Task Enterprises presentsNFL Intelligence

2001 · Week 17 · Division

Final

Bengals

Cincinnati

QB Jon Kitna

23·21

Titans

Tennessee

QB Steve McNair

Adelphia Coliseum · outdoors · grass · 37°F · wind 8mph

Closing spread

TEN -5.5

Total

37.5

Model margin

+2.7est.

TEN perspective

Push chance

None

half-point line — cannot push

Win probability

  • Titans
  • Bengals

How each play moved the game.

Titans winsBengals wins

Matchup

Where the edges are

Season-long league percentiles for both sides, mirrored. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge.

Bengalsedge mapTitans
  • -0.090EPA / play-0.011
  • 39.0%Success rate39.7%
  • -0.080EPA / dropback+0.112
  • -0.106EPA / rush-0.193
  • 6.9%Explosive rate8.0%
  • 37.7%Third-down rate42.1%
  • 46.6%Red-zone TD rate56.2%
  • 0.98Points / drive1.49
  • 3.1%Turnover rate2.4%
  • -0.112EPA / play allowed+0.045

Bar length is league percentile, already oriented so longer is better. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge; rows within ~12 points are washed as even.

The rivalry

TEN lead 10–9 since 1999

Meetings average 43.3 points. TEN are 6-12-1 ATS in the series.

Previous meetings
SeasonMatchupScoreWinner
2024 · W15CIN @ TEN3727CIN
2023 · W4CIN @ TEN327TEN
2022 · W12CIN @ TEN2016CIN
2021 · playoffsCIN @ TEN1916CIN
2020 · W8TEN @ CIN2031CIN
2017 · W10CIN @ TEN2024TEN
2014 · W3TEN @ CIN733CIN
2011 · W9CIN @ TEN2417CIN

Box score

Individual performances

Bengals

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Jon Kitna28/4734001
Corey Dillon0/1001

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Corey Dillon22874.02
Brandon Bennett3134.30
Jon Kitna200.00

Receiving

PlayerRecTgtYdsTD
Darnay Scott9111520
Danny Farmer35570
Chad Johnson27340
Peter Warrick59330
Corey Dillon37270
Kirk McMullen12110
Brandon Bennett2290
Ron Dugans1260

Titans

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Steve McNair11/1817310
Neil O'Donnell7/1413410

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Eddie George21502.40
Steve McNair273.51

Receiving

PlayerRecTgtYdsTD
Derrick Mason9111862
Kevin Dyson410550
Drew Bennett23250
Frank Wycheck26230
Eddie George12180

Where this game is likely to land

  • Model
  • Smooth (normal)
  • Betting line

Probability of each final margin. Football scoring clusters — the spikes at 3 and 7 are real, and a smooth model misses them.

line +5.53.9%2.6%6.9%7.5%3.1%4.8%3.0%2.7%

Positive margins favour Titans; negative favour Bengals.

Half-point at risk

3.11%

outcomes that flip if the line moves 0.5

Model home win

56.4%

Expected total

43.1est.

Model

Where the number comes from

Each component is additive, in points of expected margin.

  • Team ratings (opponent-adjusted EPA)+0.18
  • Home-field advantage+2.56
  • Quarterback adjustment0.00
  • Rest differential0.00
  • Expected margin+2.74