Venue & Logistics
Venue: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Kickoff Time: 1:00 PM ET / 12:00 PM CT
Broadcast: CBS: Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson (field reporter)
Weather Forecast (Minneapolis, MN)
Conditions: Indoor stadium (climate-controlled)
Temperature: ~72°F inside U.S. Bank Stadium
Impact: Weather will not affect play
Injury Report
Cincinnati Bengals:
QB Joe Burrow (toe) – Out
QB Jake Browning – Starting
WR Tee Higgins (hamstring) – Questionable
CB1 (shoulder) – Out
Minnesota Vikings:
QB J.J. McCarthy (ankle) – Out
QB Carson Wentz – Starting
WR2 (groin) – Game-time decision
DB1 (concussion protocol) – Out
Key Player Matchups
Jake Browning (CIN) vs. Vikings’ Secondary – Browning threw 3 TDs but also 3 INTs in Week 2; Minnesota must capitalize on mistakes.
Carson Wentz (MIN) vs. Bengals’ Pass Rush – Wentz makes his first start of 2025; Cincinnati’s defensive front will test his pocket presence.
Ja’Marr Chase (CIN) vs. Byron Murphy Jr. (MIN) – Chase remains Cincinnati’s most dangerous weapon; Murphy will shadow him.
Travis Etienne Jr. (MIN) vs. Bengals’ Run Defense – Minnesota will lean on its ground game to ease pressure on Wentz.
Recent Team Form
Cincinnati Bengals (2-0):
W vs. Jacksonville Jaguars 31-27 (Week 2)
W vs. Baltimore Ravens 27-24 (Week 1)
Offense averaging 29.0 PPG; defense allowing 25.5 PPG.
Minnesota Vikings (1-1):
L vs. Philadelphia Eagles 28-17 (Week 2)
W vs. Chicago Bears 24-20 (Week 1)
Offense averaging 20.5 PPG; defense allowing 24.0 PPG.
Series History
All-Time Meetings: Vikings lead 8–7
Most Recent: Cincinnati defeated Minnesota 27-24 in OT (2021 season opener)
Trend: Teams have split the last four meetings
Betting Trends
Bengals are 5-2 ATS in last 7 games as underdogs.
Vikings are 6-2 ATS in last 8 home games.
The Under has hit in 4 of Cincinnati’s last 6 games.
Bengals are 2-0 SU to start 2025 despite Burrow’s absence.
Historical Betting Results
2021: Bengals -3.5, won 27-24 (OT) → No Cover, Over
2017: Vikings -10.5, won 34-7 → Cover, Under
2013: Bengals -7.0, won 42-14 → Cover, Over
BENGALS NOTES:
• BENGALS are 2-0 for 1st time since 2018 & can begin 3-0 for 1st time since 2015. • QB JAKE BROWNING passed for 241 yards & had 3 TDs (2 pass, 1 rush) last week. Can make 8th career start & 1st since 1/7/24. Passed for 324 yards & 2 TDs with 97.7 rating in last meeting. • RB CHASE BROWN had 65 scrimmage yards (47 rush, 18 rec.) in Week 2, his 10thstraight game with 50+ scrimmage yards. Aims for his 4th in row on road with TD. • WR JA’MARR CHASE had 14 catches for 165 yards & TD last week, 3rd-career game with 14+ catches, tied 3rd-most all-time. Has 6 games with 10+ catches, 150+ rec. yards & rec. TD, most-ever by player under age of 26. Has 75+ rec. yards in 5 of his past 6 on road. Has 165 rec. yards (82.5 per game) in 2 career games vs. Min. • WR TEE HIGGINS had 56 rec. yards & 1st TD catch of season in Week 2. Had 61 rec. yards & 2 rec. TDs in last meeting & has rec. TD in both career games vs. Min. • WR MITCHELL TINSLEY had 1st-career TD catch last week. • TE NOAH FANT has 50+ rec. yards in both career games vs. Min. • DE TREY HENDRICKSON had sack & PD last week & is 1 of 5 AFC DL with sack in each of 1st 2 weeks of season. Aims for 8th in row with TFL & 6th in row with 0.5+ sacks. Had 1.5 sacks in last meeting. • LB LOGAN WILSON aims for his 14th in row with 7+ tackles & 3rd in row with PD. Had 7 tackles in each of 2 career games vs. Min. • LB DEMETRIUS KNIGHT is 1 of 5 rookies with 5+ tackles in each of 1st 2 weeks. • CB DAX HILL had 8 tackles & 3rd-career INT last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 8+ tackles. Had 6 tackles & PD in last meeting. • CB DJ TURNER is 1 of 2 with 2+ PD in each of 1st 2 weeks of season. • CB CAM TAYLOR-BRITT had 2 PD in Week 2. Has PD in 3 of his past 4 on road. • S JORDAN BATTLE is 1 of 2 in NFL (Cam Bynum) with INT in each of 1st 2 weeks. Had 10 tackles in last meeting. • S GENO STONE tied career high with 9 tackles last week.
VIKINGS NOTES:
• QB CARSON WENTZ can make Min. debut. Has 22,410 pass yards & 164 TDs (153 pass, 11 rush) in 98 career games (94 starts). Has 3 TDs (2 pass, 1 rush) in 2 career starts vs. Cin. • RB JORDAN MASON has 75+ scrimmage yards in 2 of his past 3. Since 2022, is 1 of 3 RBs (De’Von Achane) with 5+ yards per rush att. (5.2), min. 250 rush atts. • WR JUSTIN JEFFERSON had 81 rec. yards last week. Has 502 receptions & tied Larry Fitzgerald (26 years, 90 days) as youngest player ever to reach 500 career catches. Aims for his 13th in row at home with 50+ rec. yards. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Cin. with 5+ catches & 70+ rec. yards. Jefferson (95.7 rec. yards per game) & CIN WR Ja’Marr Chase (87.8) rank 1st & 2nd alltime in receiving avg., min. 50 career games. • WR ADAM THIELEN had 9 catches for 92 yards & 2 rec. TDs in his last game vs. Cin. (9/12/21 w/ Min.). • TE T.J. HOCKENSON had 6 catches for 63 yards in last meeting. Has 5+ catches & 50+ rec. yards in 2 of his past 3 at home. • LB JONATHAN GREENARD had 1st sack of season last week, his 36th-career sack. Had sack in his last game vs. Cin. (11/12/23 w/ Hou.). • LB ANDREW VAN GINKEL had 7 TFL in 9 home games last season. • LB ERIC WILSON had 5 tackes & 3rd-career FF last week. • LB IVAN PACE had 8 tackles & 10th-career TFL in Week 2. Aims for his 4th in row with 5+ tackles. • LB DALLAS TURNER had career-high 5 tackles & 1st sack of season last week, his 4th-career sack. • CB BYRON MURPHY has 6 PD in his past 6 at home. Had FF in last meeting. • S JOSH METELLUS had sack in last meeting. • S THEO JACKSON led team with career-high 9 tackles & had 1st-career FR last week.
Game Odds
Cincinnati Bengals 42.5
Minnesota Vikings – 3
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Saturday, September 20, 2025
