Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals Hit the First Touchdown Scorer in This AFC Divisional Matchup

Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals Hit the First Touchdown Scorer in This AFC Divisional Matchup

The most anticipated matchup of the Divisional Round awaits in Orchard Park, New York on Sunday afternoon, when Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals will travel to face Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. We only caught a glimpse of each team's game plan against each other on Monday Night Football in Week 17, with the Bengals jumping out to a quick 7-3 lead, finding Tyler Boyd on a 14-yard touchdown reception to open up the scoring. Damar Hamlin's injury halfway through the first quarter left all of us stunned and ultimately canceled the game. His miraculous recovery has rejuvenated all of the NFL community, particularly the Bills and players within the organization, so expect emotions to be riding high for both teams once the opening kickoff ensues at 3:00 p.m. ET.

Let's dive into my first touchdown picks in the Bills vs. Bengals game.

Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals Start Time and Where to Watch

• Date: Sunday, January 22, 2023
• Start Time: 3:00 p.m. ET
• Where to Watch: CBS

Click here for Bills vs. Bengals odds

Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals First Touchdown Scorer

First TD Scorer: Ja'Marr Chase (+1000) (Bet $100 to collect $1100) Get the best odds, available at DraftKings

Joe Burrow's chemistry with second-year wideout Ja'Marr Chase is among the strongest rapport remaining in the NFL playoffs. The two won a National Championship together at LSU in 2019 and have reunited without missing a step, as Chase has logged 22 touchdowns in his two years with Burrow and the Bengals. The star wideout has scored the first touchdown in two of Cincinnati's past four games, so expect Burrow to stay aggressive early and target his star wideout downfield on their opening drive. Chase has six red zone touchdowns as well, so it doesn't really matter what part of the field the offense is at, he'll be a high-value prospect for the first touchdown scorer with a lucrative 10/1 payout.

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First TD Scorer: Dawson Knox (+1200) (Bet $100 to collect $1200) Get the best odds, available at DraftKings

Josh Allen is no stranger to targeting his tight end to open up the scoring in the playoffs. Dawson Knox has been the first touchdown scorer in four of the Bills' previous five playoff games, including the opening six-yard touchdown reception against Miami in the Wild Card Round last weekend. We're getting even more value at 12/1 odds for Knox to be the game's first touchdown scorer compared to Chase and he's riding a hot streak right now, scoring five of his seven touchdowns since Week 14. Sprinkle a unit or two on Knox to be the first touchdown scorer against the Bengals and enjoy the bag you inherit when it hits.

First TD Scorer: James Cook (+1300) (Bet $100 to collect $1400) Get the best odds, available at DraftKings

Rookie running back James Cook has supplanted Devin Singletary as Buffalo's top running back in their backfield. The Bills often find themselves abandoning the run too early or if they wind up in a back-and-forth shootout, but they have been fairly conservative in maintaining a balanced offense early in games. This narrative aligns with Cook scoring the fourth touchdown of his career on Sunday. He scored the second touchdown of the game in the first quarter against a good Miami run defense in the Wild Card Round, inflating Buffalo's lead to 14-0. It's the closest he's ever been to delivering a first touchdown scorer payout, but if the Bills get into the red zone, expect OC Ken Dorsey to scheme up a couple of carries or touches for his talented rookie running back to counter the Bengals' lockdown secondary. We're eyeing Cook's 13/1 odds for the first touchdown scorer with confidence, so let's lay a unit on it and let it ride.

Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals First Touchdown Scorer Picks

• Ja'Marr Chase (+1000)
• Dawson Knox (+1200)
• James Cook (+1300)

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