Bengals (13-7) vs. Rams (15-5), 6:30 p.m. Sunday (NBC)
Spread: Rams by 4
Outlook: Lots to love about this matchup. The Bengals’ Joe Burrow winning in his second season or the Rams’ Matthew Stafford doing so with a new team would be great stuff. Jalen Ramsey covering Ja’Marr Chase could be epic. Aaron Donald bull-rushing a suspect Bengals O-line could turn the result. Cincinnati is the underdog and clear Cinderella here, but L.A. has much to prove, too. Also remember, these are two No. 4 seeds and not two superpowers. Each won their last two playoff games by only four points each, so neither has been dominating. So, who wins? Much as my neutral heart might root for Cincy, I see the Rams as better all-round. The Rams also have their home stadium, and the experience of having played in a recent Super Bowl. The Bengals are more the rags-to-riches tale here, but it’s the Rams’ time.
Prediction: Rams, 28-23
Playoffs: 5-7 overall, 4-8 vs. spread.
Regular season: 172-99-1, 140-130-2
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