Denver Broncos vs Cincinnati Bengals NFL Preview: Team news, betting, tickets, live stream, Fantasy Football and more

The Cincinnati Bengals (2-1) head west to the thin air of Denver for a primetime clash with the Broncos on Sunday night, Sept. 29. Kickoff at Empower Field is set for 8:15 p.m. , and both clubs are itching to shake off some lingering frustration.

Cincinnati rolls in looking to wipe away the memory of that 48-10 drubbing by Minnesota, a humbling loss that slammed the brakes on their hot start. A home date with Detroit awaits next week, but the Bengals first need to prove that the Vikings' rout was a one-off, not a red flag.

The Broncos have their own scars to cover. Denver coughed up a tight 23-20 decision to the Chargers, dropping to 1-2 and still searching for a consistent rhythm. Sean Payton’s crew heads to Philly after this one, but if they can’t protect their house on Sunday night, the climb in the AFC West gets a whole lot steeper.

Denver Broncos vs Cincinnati Bengals kick-off time

NFL

Empower Field at Mile High

The Broncos and Bengals will meet in Week 4 of the NFL season at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado, on Monday, Sept. 29, starting at 8:15 pm ET.

Team news & squads

Denver Broncos team news

Second-year quarterback Bo Nix continues to steer the Broncos offense, though it's been a bit of a rollercoaster ride. According to PFF, Nix has already tossed six turnover-worthy passes — tied for the fourth most in the league — but he's also among the NFL's top 10 in passing touchdowns with five. He’s shown his big-play ability as well, connecting on a pair of completions of 40+ yards, tied for second most in the league.

In the run game, J.K. Dobbins has been the clear workhorse, logging 41 carries across three games. By contrast, rookie RJ Harvey has just 13 attempts, though he’s making the most of them, averaging 6.2 yards per carry — the third-best clip among backs with double-digit touches. Dobbins has been plenty efficient himself at 5.4 yards per tote while punching in three scores.

Through the air, Courtland Sutton has been Nix’s go-to target, pacing the team in yards (185), touchdowns (2), and targets (21), while rookie Troy Franklin leads in receptions with 14. Offseason addition Evan Engram sat out Week 3 due to a back injury, leaving the Broncos shorthanded at tight end. On defense, John Franklin-Myers was limited in practice Thursday with a hip issue.

Broncos injury news: Evan Engram, TE - Questionable , Dre Greenlaw, LB - IR , Malcolm Roach, DT - IR , Drew Sanders, LB - IR-R , Michael Burton, FB - IR

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Cincinnati Bengals team news

Things are far messier in Cincinnati. With Joe Burrow sidelined after toe surgery, backup Jake Browning has struggled mightily. Despite pulling off a late rally to beat Jacksonville in Week 2, he's thrown five interceptions in just six quarters of action. Last Sunday was especially brutal, as Browning tossed two more picks — one returned for a touchdown — during a 48-10 thrashing in Minnesota, the worst defeat in franchise history.

Turnovers doomed the Bengals, as they coughed the ball up five times, losing three fumbles along the way. Injury concerns pile on, with defensive end Shemar Stewart (ankle) and tight end Noah Fant (concussion protocol) both sidelined from Thursday’s practice.

Bengals injury news: Cam Taylor-Britt, CB - Questionable , Shemar Stewart, DE - Questionable , Samaje Perine, RB - Questionable , Noah, Fant, TE - Questionable , Dalton Risner, G - Questionable

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Watch and live stream Broncos vs Bengals in the USA

The Broncos vs Bengals game in Week 4 of the 2025 NFL season will be broadcast live on ABC. Fans can catch the coverage onFubo (Try for free today!).

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More details on where to watch the game in the United States, including streaming options, will be released soon, so keep an eye out for our dedicated coverage.

Watch and live stream Broncos vs Bengals worldwide

For fans outside the U.S. looking to stay plugged into the action,NFL Game Pass on DAZN is the ultimate ticket. It serves up more than 200 regular-season and playoff matchups, complete Super Bowl coverage, plus access to NFL Network, NFL RedZone, and plenty more to keep you locked in all year long.

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To bypass regional restrictions or to access the game if you are travelling abroad, you can watch the action using a Virtual Private Network like ExpressVPN.

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How to buy Broncos vs Bengals tickets

The showdown between the Broncos and the Bengals is set for Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado, a venue that packs in up to 76,125 fans and promises a fiery atmosphere on game day.

Tickets are already up for grabs on StubHub, with entry starting at $386. From there, prices climb through the tiers — $300, $400, $500, $600, $700, $800, $900, $1,000, and stretching all the way into the premium ranges of $2,000, $3,000, $4,000, $5,000, $6,000, and topping out at $10,406 for the best seats in the house.

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READ MORE: NFL 2025 Tickets: Prices, deals, season tickets & membership information

Broncos vs Bengals Fantasy Football

Broncos vs Bengals Game Predictions

If Denver is going to pull this one out, the formula isn’t complicated: lean on that aggressive defense, feed J.K. Dobbins, and ask Bo Nix to play clean football. The Bengals’ run D has been springing leaks, giving up 4.4 yards a pop, and that’s tailor-made for Dobbins to chew clock and pile up yards.

The real X-factor is Nix's ball security. Across the field, Jake Browning has been a turnover machine, tossing picks on an eye-popping 8.5% of his throws—easily the worst clip in the league. If Nix simply avoids those same costly mistakes, Denver should control the tempo and walk away with the win.

But here's the rub: protecting the football sounds easy until you're staring down a hungry Bengals pass rush. The Broncos have the blueprint, but one errant throw from Nix could flip this script fast. Still, the Bengals are circling the drain statistically, sitting 31st in the NFL in Net Yards per Play at a miserable -1.4. They're dead last in EPA per play and barely scraping by at 21st in opponent EPA per play. At some point, the excuses run out — this isn't just a slow start, it's the profile of a bottom-five team. 

And if that's the reality, then siding with the Broncos at home feels like the only logical move. Cincinnati is playing like a pretender, and Denver has the perfect opportunity to make them pay for it.

Broncos vs Bengals Betting Odds

Spread

Bengals +7.5 (-110)

Broncos -7.5 (-110)

Moneyline

Bengals +310

Broncos -400

Total

OVER 44 (-110)

UNDER 44 (-110)

Form

Head-to-Head Record

DEN

Last 5 matches

CIN

2

Wins

0

Draws

3

Wins

• Cincinnati Bengals

  30

  -

  24

  Denver Broncos

• Denver Broncos

  10

  -

  15

  Cincinnati Bengals

• Cincinnati Bengals

  10

  -

  24

  Denver Broncos

• Denver Broncos

  17

  -

  20

  Cincinnati Bengals

• Cincinnati Bengals

  17

  -

  29

  Denver Broncos

Useful links

• Broncos 2025 NFL schedule: TV channel, livestream & where to watch the games
• Bengals 2025 NFL schedule: TV channel, livestream & where to watch the games
• How to watch and live stream NFL football for free and without cable
• 2025 fantasy football rankings: Running back (RB) | Wide receiver (WR) | Tight end (TE) | Quarterback (QB)