NFL Week 6 O/U best bets: Raiders' offense will suffer under new play-caller

Well, that didn't go as planned. Both of last week's low totals bucked recent trends and went over, capping off an 0-3 week to bring us to 7-10 on the season. We're going back to the well with a trio of unders - albeit at higher totals - to highlight our Week 6 slate:

Is this Bengals defense ... good? The early returns suggest it might be. Cincinnati ranks seventh in defensive DVOA and PFF grade and sits eighth in scoring defense (20 points per game) after holding the Packers to 25 points - Green Bay's second-lowest total of the season.

It was the fifth time in as many games that the Bengals have held an opponent to 25 points or fewer, though the offense hasn't topped 24 points in four straight. The Lions, meanwhile, have scored 17 points or fewer in four straight games and held their last three opponents below 25 points for three consecutive unders. Expect that streak to continue Sunday.

Pick: Under 47.5

I've said it countless times this year, and I'll gladly say it again: The Panthers are a cash cow for the under and should be priced as such. Carolina has gone under in four of five games this season thanks to a defense that ranks second in yards allowed per game (255.8) and third in points (17.4).

There's always a chance this team's talented array of skill-position players will tank an under bet. That said, Sam Darnold's subpar performance last week against a shaky Eagles defense should quell concerns about an offensive explosion, especially if Christian McCaffrey isn't playing at full strength - assuming he plays at all.

The Vikings are riding their own 3-0 under run after a slogging performance against Detroit; the defense turned in a second straight standout showing even if the offense couldn't keep up. Barring an outburst from injured running back Dalvin Cook, this one should be a snoozer.

Pick: Under 46

This game already profiled as a strong under play based on the matchup alone. Factor in the turmoil within the Raiders franchise, and this feels like a classic low-scoring affair.

After a rousing start to the year, Las Vegas' offense has mustered a combined 23 points across the last two weeks in two sub-standard performances from Derek Carr. The Broncos' talented secondary and aggressive pass rush will challenge Carr and force the Raiders to keep them honest on the ground. That's problematic for an offense that ranks 29th in rushing yards per game (78.6) and 31st in yards per carry (3.2).

Las Vegas is also playing its first game without former head coach Jon Gruden, who was the Raiders' offensive play-caller and had a major influence on their identity on that side of the ball. The Broncos' offense, meanwhile, has totaled just 26 points over the last two weeks. Denver will surely attack Las Vegas' shoddy run defense, which should shorten the game and keep it comfortably under.

Pick: Under 44.5

C Jackson Cowart is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on Twitter (@CJacksonCowart) or email him at cjackson.cowart@thescore.com.

Copyright (C) 2021 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.