Chiefs vs. Bengals: Full Cincinnati Game Preview
The Cincinnati Bengals return home 3-0 after a successful trip to Baltimore just in time for an AFC encounter with the slumping Kansas City Chiefs.
Andy Dalton and the Bengals hope to use this opportunity to move to 4-0 after last year saw the team start 3-0 only to fall into a 3-2-1 rut.
The good news, on paper, looks great. Cincinnati showed maturity and poise last week late in the game when it mattered most. Even better, Sunday's contest comes at home against a Kansas City team on a short week thanks to an appearance on Monday Night Football.
These Chiefs sit at 1-2 after back-to-back losses to Denver and Green Bay. Those aren't the worst losses in the world to take, and now the Chiefs hit desperation mode on the road.
Nothing comes easy against an AFC hopeful. Here's everything to know about the matchup for the Cincinnati side.
Viewing Info
Location: Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati
Date: Sunday, October 4
Time: 1 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
Week 3 Results and Recap
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AFC North Standings
Cincinnati's win in Baltimore last week has made it nearly impossible for the Ravens to recover.
There, the Bengals got two late touchdowns from Dalton as part of his three on the day. Both went to A.J. Green, who wound up with 10 grabs for 227 yards. Marvin Jones acted as the complement with five catches for 94 yards and a score, while the team rushed for just 86 yards.
Defensively, the Bengals allowed just 36 rushing yards, but the secondary couldn't stop Steve Smith from gaining 186 yards and two scores on 13 catches. Tackling issues ruled the day, which is something the unit will need to clean up against an Andy Reid offense.
As for the standings, Baltimore isn't a factor unless the team can pull off a historic run. The Steelers look iffy, too, considering Michael Vick is now the starter under center.
So long as Cincinnati can take care of business in the coming weeks, the gap should only widen.
News and Notes
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A.J. Green Wins Award
Those aforementioned numbers Green put up against the Baltimore defense?
They earned Green AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors, per ESPN's Coley Harvey, who put the numbers in historic context:
"Green's 227-yard effort was a career high, and registered second on the Bengals' all-time single-game list behind the 260 Chad Johnson had against San Diego in 2006. Green's previous career high of 224 yards, set last season at home against Pittsburgh, now stands third on the franchise's all-time list.
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After a quiet first couple of games from Green, this performance was a testament to the damage he can do when the team needs him most.
There are others on the offense who can produce, of course, but the Georgia product's propensity for game-breaking plays sets him apart from most players in the league.
Despite the award, Green might be just getting started considering Kansas City struggles to contain wideouts.
Continuity Rules the Day
One of the reasons the maturing Bengals can go to a hostile environment such as Baltimore and come up with key plays?
Continuity.
Left tackle Andrew Whitworth just received an extension with the team, and his deal is the latest in a long line of continuity-minded deals by the front office.
Harvey captured his thoughts on the matter:
"We can draw it up a million ways, teams can do it across the league in whatever way you can say you want, but contracts and the ability to extend guys hands leadership down to your football team," the 10-year veteran and longtime team captain said. "You can fight it all day long if you want to, but the reality is, the team sees the guys that are getting extended or paid and those are the guys that believe that's the way they should do it. That's why it was important to me to get it done.
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In an era when teams can have a tough time keeping key players together, the Bengals have built a philosophy of keeping guys in town and playing with one another well into their prime years.
Don't be shocked if it's a frequent topic surrounding the team on Sunday and beyond, especially if the Bengals keep marching along at this rate.
Jeremy Hill Remains the Starter
It's been a rough couple of weeks for lead back Jeremy Hill.
He fumbled twice against San Diego and mostly rode the bench as a result. Last week in Baltimore, he rushed the ball just 12 times for 21 yards, translating to just 1.8 yards per carry.
Despite Hill's struggles, offensive coordinator Hue Jackson made it clear to Paul Dehner Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer that he remains the starter: "Bengals OC Hue Jackson reassures belief in Jeremy Hill. Says he's the starting RB, will continue to be. Nothing changes."
It's hard to imagine the coaching staff doesn't trust Hill. But clearly head coach Marvin Lewis and others didn't like the tentative running they saw from their lead back last week, as Hill looked more focused on death-gripping the rock than running with his usual force.
Keep in mind that Giovani Bernard is the clear option in the passing game. Cincinnati found itself down often in Baltimore, which would help to explain why Bernard saw more carries.
Expect to see plenty of Hill against Kansas City. He'll break out of the slump sooner or later.
Latest Injury News
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| Player | Position | Status |
Leon Hall | CB | -- |
Marcus Hardison | DT | Questionable |
George Iloka | S | Doubtful |
Adam Jones | CB | Questionable |
Dre Kirkpatrick | CB | Probable |
Pat Sims | DT | Probable |
Andre Smith | OT | -- |
Andrew Whitworth | OT | -- |
DNP: Did not practice
LP: Limited in practice
FP: Full practice
Courtesy of Bengals.com.
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Key Matchups
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Cincinnati Defensive Line vs. Kansas City Offensive Line
Through three games, Geno Atkins and the Cincinnati defensive line have forced six sacks, although none came in Baltimore last week despite going against a battered offensive line.
Atkins and Co. get a shot to make up for the missed opportunity this weekend, as the struggling Kansas City offensive line hasn't been able to stop any rush to date.
Kansas City quarterback Alex Smith has suffered 13 sacks in three games, including seven at the hands of Green Bay this past Monday.
In other words, the Bengals won't have to get too creative in bringing pressure to rattle a bruised quarterback on the road. Atkins has been elite all season, and Carlos Dunlap and Michael Johnson continue to feed off his interior pressure.
So long as the rush can hit home early and often, the Cincinnati defense should be able to force some mistakes.
Russell Bodine vs. Jaye Howard
In his first serious test of the season against a strong nose tackle, Cincinnati sophomore center Russell Bodine struggled all day long in Baltimore, and the line allowed its first two sacks of the season.
Baltimore's Brandon Williams is a great, disruptive player, but Kansas City's Jaye Howard might be even better.
Over three games, Howard ranks as Pro Football Focus' third-best tackle in the league (behind only Atkins and Aaron Donald) with one sack, four quarterback hurries and 16 tackles.
If Bodine struggles in the middle again, Dalton might be under more fire than usual. Baltimore missed Terrell Suggs on the edges last week, but Kansas City has Justin Houston and Tamba Hali ready to go if the line collapses and Dalton has to escape.
Matchup X-Factors
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Chiefs' X-Factor of the Week: Travis Kelce
In a Week 1 victory against the Houston Texans, Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce showed just how easily he can carry the team on his back, catching all six of his targets for 106 yards and two touchdowns.
Granted, Kelce hasn't scored since, but he's at 21 total targets and Reid's offense moves best when the ball goes through his star tight end.
Cincinnati hadn't faced a true test of a tight end until last week, when Baltimore's Maxx Williams and Crockett Gillmore combined for six catches and 84 yards.
Kelce has the talent to produce those sort of numbers on his own. While Cincinnati has to figure out what went wrong against wideouts last week, it also has to deal with Jeremy Maclin on the outside and Jamaal Charles in the backfield.
In other words, Kelce should see plenty of major opportunities.
Bengals' X-Factor of the Week: A.J. Green
As great as Green was last week, the Bengals might need a similar showing from their star wideout to keep pace in what could turn into a shootout this weekend.
Much of the reason Green is the X-factor? Kansas City just cannot defend wideouts.
In Week 1, Houston's DeAndre Hopkins caught nine passes for 98 yards and two scores. In Week 2, Denver's Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders combined for 16 catches, 203 yards and two scores. It continued last Monday when Green Bay's James Jones and Randall Cobb totaled 14 grabs, 230 yards and four scores.
So, yes, Green should be able to do some serious damage to the miserable Chiefs secondary so long as the offensive line gives Dalton time to get the ball away.
Prediction: Cincinnati 24, Kansas City 17
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Cincinnati can win this game in the trenches.
Kelce and Co. can't hurt a defense struggling with tackles if Atkins and others can take advantage of a weak Kansas City offensive line. Smith isn't immune to mistakes, which should especially be the case on the road.
The Bengals might struggle more than usual on offense, but sooner or later, Green will break a few big plays against a rough secondary. Kansas City not only has to account for him but also Eifert and deadly No. 2 Marvin Jones.
So long as Dalton has the same poise as last week despite iffy pockets, the Bengals should be able to pull ahead and ride the ground game to a win in front of a friendly crowd.
These Chiefs seem to struggle in the areas Cincinnati excels in, and they hit the road on a short turnaround. Look for the Bengals to take advantage.
Prediction: Cincinnati 24, Kansas City 17
Stats courtesy of NFL.com and are accurate as of October 1. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.
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