If you are really quiet and listen at night from anywhere in the country you can hear fans in Cincinnati cheering for their Bengals.

Can you blame them?

A team that has suffered through some of the most dramatic disappoints in recent years is alone atop their division over such powerhouses as the defending Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers and highly regarded Baltimore Ravens. Not only are the Bengals leading the AFC North Division over those two teams … they beat the Ravens and Steelers in their last two outings … the Steelers on their home field.

In fact, the Bengals have beaten the Steelers and Ravens twice each this year … and are only a win over the woeful Cleveland Browns away from sweeping their division games for the first time in franchise history. Next week, they get that chance to complete their division whitewash when they host Cleveland and whatever quarterback or coach they still have standing. This week, the Bengals have another seemingly sure winner on tap; they travel to Oakland to meet a Raiders team that couldn’t beat the Kansas City Chiefs on their home field last week.

No wonder you can hear the cheering from Cincinnati from thousands of miles away.

And don’t you know those players, right there in the Queen City, are nearly deaf from the applause they are receiving in every corner of their lives?

Is this great for Bengals fans or what?

Could anything go wrong now?

Sometimes, this time in fact, I feel like the grim reaper for otherwise excited sports fans. Last week, a client accused me of ruining his party in Texas when he had a number of his friends coming over to enjoy the Dallas Cowboys game on the big screen in his lavish home. Dallas was scheduled to meet the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, and the Cowboys were riding a four game winning streak and Tony Romo had lost only one November start in his professional career.

“I could have done without you telling me the Cowboys were going to lose today,” he said in our morning phone call.

“But,” I advised, “You can eliminate the chance of a loss if you bet on the Packers because at least you will make a profit when your team breaks your heart.”

“I’d rather win the game,” he deadpanned.

I’m just the messenger here; I’m not supplying the opposing team with information to beat your hometown heroes. So, Bengals fans, want to make some money this week?

Bet on the Raiders.

What?

Do you know the chances of Cincinnati winning on the road after defeating the Ravens and Steelers on consecutive weeks, Pittsburgh at Heinz Field, with the possibility of sweeping the AFC North next week at home in a game that appears as easy as picking low fruit off a tree?

In the world of traps … this is an atom bomb.

What do you think my chances are of convincing clients from Cincinnati to bet on the Raiders this week?

Like the grim reaper, I simply have no feelings.

When it’s your turn to go down … you go down.

Your turn Bengals.

Qoxhi Picks: Oakland Raiders (+9½) over Cincinnati Bengals