Seahawks vs. Bengals: What's the Game Plan for Cincinnati?

The Cincinnati Bengals are looking 5-0 right in the eye—something the franchise hasn't done since 1988, the last time it appeared in a Super Bowl—ahead of Sunday's showdown against the Seattle Seahawks. 

It's Cincinnati's first experience against the NFC this year, and like last week with the Kansas City Chiefs in town, the on-paper outlook seems great for the Bengals.

Not only are the Bengals undefeated, but the Seahawks sit in a 2-2 hole, have to travel across the country, will be without Marshawn Lynch and tout one of the league's worst offensive lines.

Also like last week, though, is the fact the Bengals have to roll out the perfect game plan to stand a chance. Let's break down the matchup and likely plans.

Offensive Game Plan   

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Pound the rock. 

Everything worked against the Chiefs last week. Andy Dalton attempted 24 passes and threw a score. Giovani Bernard carried 13 times for 62 yards. Jeremy Hill went nine times and scored on three of those.

It's different against Seattle, though. Teams that don't establish the run against the Seahawks don't win. It's why the St. Louis Rams rushed for two scores in a Week 1 upset and the Green Bay Packers ran Eddie Lacy 20 times (95 yards) in Week 2.

Passing won't come as easy against the so-called Legion of Boom, which also presents an issue. Not only does Richard Sherman lock down one side of the field, but the Seahawks have linebackers and safeties athletic enough to run with Tyler Eifert.

The pass rush may also give the Cincinnati offensive line some problems. While Andrew Whitworth and Co. have looked great through four games, the Seahawks once again feature an elite ability to rush the passer, ranking third in the league at Pro Football Focus with six sacks, 16 quarterback hits and 53 hurries.

This is more of a Hill north-south game than Bernard. An ability to keep players in the box via Hill's rushing chunks will allow Dalton and his elite quick-pass offense to find room. As ESPN.com's Coley Harvey detailed, it's all about the chunk plays on the first two downs: 

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Because Seattle boasts the NFL's seventh-best third-down defense, Bengals RB Jeremy Hill said first and second down would be key for Cincy's offense this week. So far, the Bengals have been really good on first down. According to ESPN Stats & Information, they're averaging a league-best 7.4 yards on first down.

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It doesn't take a major change in Cincinnati's philosophy to move the ball against Seattle. The line needs to carve out lanes, which on later downs will help Dalton spread it out in a quick manner, placing an added emphasis on role players such as Marvin Jones.

Defensive Game Plan    

Pin the ears back, and go.

Cincinnati's last two opponents have specifically attacked the gaps left by Geno Atkins and others rushing up the field at an elite pace. Seattle doesn't figure to have this luxury for multiple reasons.

For one, Lynch is out of the picture, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. Since he can't go, that leaves third-stringer Thomas Rawls to attack the holes.

Two, the Seattle offensive line just cannot protect Russell Wilson. In those PFF rankings, the team ranks as the third worst in the league in pass blocking, having allowed 14 sacks, eight hits and 46 hurries.

As a result, Wilson is completing 71.1 percent of his passes but for just 7.7 yards per attempt with five scores to two picks. While he might break free with his legs against most teams, Atkins' ability to generate interior pressure flushes him into the hands of a defensive end on the edges or a defender in contain.

Unlike the Chiefs with Jeremy Maclin last week (11 catches, 148 yards), the Seahawks don't have anyone who will beat the Cincinnati defensive backs right off the snap. Tight end Jimmy Graham seems like a threat but has just 19 catches and two scores.

The last time the Bengals saw Graham (2014, Week 4), they held him to three catches for 29 yards, and that was while the New Orleans Saints put on a pass-happy attack at home while Drew Brees slung it 41 times.

Pressure can and will create mistakes. Wilson fumbled three times, losing two of them last week. On the road and under pressure, Atkins and his line have a chance to put on quite the performance.

Key Players and Matchups  

Adam Jones 

Running as Cincinnati's No. 1 corner, the Bengals need Adam Jones at full speed Sunday.

He's listed as probable after leaving last week's game with a groin injury, so it's a step in the right direction. Jones and others will be responsible for Seattle's biggest threat in the wideout corps, Doug Baldwin.

Baldwin has caught 20 of a team-high 24 targets this year for 198 yards and two scores. He's capable of breaking free for major damage, so Jones and others need to have an impressive day against the veteran.

Tyler Eifert

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Over his past two games, Eifert has just three catches for 69 yards.

Against a defense such as Seattle, Eifert figures to play a much bigger role in the game plan thanks to the Seahawks' talented corners. Pressure, then, falls on Eifert's shoulders as he goes over the middle and receives targets near paydirt.

An ability to go up and get the pass over linebackers or safeties will bail out Dalton and the offense often. Eifert has the ability. It comes down to execution against a talented defense.

Jeremy Hill

The pressure on Hill can't be stated enough.

After a rough couple of games, Hill made the most of his opportunities last week, especially when the team was within scoring range. Call it a confidence booster after some timid running, which is just what the doctor ordered ahead of an encounter with Seattle.

In what figures to be a grind-it-out affair, Hill's ability to pick up chunks on each carry might decide the game outright.

Russell Bodine

Even when Russell Bodine turns in a solid performance, he winds up as a focal point the next week. So it goes for what many perceive as the weakest link on an elite unit.

In the middle of the trench war, Bodine will have his hands full with Brandon Mebane and Ahtyba Rubin. The last thing the Bengals need after a strong showing against Dontari Poe and others is to surrender pressure up the middle.

If Hill is to have a strong game, too, Bodine will have to help right guard Kevin Zeitler create plenty of space. Keep a close eye on the sophomore center Sunday.

Prediction 

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To the trenches Cincinnati's ability to win goes once again. 

With four touchdowns on the ground last week and relentless pressure by the defensive line, it's not hard to imagine the Bengals find success in the same areas this weekend with Seattle in town.

With a balanced attack, Hill should be able to find plenty of space to operate and keep drives alive instead of a sporadic usage and loss in the time-of-possession battle like last week. On defense, Atkins' group won't have many issues taking care of business against a one-dimensional unit.

Look for the Bengals to jump out to an early lead and rediscover the running game to ride out the victory.

Prediction: Cincinnati 24, Seattle 17

Stats courtesy of NFL.com and are accurate as of October 9. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.