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Bengals Week 1 Preview – Cincinnati at Indianapolis

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Cincinnati Bengals (0-0) at Indianapolis Colts (0-0)

In what can almost be considered a home game for the Bengals, they travel to Indianapolis on Sunday to take on the Colts in Andrew Luck’s return to football. Both teams will be looking to bounce back from poor 2017 seasons.

For the Colts it will be Andrew Luck showing he is still capable of playing football and that he can do it at a high level. The Colts defense looks like it may be one of the worst in the league, so they will need everything they can get from Luck. For the Bengals it will be all eyes on Andy Dalton. Loaded with talent around him it depends on what Dalton can do against a poor Indy defense to prove he is still a guy capable of winning a championship with.

Matchups to watch for…

Geno Atkins vs. Quenton Nelson – Nelson was the highest picked offensive lineman in the 2018 NFL Draft, and it was no surprise to see the Colts take him. The Colts have one of the worst lines in the league and need everything they can to help protect Andrew Luck. Nelson gets no time to adjust to the NFL as his first career start will be against all-pro defensive tackle Geno Atkins. Geno is one of the best interior lineman in the league, Bengals fans are hoping he can use his experience to make easy work of the rookie.

A.J. Green vs. Quincy Wilson – In what could be the biggest mismatch of the game, A.J. Green will go up against Colts corner Quincy Nelson. Nelson was a second round pick in the 2017 draft and did not see a lot of playing time last year, this year he starts out guarding an all-pro in A.J. Green. Green should be able to take advantage of this matchup, which should also open up John Ross to one-on-one coverage on the opposite side. The Bengals should be able to capitalize on this Colts secondary.

William Jackson III vs. T.Y. Hilton – Green and Wilson will not be the only WR/CB matchup to watch. On the flip side we will see what could be one of the toughest matchups for both players on the day. T.Y. Hilton is one of the best deep threat receivers in the league, who struggled last year with no Luck. William Jackson is one of the league’s elite up and coming young corners. Jackson held Antonio Brown (ever heard of him?) without a reception last year. William Jackson will look to continue his success from last year against Indy.

Other things to watch for…

The Bengals entire defensive line –  The Bengals should have a strong outing this week against a bad Colts line. There is also rumor that Colts starter Anthony Castonzo is questionable for this game. Expect the Bengals ferocious d-line to carry their preseason momentum into Lucas Oil.

Bengals offensive weapons not named AJ Green – As mentioned before, the Colts have one of the league’s worst secondaries on paper. Outside of Malik Hooker, who is returning from injury, the Bengals have several favorable matchups. With Green lined up drawing Hooker’s attention, Ross, Boyd, and Eifert should feast with one-on-one coverage opportunities.

My Prediction: It should be an exciting games for Bengal fans to see what Lazor’s offense can do after a full offseason. A weak Colts defense should be the perfect game to display his creativity with his weapons all healthy. I am very optimistic about this Bengals team in 2018 and I think they go in and win in convincing fashion to open the year. With a fierce pass rush, and a deadly air attack, the Bengals win this one 35-17.

Be sure to follow me on twitter @Pierson242FF, and if you are at the game, be sure to tweet at me as I will also be in attendance on Sunday. Who Dey!

Game: Bengals (0-0) at Indianapolis Colts (0-0)

Date/Time: September 9, 2018 at 1:00 p.m. EST

Location: Lucas Oil Stadium

Uniforms: Color Rush

Last Matchup: 10/29/17 – Bengals 24, Colts 23

Odds: Bengals, +3

5 Most Important Games On The Bengals Schedule

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ESPN is predicting an 8–8 record for the Cincinnati Bengals. That puts them within one win (based on ESPN’s predictions), either way, of five other AFC teams (Ravens, Jets, Dolphins, Bills, Colts). Meaning, those are the five teams the Bengals could possibly be competing with for a wildcard berth. If the Bengals want to get back to the postseason for the first time since 2015, who they beat is almost as important as winning in the first place. And we know juuuuust who they can beat.

Here are my five picks for the most crucial games of the Cincinnati Bengals season. Win the majority of these, and a postseason ticket looks very punchable.

It’d be Awesome if the Cincinnati Bengals Won These 5 Games

5. Sunday, December 30 at Pittsburgh Steelers
You may be surprised that this game is this low on the list. That’s mainly because it’s the last game of the season, and the Bengals’ role in the playoff picture could very well be decided by now. If the race is close, though, then the team’s postseason fate comes down to beating their most hated rival on their home turf. How’s THAT for motivation?

4. Thursday, September 13 versus Baltimore Ravens
Wins within your division are doubly important, for obvious reasons. Beat a divisional rival and you are a game ahead of them. The Bengals can make a statement early in the year by knocking off the Ravens. It’ll send a message to the rest of the AFC North. It also gives Cincinnati a little padding if they drop the second meeting in Baltimore 8 weeks later.

3. Sunday, September 9 at Indianapolis Colts
Indy QB Andrew Luck has said in interviews that he feels good. But it wouldn’t hurt him to spike his sideline Gatorade with white vinegar to help get some of that rust off.
He missed the entire 2017 season with a bad shoulder. That makes you wonder how slick the Colts’ offense will be. Hopefully, it’s as effective as that get-under-your-school-desk-to-be-safe-from-the-A-bomb drill your grandparents practiced. Winning here puts a wild card competitor in a hole with 3 of Indianapolis’ next 4 games against teams picked at the top of their divisions (Eagles, Texans, Patriots).

2. Sunday, October 14 versus Pittsburgh Steelers
It’s true that we don’t expect Cincinnati to win the division. We don’t even know if they’ll be favored to win this game. But if you can replace an expected L with a surprise W on your schedule, the season’s outlook changes drastically. Ending Pittsburgh’s 6-game win streak against the Bengals and getting over that mental hump is huge.

1. Sunday, October 7 versus Miami Dolphins
Both teams play tough opponents the week before this matchup. We’re guessing (well, hoping …… um, better make it praying) that the Miami Dolphins will be smarting more from their visit to New England than Cincinnati will be after its trip to Atlanta. If Andy Dalton and company can avoid looking ahead to game #2 on this list, that could pave the way to a pivotal win here.

Cincinnati Bengals Post-Draft, Preseason Picks 2018

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Now that the 2018 NFL Draft is in the rear view mirror and off-season moves have been made, the Cincinnati Bengals could make some noise in the AFC North this fall.

They picked up a handful of players who have more than a handful of promise. They will have OC Bill Lazor running the show on offense and he will go into the year having a full offseason to prepare and install his offense this time. He’s a guy who, let’s face it, would win every “Bitchin-est Name” contest if those things existed.

Those things, combined with a couple of very winnable early-season games and the fact that we play in the same division as the Cleveland Browns, means the playoffs could be within reach this year.

Here’s a game-by-game pick of how I think the Cincinnati Bengals’ 2018 season will go.

Cincinnati Bengals Game-by-Game Picks

Week 1 @ Indianapolis Colts
Andrew Luck has been out of action since being placed on injured reserve last November. The Colts’ 4-12 record shows how important he is to the team. A rusty shoulder combined with a long layoff leads one to think Cincy will start the season 1-0. Put me down as that one. 1-0

Week 2 vs Baltimore Ravens
Of all the picks, this is the one that has me running in slow-mo through a wheat field with my arms open. Cincinnati beat the Ravens 31-27 to end 2017. An early season win here means a one-game lead against a division contender. It also means momentum. That could be the difference between the playoffs or not. 2-0

Week 3 @ Carolina Panthers
The Carolina offense was very un-Cam Newton like in 2017. They were 28th in the league in passing offense. Fortunately, their rushing D only gave up 88 yards a game, and the team rode that stat to a 5th-seed playoff berth. Given the Cincinnati Bengals’s shaky ground game the last few years, we think the Panthers take this one. 2-1

Week 4 @ Atlanta Falcons
The last time there was an air attack this scary, Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds was in theaters. It starts with the 150 Million Dollar Man Matt Ryan and continues with Pro Bowler Julio Jones, 67-catch Mohamed Sanu and first-rounder Calvin Ridley. Sad to say, it looks like the Bengals won’t be able to keep up. 2-2.

Week 5 vs Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins either won small or lost big last year. Five of their fix wins were by one possession or less. Six of their 10 losses were by 14 points or more. They have a new weapon this year in Penn State tight end Mike Gesicki, but a non-quarterback expected to generate an extra two TDs per game is a tall order. Miami won’t be able to generate enough points to keep up with Dalton and Co. 3-2

Week 6 vs Pittsburgh Steelers
There, we said the name … blood boiling yet? If it weren’t for Le’veon Bell’s two-hand touch TD last year, the Bengals could have snapped their losing streak against the Steelers, which now stands at six. As much as we hate to say it, the Bengals will continue to play catch-up in this rivalry. We won’t pick ’em until they beat Pittsburgh. 3-3

Week 7 @ Kansas City Chiefs
KC took the AFC West last year, and lost to the Tennessee Titans in the wild-card by one point. They’ve had the whole off-season to stew on what might have been. That, plus home-field advantage, is enough to convince me. 3-4

Week 8 vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers should’ve been called the Butt-aneers, what with their tail-end finishing in total defense in 2017. They allowed 378 yards per game and collected a paltry 22 sacks. The Bengals may not roll in this one, but they won’t lose. 4-4

Week 9 vs New Orleans Saints
Besides Pittsburgh, this is arguably our toughest opponent. QB Drew Brees is still churning out Pro-Bowl caliber stats. The defense, while middle of the road, doesn’t need to be special with the offense generating 391 yards a game. Will Cincinnati win? (shake magic 8 ball) Don’t count on it. 4-5

Week 10 @ Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens will have had time to gel by this point. I’m not feeling a second win for some reason. Don’t ask, just a hunch. 4-6

Week 11 vs Cleveland Browns
5-6

Week 12 vs Denver Broncos
Denver averaged just over two sacks a game in 2017, so they hope to shore up their pass rush with, among other players, first-round draft pick DE Bradley Chubb. He’ll have had some time to get his feet underneath him by Week 12, but he will need more than that. The Cincy O-line will hold up against the blitz, and the team will win. 6-6

Week 13 @ Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers possess the most lethal air attack since Alfred Hitchc …… oh, wait. You already heard that one. So you already know our prediction here. 6-7

Week 14 vs Oakland Raiders
The Oakland/Las Vegas Raid-uhs haven’t been that special since 2002, with only one playoff appearance since then. Jon Gruden’s return will pay dividends long-term, but in the meantime, the Bengals take this one. 7-7

Week 15 @ Cleveland Browns
8-7

Week 16 @ Pittsburgh Steelers
See my previous point about the team from up northeast.

Final record: 8-8. If we can get the wins against divisional opponents, then I say we got a shot at the postseason.

Game 7 Recap: Indianapolis Colts @ Cincinnati Bengals

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The Cincinnati Bengals made this one a nailbiter. Well, they played the Indianapolis Colts, soooo … let’s say a photo finish. It was a back-and-forth battle in which Cincinnati got the final punch – scoring a defensive touchdown with seven minutes left in the game to eke out a 24-23 victory.

The teams matched each other almost stride for stride. Touchdowns were answered by touchdowns on two occasions and neither team led by more than seven points. The tight contests always went against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2016. But this year, they’ve won their last two one-possession games. Let’s hope that trend continues.

How Things Went

The Colts might as well have put a stamp on the line of scrimmage that said ‘Property of Indy.’ They only allowed Cincinnati to rush for 58 yards on 21 carries and put tons of pressure on Andy Dalton.

But here’s the shocker: Even though Dalton had more nose-to-nose meetings than an 80’s rogue cop with his screaming, the-mayor’s-on-my-ass captain, he didn’t throw a pick or have any major screwups. He took three sacks but ended up with very respectable numbers (17-29, 243 yards, 2 TDs). Rookie Cincy receiver Josh Malone nabbed his first pro touchdown reception. Joe Mixon had a sweet 67-yard catch that features more bobs and weaves than Ali in his prime.

But the Cincinnati Bengals’s offense had some less-than-rosy moments. Six of their possessions lasted six plays or less. They didn’t bag a touchdown until late in the second quarter and fumbled four times (losing two). When you’re handling the ball like wet soap in a game this close, it’s more dangerous than in the prison shower room.

Cincinnati Bengals Player of the Game

Carlos Dunlap takes the honors today with his 16-yard pick-six midway through the fourth quarter. That score (which gave Cincinnati the 24-23 lead), along with a sack, a TFL and three stops, capped off a fine performance.

What This Means Going Forward

It was a much-needed win for the Cincinnati Bengals. It kept them within spitting distance of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North race. With four winnable games coming up in November (Jaguars, Titans, Broncos and Browns), Cincinnati can put themselves back into having a shot at postseason play.

Preseason Game 4 Recap: Cincinnati Bengals vs. Indianapolis Colts

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We’re not sure which was harder to come by in the Cincinnati Bengals’s final preseason game – starters or points.

But either way, Cincy’s 7-6 loss to the Indianapolis Colts was just the Bengals’ final warm-up act before the week 1 match-up with Baltimore.

The first teamers sat on both sides. Bengal backup QB AJ McCarron took the reigns and went 20/30 for 216 yards. The defense was pitching a shutout until Colts quarterback Phillip Walker lobbed a 29-yard TD pass to Justice Liggins in the fourth quarter to give the horsies the win.

It wouldn’t have been a win, though, if the Cincinnati Bengals’ kickers hadn’t done their best Mike Nugent impression. Jake Elliott and Randy Bullock each made field goals (50 and 31 yards, respectively), but combined to miss three. Any one of which would have won the game. That may get a hall pass in the preseason, but against a divisional rival with a playoff spot on the line? Mmmm, not so much.

The Cincinnati Bengals did have bright spots. Jordan Willis notched his fourth sack in four games. Jordan Evans played with a Danielle-Steel-book-collection level of passion. Rookie jet engine John Ross took a sweep 25 yards, although he left with a non-serious knee injury. Running back Jarveon Williams rushed for 117 yards and added 42 more on five receptions.

Cincinnati Bengals Player of the Game

We’ll split this one between Williams and Evans. The final preseason game is where the rookies have to make their last good impression, and both of them did. Williams can provide good depth at running back, while Evans (six total tackles, two passes defended, a tackle for loss and a quarterback hit) would be great to have while Vontaze “Category 4” Burfict is serving a three-game suspension.

What This Means Going Forward

We were having some PTSD flashbacks to last season while watching the kickers perform. They could (and most likely did) just have an off night. But Cincinnati must find a reliable kicker. Coach Marvin Lewis likely won’t keep two of them on the roster, which is about to be trimmed to 53 men. Will the person who is picked be consistent throughout the season? Time will tell.

Curtain’s about to go up on the 2017 season, ladies and germs. We’re ready. Are you?