Pick against the spread for Rams vs. Bengals on Monday Night Football in Week 3 of 2023 NFL season

The Los Angeles Rams (1-1) will take on the Cincinnati Bengals (0-2) on the road Monday night. The Rams are coming off a 30-23 loss to the 49ers in Week 2 while the Bengals have yet to win on the season after a 27-24 loss to the Ravens last week. Kickoff for this Monday Night Football matchup in Week 3 is set for 8:15 p.m. ET on ESPN.

The Bengals come in as 2.5-point favorites at home, priced at -135 on the moneyline while the Rams are set at +114. All odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.

Rams vs. Bengals, Week 3: Pick against the spread

The Rams got off to a great start in Week 1 with a 30-13 win over the Seahawks but were outmatched and outplayed by the 49ers in Week 2 despite putting in some good effort. Matthew Stafford has put in decent performances on the field, throwing for over 300 yards in both of his games so far. However, he’s only found the end zone once and has thrown two interceptions, keeping his fantasy score below 17 points in both outings.

The Bengals are off to a slow 0-2 start after making it to the AFC Championship last year, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to hit the panic button for Cincinnati. They lost their first two games last season also before turning on the afterburners and finishing 12-4 on the season.

Cincinnati will be a little worried about star QB Joe Burrow, who has been dealing with a calf injury he suffered in preseason. He hasn’t looked like himself, throwing just 82 yards in Week 1, though he bounced back in Week 2 with 222 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in the loss to the Ravens. There’s some fear he won’t be able to dress for Monday’s game against the Rams, so keep an eye on his injury status heading into the Week 3 contest.

Regardless, it’ll be a tight game and with both teams somewhat underperforming, I’m backing the Bengals to cover the spread at home in Week 3.

The Pick: Bengals -2.5