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Bengals Week 6 Preview – Pittsburgh at Cincinnati

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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

5 Infamous Moments from the Cincinnati Bengals/PS Rivalry

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OK, Cincinnati Bengals fans – the week is here.

The Metal People are coming to town. Even better, they’ve looked as soft as melting gold so far this year. Those from the “pit” are ripe for the picking.

Notice how we haven’t named them yet? That’s because, with some teams, you just dislike them so much that you want to say their name less than Voldemort. And there’s a reason for that hatred. In fact, there are several.

Cincinnati and the pit town have had more than their fair share of run-ins over the last few years. That has mushroomed into a pretty fierce rivalry – one that would give Da Bears!-Packers historic rivalry a run for its money.

Here are five moments/games that have really brought this thing to a head. And made us want to rip someone’s head off.

5 Big Moments in the Cincinnati Bengals Rivalry with “Them”

5. Time to Shine
Some might say this was more shallow than an episode of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, but it was still fun. Wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh had a great game in a 38-31 victory at Heinz field in 2005. To top it off, he used a Terrible Towel to shine his cleats in the tunnel. We can think of only one better use for the Terrible Towel. Hint: It wouldn’t be the shoes that you wipe …

4. Refereegate
The sting of this one is still fresh. It’s December 2017 and the Cincinnati Bengals are still hoping for a playoff bid. But the black and gold team stopped them cold, with some help from the black-and-white striped team. The Bengals were flagged 13 times for 173 yards (a team record). Many of those were the result of poor officiating. The worst was a BS holding call against Giovani Bernard in the second half that wiped out an Andy Dalton touchdown pass. It was such a phantom call that you half-expected to see an opera along with it. The TD – and the momentum – was officially lost. Along with a 17-point lead, the game, and the postseason.

3. Taking a Knee
The first playoff meeting between the two teams was in 2005. The stakes were high, the tension higher. Said tension reached a fever pitch when Bengals’ QB Carson Palmer was drilled on the second offensive play (in what many people thought was a late, dirty hit) and left the game with a knee injury. Cincy still managed to take a 17-7 lead, but the bottom fell out after that. The Other Team scored 24 straight and won 31-17, paving their way to a Super Bowl title.

2. You’re Late … Again and Again and Again. If you thought one late hit was a doozie, how about a second half full of them? That’s what we witnessed in the 2015 Wild Card Playoff game. Things seemed reasonably calm in the first half. Then the rain started falling … and the bodies. Assistant coach Mike Munchak pulled Reggie Nelson’s hair. Giovani Bernard was on the receiving end of a Ryan Shazier helmet-to-helmet tackle. Vontaze Burfict and Pacman Jones donated 30 yards in penalties to the Make-a-Field-Goal foundation. Even Ben Roth ….Roethles …. Roethlis … Big Ben was pelted with garbage as he was carted off the field after being sacked by Burfict. Where were the WWE superstars to make it a complete circus?

1. You Want Somma This? Well sorry, it’s ours! The 2009 Iron Workers football team allllmost qualified for the playoffs at 9-7. How sweet was it then, that two of those losses were to the eventual AFC North champion Cincinnati Bengals? Because, ya know, without those two losses, Pitt would have made the postseason. Claiming a playoff spot with one hand and shoving your heated rival away from it with the other hand? Ummmm, yes please!

Bengals Week 5 Preview – Miami at Cincinnati

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Miami Dolphins (3-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (3-1)

What a game, what a game it was. The Bengals managed to leave Atlanta with a win last week bringing them to 3-1 on the season. 3-1 sounds even better when you take into account that three of those games were on the road, no Vontaze Burfict in any of them, and no Joe Mixon or Billy Price in two of them. The Bengals did something Bengals fans don’t often see and that is a come from behind win on the road. Down late in the game Andy Dalton led the Bengals down the field to score with seconds remaining. It was a Bengals team that finished strong and did not falter like we have often seen them do. It looked like a different Bengals team we are not used to seeing.

For anyone that reads this weekly you will know I had a wedding to attend last weekend and was worried about making it home in time to watch the game. Fear no more, I managed to pull in the drive at one o’clock and watched the whole game. Enough with week 4, lets move on. I’m going to be honest, Sunday feels like a trap game. I have heard several others mention this as well, fresh off of a big win, with Pittsburgh next week, it feels like a trap game. I’m hoping the Bengals have not already looked past a sneaky good Miami team that sits at 3-1.

Matchups to watch for…

A.J. Green vs. Xavien Howard – Last time Green played the Dolphins he picked them apart to the tune of 10 catches for 173 yards and a touchdown. An absolutely dominate performance, most of it coming against then rookie Xavien Howard. Howard was “mossed” in this game by Green and looked silly. That was two years ago, now Howard is playing like a top corner in the league, in fact he shut down Amari Cooper just weeks ago. Howard is a good corner, I think he causes some fits early on but I think Green gets going in the second half of the game. I also predict Green to score his 6th touchdown on the year this week.

Vontaze vs. The New NFL Rules – The much anticipated return of one of the most controversial players in the league. You either love him or hate him. Despite his famous hit in the playoffs, I love Tez. I think he is exactly what our defense has been missing on third downs. With Tez back, I think he helps our defense get more third down stops and get the defense off the field. That is of course if he stays on the field. Tez is no stranger to suspensions, and with new rules in place it could be hard for a targeted Tez to stay on the field. Burfict will have to play smart to avoid letting his teammates down with another suspension.

Bengals Pass Rush vs. An Underrated Dolphins Line – The Dolphins passing weapons are not to be taken lightly. They have some talent at the receiver position that could test our secondary. This is why the Bengals must put pressure on Tannehill and not give him time to find the open guy down the field. After a huge preseason this defensive line has been quieter than expected. Geno and Dunlap are still their usual selves but guys like Carl Lawson, Andrew Billings, and Jordan Willis have not made the impact we might have thought they would. This is the week they need to bring it and show how dominate they can be on the line.

My Prediction: I was wrong last week, despite thinking the Bengals would win, since I figured they would split the Atlanta and Carolina game, I picked them to lose. I did not give them the benefit of the doubt and trust this new confidence they have. I am also not doubting them this week, I think Marvin Lewis will have them ready and not let them fall victim to a trap game. The Bengals are very talented and playing good football. While it looks like John Ross and Gio Bernard may miss this game, we will see Joe Mixon and Vontaze Burfict back. Arguably the most passionate players on each side of the ball should be the spark the Bengals need to keep rolling this week at home.

My Prediction: Bengals 34 Dolphins 23

My Bengals Predictions on the year: 2-2

Be sure to follow me on twitter @Pierson242FF, and be sure to tweet me if you are at the game as I will be in attendance on Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium.

Game: Miami Dolphins (3-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (3-1)

Date/Time: October 7, 2018 at 1:00 p.m. EST

Location: Paul Brown Stadium

Uniforms: Orange Jersey with White Pants

Last Matchup: 9/29/16 – Bengals 22, Dolphins 7

Odds: Bengals, -5.5

Bengals Week 4 Preview – Cincinnati at Atlanta

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Cincinnati Bengals (2-1) at Atlanta Falcons (1-2)

Man, what a tough week 3 for Bengals fans. In a game that looked so ugly on paper, the Bengals managed to stay within one score for essentially the whole game. This was a very winnable game for Cincinnati but they could not seem to get it going in the second half. Yes we know there was drama with John Ross, and the A.J. Green injury, and a non existent run defense. But despite all of this, the Bengals hung in there with the Panthers and kept it close. But that is behind now in the past, the Bengals still sit atop the AFC North and seem to have avoided a serious injury to Green.

Now onto week 4, and I want to start by saying, weddings during football season should be illegal. I will be in attendance at my cousins wedding this weekend. Congrats to her and I feel honored to be in the wedding, however it is three and a half hours away and I will have to be up at the crack of dawn to drive home to watch the game on top of making sure all my fantasy football lineups are set. Tired of my complaining yet, let’s talk Bengals now. The Bengals will travel to Atlanta to take on the Falcons, who are somehow more banged up than the Bengals are at this point in the year. Having lost their best starting linebacker and both starting safeties, the Bengals may be able to take advantage on offense.

Matchups to watch for…

Dre Kirkpatrick vs. Julio Jones – Dre and Julio go way back, as they were teammates in college at Alabama. Dre will definitely have his work cut out for him on Sunday. He has faced a lot of criticism for his play this year and has been targeted a ton this season so far. He has actually done a fairly good job at corner and on Sunday he faces his toughest task of the year with Julio Jones. Playing for pride and facing off against his old teammate, Dre should have plenty of motivation this week. In order for the Bengals to win, Kirkpatrick must find a way to slow down Julio.

Giovani Bernard vs. a banged up Falcons Defense – Over the past two weeks, the Falcons have given up over 329 yards from scrimmage to running backs, 226 in which have been receiving yards. With the loss of Deion Jones and Keanu Neal the Falcons have been destroyed by running backs in the passing game. This is very good news for Gio, who has had plenty of success catching the ball. After a good performance versus Carolina he will be key in this matchup. The Bengals have to establish a run game to keep the Falcons offense off the field. Gio should have a huge day in week 4.

John Ross vs. Himself – John Ross has been all the talk this week for the Bengals. After questionable play in week 3, Bengals fans are calling for him to be benched which is silly. Although that is another subject which you can read about in one of my previous articles. Ross will face his biggest test of the year in showing whether or not he can bounce back and prove everyone wrong. Ross must show improved hands and work ethic. He appears to still have the trust of his coaches and teammates, but can he prove it to fans this week? It’s a big week for #15.

This game will be decided by the Bengals defense. Dalton and company shouldn’t have any huge issues moving the ball and scoring, especially with A.J. Green looking like a lock to play Sunday. The Bengals defense will be the ones who have to slow down this Falcons offense and get off the field on third down, which they haven’t been able to do this year. If the defense can hold the Falcons to around 21-24 points, I think the offense should be able to put up more than this to leave Atlanta with a win.

My Prediction: All year I have been predicting the Bengals to split the Carolina and Atlanta game going 1-1 between the two. I bet on Cincy last week and was burned and am skeptical to pick them this week. While I think they have the ability to win this week, it is always tough to win on the road. Especially somewhere loud like Atlanta. I will not be surprised if they win this week but I am picking them to lose a close game. I hope they prove me wrong but the high powered Falcons passing game is looking red hot right now and I think Atlanta kicks a last second field goal to win this one.

My Prediction: Bengals 27 Falcons 30

My Bengals Predictions on the year: 2-1

Be sure to follow me on twitter @Pierson242FF, Who Dey!

Game: Cincinnati Bengals (2-1) at Atlanta Falcons (1-2)

Date/Time: September 30, 2018 at 1:00 p.m. EST

Location: Mercedes Benz Stadium

Uniforms: White Jersey with Black Pants

Last Matchup: 9/14/14 – Bengals 24, Falcons 10

Odds: Bengals, +5

Could 2018 Be Tyler Boyd’s Year?

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Never send just a man to do a Boyd’s job.

Sounds like a cool slogan for a t-shirt, right?

Well, it’s more than that. With Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd coming into his own as a viable target for Andy Dalton, that slogan could become the newest way to express how Bill Lazor’s offense will wreak havoc on opponents in 2018.

Getting to that point though hasn’t been a sure thing at times.

Tyler Boyd: Origins

The Bengals had reasonably high hopes for Tyler Boyd, drafting him in the second round out of Pitt in 2016. He brought a 6’2” frame and 4.58 speed to the team. Cincinnati penciled him in third on the depth chart behind Brandon LaFell and some guy named Green.

Boyd wasted no time jumping into the fray in 2016. He played in all 16 games and snagged 54 passes for 603 yards and 1 TD. Those are solid totals for a second rounder, especially when you consider that his role was mainly to complement Green and LaFell.

But last year, those numbers dipped more than the chorus of Freak Nasty‘s single Da Dip. (You know; I put my hand upon your hip …). Boyd suffered a knee sprain and only played in 10 games. He was targeted only 32 times, and caught 22 of them for 225 yards and a couple of TDs. To boot, he was in Marvin Lewis’ doghouse for reasons that even the cast of True Detective would have trouble figuring out.

Now, it’s year 3.

Through the first 3 games of 2018, Boyd has 15 catches for 249 yards and 2 touchdowns. That’s a healthy 16.6 yards per catch and a yardage total that already surpasses last year. Those numbers should keep growing nicely as Boyd gains experience and assumes a larger role in the offense with LaFell now in Oakland. Boyd is a good safety net/checkdown for Dalton and will team with Green to give the Cincinnati Bengals a powerful 1-2 punch. It’ll be enough to give secondaries that same dejected feeling you get when you’re jonesing for some Chick-fil-A … and then realize it’s Sunday.

Here’s to Tyler, whom we hope will continue to look like a man among boys.