Sun, Dec 20 at 1:00 PM ET · Bank of America Stadium
Expected score: CIN 21.2 – CAR 25.0
Total anchored to the league-wide baseline of 46.2 points — a shared baseline, not a matchup-specific forecast.
Home-field adjustment included (+65 Elo rating points)
Fair odds (display only): CIN 2.37 · CAR 1.73
Team ratings (Elo): CIN 1486.4 vs CAR 1475.5. 393 games trained (Oct 30).
Model: nfl-elo-v2 — Elo ratings trained on real ESPN results (2025 regular+postseason and 2026 regular season to date), chronological replay, K=20, home advantage = 65 Elo rating points, applied only at true home venues: games the feed flags neutral-site get no home bonus, in training and in prediction. Totals baseline is the mean total points of the training games (measured, not assumed). Score-model spread/total probabilities use the engine's bivariate-normal assumptions (score std 13.5, correlation 0.3) — documented approximations, not measured NFL parameters. No backtest against closing lines exists; treat all outputs as experimental uncertain forecasts.
What the win probability uses: Elo ratings only, plus a home-field adjustment of 65 Elo rating points at true home venues (no adjustment at feed-flagged neutral sites).
Contextual research (displayed, not in the calculation): Contextual research only — form, rest, injuries, head-to-head, weather, and travel do not change the win probability above.
Totals: Expected scores are centered on a shared league-wide totals baseline of 46.2 points (the mean total of the training games) — a baseline, not a matchup-specific forecast.
Score-distribution assumptions: Spread/total probabilities assume team scores are bivariate normal (score std 13.5, correlation 0.3) — documented approximations, not measured NFL parameters.
Validation status: No backtest against closing lines exists. Treat all outputs as experimental uncertain forecasts.
Data used
CIN (4-2) — 56 days rest
Last 5: 3-2 (2 straight wins)
| Oct 25, 2026 | BAL | W | 35-13 |
| Oct 11, 2026 | MIA | W | 31-24 |
| Oct 4, 2026 | JAX | L | 17-22 |
| Sep 27, 2026 | PIT | L | 27-30 |
| Sep 20, 2026 | HOU | W | 20-6 |
CAR (3-4) — 51 days rest
Last 5: 2-3 (2 straight losses)
| Oct 29, 2026 | GB | L | 19-27 |
| Oct 25, 2026 | TB | L | 13-43 |
| Oct 18, 2026 | PHI | W | 25-14 |
| Oct 4, 2026 | DET | W | 32-26 |
| Sep 27, 2026 | CLE | L | 18-21 |
Coverage: 2024-2026 regular+postseason schedules (ESPN)
| Date | Score | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 29, 2024 | CAR 24 - CIN 34 | CIN |
Week 8 report — availability for Week 15 unknown. These designations were published for Week 8's games. They are the latest available report, kept as dated context; they do not say who will be available in Week 15.
CIN
| Andrei Iosivas | Injured Reserve | Iosivas (thumb) is making good progress in his rehab, Mike Petraglia of CLNSCincy.com reports. |
| Joe Giles-Harris | Questionable | questionable |
| Jordan Battle | Questionable | questionable |
| Erick All Jr. | Injured Reserve | Bengals head coach Zac Taylor confirmed Wednesday that All has been diagnosed with a torn ACL in his right knee and will require season-ending surgery, Jay Morrison of SI.com reports. |
| Kyle Dugger | Out | Dugger (quadriceps) won't play in Sunday's game against the Titans, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic reports. |
| Ja'Marr Chase | Active | Chase (ankle) was a full participant in Thursday's practice, Mike Petraglia of CLNSCincy.com reports. |
| Barrett Carter | Active | Carter recorded nine tackles (three solo) and a pass defense during Sunday's 35-13 win over the Ravens. |
| Boye Mafe | Active | Mafe finished Sunday's 35-13 win over the Ravens with five tackles (three solo), including 1.5 sacks. |
| Bryan Cook | Active | Cook recorded nine tackles (six solo), including 0.5 sacks, during the Bengals' 35-13 win over the Ravens on Sunday. |
| Demetrius Knight Jr. | Active | Knight totaled eight tackles (two solo) and an interception during the Bengals' win over the Ravens on Sunday. |
| Dohnte Meyers | Active | Meyers failed to catch either of his two targets in Sunday's 35-13 win over the Ravens. |
| Cam Grandy | Active | The Bengals signed Grandy off the Vikings' practice squad Monday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports. |
| Connor Lew | Active | |
| Landon Robinson | Active | |
| Shemar Stewart | Active | |
| Myles Hinton | Active | |
| Russ Yeast | Active | |
| Mike Gesicki | Active | Gesicki caught his only target for a six-yard touchdown in Sunday's 35-13 win over the Ravens. |
| Samaje Perine | Active | Perine rushed four times for 16 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 35-13 win over the Ravens. |
| Drew Sample | Active | Sample caught both of his targets for 24 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 35-13 win over the Ravens. |
| Chase Brown | Active | Brown rushed 11 times for 39 yards and brought in four of five targets for 19 yards in the Bengals' 35-13 win over the Ravens on Sunday. |
| Evan McPherson | Active | McPherson did not attempt a field goal and made all five of his PATs in Sunday's 35-13 win over Baltimore. |
| Joe Burrow | Active | Burrow completed 22 of 30 passes for 292 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions while adding two rushes for 12 yards in the Bengals' 35-13 win over the Ravens on Sunday. |
| Tee Higgins | Active | Higgins secured six of seven targets for 148 yards and a touchdown in the Bengals' 35-13 win over the Ravens on Sunday. |
| Colbie Young | Active | Young (knee) was not listed on the Bengals' injury report Wednesday. |
CAR
| Corey Bullock | Questionable | Bullock (quadriceps) exited Thursday's 27-19 loss to Green Bay and did not return, Sheena Quick of Fox Sports Radio 1340 reports. |
| Will Lee III | Questionable | Lee is dealing with a hamstring injury and is doubtful to return to Thursday's Week 8 matchup against Green Bay, Joe Person of The Athletic reports. |
| Akayleb Evans | Injured Reserve | Evans (triceps) was placed on injured reserve by the Panthers on Thursday, Darin Gantt of the team's official website reports. |
| Bobby Brown III | Out | Brown (hand) is inactive for Thursday night's matchup against the Packers, Darin Gantt of the Panthers' official website reports. |
| Haynes King | Out | King (coach's decision) is inactive but operating as the Panthers' emergency No. 3 quarterback against the Packers on Thursday night, Darin Gantt of the team's official website reports. |
| Ja'Tavion Sanders | Out | Sanders (coach's decision) is inactive for Thursday night's matchup with Green Bay, Darin Gantt of the team's official website reports. |
| AJ Dillon | Out | Dillon (coach's decision) is inactive for Thursday night's contest against the Packers, Darin Gantt of the team's official website reports. |
| Torricelli Simpkins III | Out | Simpkins (ankle) has been ruled out for Thursday's game against the Packers. |
| Damien Lewis | Out | Lewis (knee) has been ruled out for Thursday's game against the Packers. |
| Jaelan Phillips | Out | Phillips (hamstring) has been ruled out ahead of Thursday night's game against the Packers. |
| Taylor Moton | Injured Reserve | The Panthers placed Moton (lower leg) on injured reserve Monday. |
| Ryan Fitzgerald | Active | Fitzgerald made both field-goal attempts and converted his only extra-point try in Thursday's 27-19 loss to Green Bay. |
| Jalen Coker | Active | Coker secured two of five targets for 37 yards and a touchdown in the Panthers' 27-19 loss to the Packers on Thursday. He also lost a fumble. |
| Bryce Young | Active | Young completed 23 of 41 passes for 209 yards with one touchdown and one interception in the Panthers' 27-19 loss to the Packers on Thursday. |
| Chuba Hubbard | Active | Hubbard rushed 22 times for 81 yards and a touchdown and brought in seven of eight targets for 38 yards in the Panthers' 27-19 loss to the Packers on Thursday. |
| Tetairoa McMillan | Active | McMillan brought in six of 11 targets for 57 yards in the Panthers' 27-19 loss to the Packers on Thursday. |
| Devin Lloyd | Active | Lloyd posted four tackles in Sunday's loss to the Buccaneers. |
| Bobby Okereke | Active | Okereke tallied 10 tackles (seven solo) and a defensed pass in Sunday's loss to Tampa Bay. |
| John Metchie III | Active | Metchie caught two passes for 20 yards during Sunday's 43-13 defeat versus the Buccaneers. |
| Mitchell Evans | Active | Evans gathered in both targets for 39 yards during Sunday's 43-13 loss versus Tampa Bay. |
| Trevor Etienne | Active | Etienne posted six carries for eight yards, reeled in both targets for 17 yards and compiled 69 kickoff-return yards during Sunday's 43-13 defeat to the Buccaneers. |
| Tommy Tremble | Active | Tremble hauled in one of two targets for eight yards during Sunday's 43-13 loss to the Buccaneers. |
| TeRah Edwards | Active | |
| Sam Hecht | Active | |
| Stone Forsythe | Active |
Labels: Out = confirmed unavailable; Doubtful = projected unavailable; Questionable = projected uncertain.
51.6°F, wind 3.8 mph, precip — mm (next 1h),
Forecast for Sun, Nov 8 at 7:00 PM ET (updated Oct 30). Weather data: MET Norway (api.met.no), CC BY 4.0 / NLOD 2.0
Travel (CIN): ~335 miles, no time-zone change