Bengals-Talk

All the latest news and talk about the Cincinnati Bengals

You are here: Home / Archives for Preview

Bengals Week 11 Preview – Cincinnati at Baltimore

Leave a Comment

Cincinnati Bengals (5-4) at Baltimore Ravens (4-5)

Oh boy, do I really need to recap the Bengals week 10 game against the Saints? Do we all remember the 500 plus yards and 50 plus points the Saints put up on the Bengals? Or do I need to mention that the Saints punter wasn’t used once in the entire game? Or how the Bengals starters managed to only put up just seven points against the 31st ranked defense in the league? Do we all remember this? Good, because I don’t want to talk about it anymore.

This week the Bengals face another tough task. That is going into M&T Bank Stadium and facing a divisional rival, the Baltimore Ravens. Like the Bengals, the Ravens are also in the wild card playoff hunt and a win against the Bengals would give the Ravens matching records with Cincy. In order for the Bengals to keep their playoff hopes alive, they can only afford to lose two games max the rest of the year. And with games still left against the Chargers and Steelers, they cannot afford to lose this week. They will have to be sharp against a very good Baltimore defense.

Matchups to watch for…

Tyler Boyd vs. WR1 Coverage – I listed it last week and I will list it again this week. Marvin Lewis isn’t closing the door on A.J. Green playing this Sunday, but we all know that is a total smoke screen. We will not see A.J. Green Sunday, and that is that. Tyler Boyd MUST continue his breakout season against the Ravens top corners, Marlon Humphrey and Brandon Carr. The Ravens defensive backs have already publicly stated their plan to keep more eyes on Boyd. This could be his toughest game of the year.

Andy Dalton vs. The Ravens Secondary- The Baltimore Ravens secondary is good. They are averaging the 3rd fewest passing yard per game this year with an average of just 205 yards allowed through the air. Andy Dalton will have his hands full this weekend, especially with no A.J. Green. The last time the Bengals faced the Ravens Andy Dalton carved them up for 265 yards and 4 touchdowns, but that was with a healthy A.J. Green. Good Andy will have to be out in full force in order to get anything going against this stingy pass defense.

The Bengals Defense vs. A Backup Quarterback- The closer and closer we get to Sunday it becomes more and more evident that Joe Flacco isn’t starting. However, that doesn’t mean we are any closer to knowing who will start. The Ravens are keeping quiet, not telling us if Lamar Jackson or Robert Griffin III will get the start on Sunday. It is looking like it will be Griffen. Regardless of who gets the start the Bengals must take advantage of a backup getting the start.

My Prediction:The Bengals are one game removed from a blowout loss and have recorded three straight games where they given up 500+ yards on defense. I think the combination of a backup quarterback starting for the Ravens and Marvin Lewis taking over the defense, leads to the Bengals defense getting a little more on track. While the Bengals linebackers are all banged up, the rest of the defense should be able to step up. The Bengals seem to always have the Ravens number. It will take everything they have but I believe the Bengals escape with a win.

My Prediction: Bengals 27 Ravens 24

My Bengals Predictions on the year: 6-3

Be sure to follow me on twitter @Pierson242FF. Be sure to tweet me anything Bengals related, questions or comments!

Game: Cincinnati Bengals (5-4) at Baltimore Ravens (4-5)

Date/Time: November 17, 2018 at 1:00 p.m. EST

Location: M&T Bank Stadium

Uniforms: White Jersey

Last Matchup: 9/13/18 – Bengals 34 Ravens 23

Odds: Bengals, +4

Bengals Week 10 Preview – New Orleans vs Cincinnati

Leave a Comment

New Orleans Saints (7-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (5-3)

It wasn’t pretty but the Bengals got it done against Tampa Bay. The Bengals were gifted multiple turnovers from Jameis Winston before we almost saw Ryan Fitzpatrick come back and steal the game away. This weeks test will be even harder as the Bengals will likely be without start wide receiver A.J. Green. This Bengals team continues to be hit hard with injuries in the worst way and they will once again need to overcome adversity this weekend in The Jungle.

This week, coming off the bye, the Bengals get arguably their toughest matchup of the year. The New Orleans Saints gained even more momentum last weekend as they took down the undefeated Rams in the Superdome. The Saints boast an explosive offense, their weakness is their defense, which the Bengals will have to exploit if they are to have any shot at taking down this Saints team.

Matchups to watch for…

Tyler Boyd vs. WR1 Coverage – As I mentioned earlier, we likely will not see A.J. Green this week due to an injury he suffered against the Bucs. This means all eyes will be on Tyler Boyd to show what he can do as the team’s number one passing option. The Saints slot corner has struggled this year which is good for Boyd. The problem could be if Boyd lines up outside against the Saints top corner, Marshon Lattimore. Hopefully we see Tyler Boyd stay lined up inside this weekend.

The Bengals Secondary vs. Drew Brees – Drew Brees shows no signs of slowing down as he is now 39 years old. Brees just torched the Rams for 340 yards and four touchdowns, and will now look to do the same against the Bengals secondary. The Bengals back end will have their hands full with Michael Thomas this weekend who is coming off of a 200+ yard performance. As if guarding Thomas wouldn’t be hard enough, the Saints also have one of the league’s best pass catching backs in Alvin Kamara, and recently signed Dez Bryant (though recent reports are he sustained an injury in practice already).

The Bengals Linebackers vs. Alvin Kamara – Alvin Kamara is one of the league’s top backs and is deadly in open space. We have seen the Bengals linebackers struggle all year to stop the run and miss tackles in the open field. The Bengals have to show improvement or Kamara will run for numbers similar to what Kareem Hunt and Christian McCaffrey have done against the Bengals.

My Prediction: The Bengals entered their bye at 5-3, which is good, however they still have a lot of work to do. With a bad defense and missing key offensive pieces, the Bengals could be in for a long day. On the plus side we should see Billy Price, Gio Bernard, and John Ross back in the lineup. The Bengals are also wearing their orange jerseys on Sunday, in which they are undefeated in. It is also supposed to be cold, where we have seen Drew Brees struggle. Despite all of this I still think the Saints will escape with the win.

My Prediction: Bengals 27 Saints 38

My Bengals Predictions on the year: 5-3

Be sure to follow me on twitter @Pierson242FF, and come find me at the game as I will be in attendance this Sunday. Be sure to tweet me anything Bengals related, questions or comments!

Game: New Orleans Saints (7-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (5-3)

Date/Time: November 11, 2018 at 1:00 p.m. EST

Location: Paul Brown Stadium

Uniforms: Orange Jersey with Black Pants

Last Matchup: 11/16/14 – Bengals 27 Buccaneers 10

Odds: Bengals, +5.5

Bengals Week 8 Preview – Tampa Bay vs Cincinnati

1 Comment

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-3) at Cincinnati Bengals (4-3)

It was another embarrassing primetime showing by Andy Dalton and the Bengals that drops them to 4-3 and second in the AFC North behind the Steelers. No one thought the Bengals would win this game, but did we think it would be close? Of course we did. The Steelers loss hurts less than this game because at least the Bengals were competitive in that game. The Sunday night performance perfectly sums up the repeated mockery we continue to get with Marvin Lewis. The season is not lost by any means, but the Bengals have to figure out a way to get back on track.

This week the Bengals play Tampa Bay. It’s another game that is supposed to be a shootout, which after last week, may not be a good thing for the Bengals. The Bengals looked flat on offense and only managed 10 points against one of the worst defenses in the NFL. Sounds similar to this week, where the Bucs have a very explosive offense, and a very bad defense. Bill Lazor must figure a way to get points on the board.

Matchups to watch for…

Dre Kirkpatrick vs. Mike Evans – News broke earlier this week that the corners for the Bengals will at least start the game shadowing. William Jackson gets Desean Jackson, which doesn’t scare me too much. However, Dre is shadowing Mike Evans. Dre has struggled at times this year but is still not having as bad of a season as many are making it out to be. All fans will be glued to this matchup to see how Dre handles going up against one of the best wideouts in the league.

The Bengals Defensive Line vs. The Bucs Offensive Line – I listed the Bengals defensive line as a key matchup last week and will continue to do so until they step it up and show us what they showed in the preseason. Last week they failed to get pressure on Mahomes and he picked apart the defense. Jameis Winston, with time, can do the same thing. However, we have seen Winston struggle under pressure and make bad throws. If the line can step it up and get pressure on Jameis, it could lead to key turnovers in this game.

Andy Dalton vs. The Bucs Secondary – The Bucs secondary is bad, maybe worse than the Chiefs. This could be a get right game for Andy Dalton and Bill Lazor. The offense has struggled in the last three weeks. This game could turn into a shootout quickly and Andy Dalton must perform and show fans why many have stuck with him this long. If he cannot perform against this team, it may start to raise some questions.

My Prediction: Two straight loses, this game is a must win for the Bengals season. They cannot afford to go into the bye at 4-4. On paper, the Bengals are the better team and if we see the Bengals from Weeks 1-4, Cincy will win this game and move to 5-3. However, if we see the Bengals from Weeks 5-7, I think it goes down to the wire and Cincy may even lose. I’m giving the Bengals the upper hand and trusting them. I think at home they get back on track and go into a much needed bye at 5-3.

My Prediction: Bengals 35 Buccaneers 31

My Bengals Predictions on the year: 4-3

Be sure to follow me on twitter @Pierson242FF, and be sure to tweet me anything Bengals related, questions or comments!

Game: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-3) at Cincinnati Bengals (4-3)

Date/Time: October 28, 2018 at 1:00 p.m. EST

Location: Paul Brown Stadium

Uniforms: Black Jersey with White Pants

Last Matchup: 11/30/14 – Bengals 14 Buccaneers 13

Odds: Bengals, -3.5

Bengals Week 7 Preview – Cincinnati vs Kansas City

1 Comment

Cincinnati Bengals (4-2) at Kansas City Chiefs (5-1)

What a tough lose. The Bengals hung with the Steelers all day despite playing very bad at times. They were able to march down the field and score with ease just before halftime, then went on to get only 4 total yards on offense in the third quarter. I still think the Bengals were the better team, and if you put any other logo on the Steelers helmets the Bengals win. But the Bengals just can not beat Pittsburgh. It was crushing to see Brown score with just seconds left, but the fact that it came down to the last play was encouraging that the Bengals hung in and fought down to the wire.

This week we get to sit all day Sunday in anticipation of a prime time game with a red hot Chiefs offense. The Chiefs defense shouldn’t provide much of an obstacle for the Bengals offense. The game will be decided by how much the Bengals can slow down the Chiefs offense. The key will be to keep the Kansas City offense off of the field, which is why I think Joe Mixon will have a big day grinding out the clock. And the more we keep our defense off the field against Patrick Mahomes, the better!

Matchups to watch for…

William Jackson III vs. Tyreek Hill – Earlier this week when asked about Tyreek Hill’s speed, William Jackson replied “I can fly too”. Every Bengals fan watching this game will hope the same thing. Tyreek Hill has made defenses look silly this year with his speed. On the bright side for Bengals fans, William Jackson allowed zero receptions on two targets last week against Pittsburgh. It’s encouraging that teams are afraid to throw his way, and when they do it doesnt end well. Let’s hope this trend continues when William Jackson is lined up on Tyreek.

The Bengals Defensive Line vs. The Chiefs Offensive Line – It is not secret that this “elite” defensive line we saw during the preseason is under performing. One of the reasons we came up short against the Steelers is because Ben Roethlisberger had all day to throw. The Bengals line must play better to take pressure off the secondary and linebackers, especially with how bad our linebacker play has been. This may be a tough task as the Chiefs have allowed just six sacks this year, the least amount by any team in the NFL so far.

Bengals Linebackers vs. Travis Kelce – I mentioned before that the Bengals have one of the worst linebacking corps in the league. Well it is a good thing they don’t have to matchup against one of the best tight ends in the league this year…. Oh wait. The Bengals have been very bad against the tight end position this year and Travis Kelce is arguably the best tight end in the game right now. In almost every team the Bengals have faced this year we have seen the opposing teams tight ends have big games. If the Bengals can not figure out a way to slow down Kelce, fans could be in for a long day on defense.

My Prediction: The Chiefs are a very good football team, which is why they are 5-1. Every year Andy Reid’s offenses start red hot and crash back down to earth when teams start scheming with more knowledge on how to stop them. As a Bengals fan, I am really hoping that starts this weekend. However, I am not betting on that. I still think the Bengals are a very good team, but after a tough loss to Pittsburgh, multiple injuries, in primetime I just can’t. I think the Bengals will make it interesting but not have what it takes to slow down Patrick Mahomes.

My Prediction: Bengals 24 Chiefs 31

My Bengals Predictions on the year: 3-3

Be sure to follow me on twitter @Pierson242FF, and be sure to tweet me with any Bengals related questions or comments!

Game: Cincinnati Bengals (4-2) at Kansas City Chiefs (5-1)

Date/Time: October 21, 2018 at 8:20 p.m. EST

Location: Arrowhead Stadium

Uniforms: White Jersey with White Pants

Last Matchup: 10/04/15 – Bengals 36 Chiefs 21

Odds: Bengals, +6

Bengals Week 6 Preview – Pittsburgh at Cincinnati

Leave a Comment

Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (4-1)

Its Pittsburgh week, the Bengals survived the trap game and the weekend we wait for twice a year is now upon us. In last Sunday’s game against the Dolphins we saw the Bengals offense struggle for the first time this year. On the flip side we saw the defense step up and win us the game, coming away with two defensive scores and three takeaways. While there is much to improve on with special teams, the Bengals defense was dominate. They held the Dolphins offense to just 10 points. It was a very promising showing heading into this week.

This week will be my first time not attending a home game for the Bengals this year (I was also at Indianapolis which is basically a home game). I debated long and hard about it and decided to save some money and stay home and watch. The Steelers games can get rough with the opposing fans. It seemed like it would be more comfortable to watch in the safety of my own home.

Matchups to watch for…

William Jackson III vs. Antonio Brown – Last year Jackson was able to shut Brown down, dominating him through two games. This year Jackson has taken a small step back in terms of how “shutdown” he has been. However, last week both Jackson and Dre Kirkpatrick did not allow the Dolphins to complete anything down field. The Bengals corners may have found their groove at the perfect time. William Jackson will once again look to shut down Brown and frustrate this offense.

The Bengals Defensive Line vs. Big Ben – Earlier in the week, Carlos Dunlap was on record calling Big Ben a “300 pound quarterback”. Ben was also in the news this week talking about how dirty this matchup can be. It will be very interesting to see how the Bengals defensive line handles taking down a big quarterback like Ben with the new NFL rules. Ben is very good at avoiding sacks, and the new rules may make this ever harder to do.

Vontaze Burfict vs. JuJu Smith-Schuster – I am sure I do not need to remind anyone why this is a matchup to watch. JuJu laid a hit on Burfict last year that ended his season. It will be very interesting to see what happens when these two meet on the field and what it sparks between teammates on the field as well. This matchup and how both players handle it, could affect the outcome of this game.

My Prediction: All games are must wins, but this one is particularly important. The Bengals will have a tough time winning the North if they cannot beat Pittsburgh at least once. They will be at home with the crowd behind them, making this the easier of the two Steelers games. The Steelers have been full of drama this year off the field while the Bengals have kept quiet and gone to work. I think this is a different Bengals team than in years passed. I believe they have the talent and mindset to go into this game and play smart and escape with a win. My prediction is a late field goal by Bullock to put the Bengals up for the win.

My Prediction: Bengals 27 Steelers 24

My Bengals Predictions on the year: 3-2

Be sure to follow me on twitter @Pierson242FF, and be sure to tweet at me with any Bengals related questions or comments!

Game: Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (4-1)

Date/Time: October 14, 2018 at 1:00 p.m. EST

Location: Paul Brown Stadium

Uniforms: Black Jersey with Black Pants

Last Matchup: 12/04/17 – Bengals 20 Steelers 23

Odds: Bengals, -2