Previewing the Cincinnati Bengals' Week 3 Preseason Game vs. Packers

It's the third week of the preseason which means it's time for regular-season dress rehearsals. Starters will be getting their most on-field play of the preseason, and we'll get a better idea of what teams have planned once September arrives and the real games begin.

The Cincinnati Bengals take on the Green Bay Packers this Thursday in their dress rehearsal contest. We'll get an extended look at the young receivers vying for quarterback Andy Dalton's attention, see the first, full-speed play out of the Bengals' strong defensive line as they try to stymie the efforts of Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and get a better idea of which members of the secondary are safe and who may be released next week.

Here are the three biggest things to watch for when the Bengals host Green Bay.

Brandon Tate vs. Armon Binns (vs. Marvin Jones?)

It turns out that the battle between Armon Binns and Brandon Tate for the Bengals' No. 2 receiver job may not be much of a battle anymore, but if either of the two are going to take the position and make it their own, it will be in Thursday's game against the Packers.

Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com says that as it presently stands, both Tate and Binns are the team's No. 2 receivers—2A and 2B, as he words it. If neither man solely grabs the job this week, expect a rotation at the position (with rookies Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu thrown in for effect).

Through two preseason games, Binns has been targeted four times, with two receptions good for 24 yards. Tate has had six targets and three catches for 30 yards. Jones has primarily played the role of spoiler for these two; his sure hands and impressive speed has led to him catching three of the four passes thrown his way, for a total of 90 yards in the first two games of the preseason.

Tate and Binns may be 2A and 2B for now, but the emergence of Jones is something to keep an eye on. With starters getting extended looks and Jones having impressed thus far, look for all three to get attention from quarterback Andy Dalton. Whoever shines on Thursday may prove invaluable for Cincinnati's offense come the regular season.

Linebackers

With starting middle linebacker Rey Maualuga sidelined again while he heals his knee, Roddrick Muckelroy and Vontaze Burfict will both get playing time at the position on Thursday.

Both men have been impressive during the preseason. Muckelroy had eight tackles and a defended pass in the team's first game against the Atlanta Falcons and three tackles last week against the New York Jets. Burfict had four tackles in the Falcons game and six against the Jets, including a defended pass and an interception on quarterback Tim Tebow.

Burfict has proven to be one of the biggest steals of the year, grabbed up by the Bengals as an undrafted free agent after being graded in the top rounds of the draft prior to his poor pro day and combine performances and other issues.

The two are presently vying not just for spots on the 53-man roster, but also active playing time in the Bengals' starting rotation this year. One will likely also emerge as the replacement for Maualuga, who is in a contract year, if Cincinnati wants to move on from him next year.

The Bengals' front seven, Muckelroy and Burfict included, have a major test on their hands when it comes to getting pressure on Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. He's yet to be sacked in the preseason and he has one of the stronger offensive lines in the league keeping him protected.

Dontay Moch has also been pretty strong in the preseason, which may save him his job. Moch is about to serve a four-game suspension, and he was having issues during practice getting up to speed after missing all of last season due to injury, which seemed to place him directly on the roster bubble.

Moch has notched five tackles (including one for a loss), 2.5 sacks and two quarterback hits in the preseason thus far. Successfully breaking through the Packers' offensive line and getting pressure on Rodgers should preserve his roster spot, regardless of the looming suspension.

Running the Ball

The Bengals have been without starting running backs BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Bernard Scott so far this preseason and both will remained sidelined on Thursday, with the former nursing a foot injury and the latter his hand.

That means we'll yet again get a heavy does of Brian Leonard, Cedric Peerman and Dan Herron. None stood out in the previous two outings, with Leonard having just 25 total yards on 12 rushes, Herron with 12 yards on eight and Peerman with 27 yards on 10 carries.

The backs get much of the blame for this disappointing performance, but some of it necessarily must fall to the offensive line. The hope was that the Bengals' run game could become more productive—not world-beating by any means, but certainly more effective—if improvements were made on the offensive line.

Though this year's line is better than the last, these backup rushers aren't having increased success as of yet. Though things should be quite different when the starters are on the field, we'll at least get a real look at Peerman, Leonard and Herron through the lens of a regular-season type atmosphere.

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