The NFL’s international series returns on Sunday in Week 9, as the Cincinnati Bengals and MVP candidate Joe Burrow hit the road to take on the Atlanta Falcons in Madrid. 

Michael Penix Jr. and the Falcons suffered a brutal loss in the rain against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 8, and they’re now just 3-5 this season and facing an uphill battle to win the NFC South. 

They’re set as underdogs in this matchup despite being the “home” team against Cincy.

Burrow and the Bengals survived an overtime score with the Tennessee Titans in Week 8, and they’re now 5-2 this season and in a great spot to win the AFC North. With the Baltimore Ravens taking a step back after Lamar Jackson’s injury, Burrow and the Bengals are favored to win the division and are inside 20/1 to win the Super Bowl. 

Can they take care of business in Madrid against a Falcons team that has been extremely hit or miss in 2026? 

All season long, the SI Betting team is predicting the final score of NFL games, a fun way to help bettors decide on spread, moneyline and total wagers each week. And, we’re trying to hit a bunch of exact scores in the process. 

With the NFL heading to Madrid in Week 9, both the Bengals and Falcons need a win to keep themselves in the mix in their respective division races. Who has the edge on Sunday morning? Let’s take a look at my final score prediction for this standalone matchup in Week 9. 

Bengals vs. Falcons Odds, Spread and Total 

Spread

• Bengals -3 (-112)
• Falcons +3 (-108)

Moneyline

• Bengals: -155
• Falcons: +130

Total

• 52.5 (Over -112/Under -108)

Cincinnati opened as a 3.5-point favorite in this matchup, but the line has moved down to just three ahead of Sunday’s battle. The Bengals and Falcons have also seen the total for this matchup rise by three points since opening at 49.5. 

Bengals vs. Falcons Score Prediction

Each week, SI Betting’s Iain MacMillan picks every single game in his Road to 272 column, and he’s targeting the Bengals as the “road team”  in this international matchup on Sunday: 

The Falcons' handful of impressive performances this season have convinced people this team is better than they are. They continue to have plenty of issues on both sides of the ball. Their defense has regressed after a strong start to the season, and Michael Penix Jr. displays accuracy issues on a weekly basis. He now ranks 32nd out of 35 starting quarterbacks this season in completion percentage over expected.

play and 12th in defensive weighted EPA per play. Don't be fooled into thinking their defense is bad because of a down game against the Titans last week. They certainly aren't an elite unit, but an average defense is good enough to let the Cincinnati offense do its thing to win games.

The most important aspect of the Bengals' defense is its ability to stop the run. They rank sixth in opponent rush success rate, and we've already seen the Falcons fail to produce offensively when facing strong run defenses like the Steelers' and Buccaneers'.

The Falcons have one of the best wins of the season (over San Francisco) and yet there have been multiple weeks where this offense has been incapable of moving the ball. 

Through eight weeks, the Falcons are 3-3 when Penix plays and they rank just 26th in the league in EPA/Play on offense. Atlanta has a top-10 defense in EPA/Play, yet they couldn’t stop a Bucs team that didn’t complete a pass in Week 8. 

Burrow and the Bengals have one of the best offenses in the NFL, and I expect them to roll on Sunday with the AFC North crown certainly within reach. 

Final Score Prediction: Bengals 30, Falcons 20

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.