After the Bengals pull their starting wide receivers, there isn't much proven talent on the roster. That should help open the door for rookie Colbie Young to make some noise against a Lions secondary dealing with a plethora of injuries.
The fourth-round pick is a big-bodied X-receiver who can box out smaller defenders with his 6-foot-5 frame (he had a career 57.1% contested-catch rate in college).
The Bengals' depth behind center should also help Young produce. Joe Flacco and Josh Johnson are two of the most experienced backup QBs in the NFL.
Lions vs Bengals live odds
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Lions vs Bengals weather
With thunderstorms expected before kickoff and later in the game, weather should play a major role in Cincinnati. The ball will be wet, and with backups playing on both sides in the second half, the rain could cause drives to stall repeatedly.
How to watch Lions vs Bengals
| Location | Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati, OH |
| Date | Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026 |
| Kickoff | 7 p.m. ET |
| TV | NFL+ |
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