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

After a hiatus for an encounter with an NFC team while continuing the historic march to 5-0, the Cincinnati Bengals reenter the AFC pool with this Sunday's encounter against the Buffalo Bills. 

These Bills sit at 3-2 and face a wealth of health questions, but remain one of the most explosive teams Cincinnati will play on the year. It's an inconsistent facet of the team on both sides of the football, but a Week 2 40-32 loss to New England says the Bills can play with anyone.

For the Bengals, this is a chance to win a game most figure they should and move to 6-0 before their bye—bonus points if the team can stay healthy. Here's a look at how the Bengals might proceed on both sides of the football.

Offensive Game Plan  

Gary Wiepert/Associated Press

Attack the weaknesses.

Sounds basic, right? The thing is, the normal avenues of production don't work against the Bills. Everyone already knows Cincinnati struggles to run the football this year, but what they might not know is that Buffalo has yet to allow a 100-yard rusher this season.

For transparency, it's important to point out the Bills have yet to face a quality rushing team, but after five games, one has to wonder if part of the issue is simply teams know better than to try.

As much as Cincinnati probably wants to get back to the ground and pound, this isn't the week to do it. The Bills tout obvious flaws in the secondary, issues Cincinnati can exploit—just not with the expected names.

The corner duo of Stephon Gilmore and Ronald Darby doesn't get the credit it deserves. The former has defended six passes this year, the latter five, per Pro Football Focus. Outside receivers don't find a ton of success as a result, which explains the list of leading receivers against the defense in each game:

Week	Name
1	T.Y. Hilton
2	Rob Gronkowski
3	Rishard Matthews
4	Rashad Jennings
5	Antonio Andrews

One explosive wideout, a tight end and running backs. 

Translation: A.J. Green might just be better used as a high-profile decoy Sunday while Tyler Eifert and secondary receivers such as Mohamed Sanu make major contributions. Giovani Bernard, of course, can exploit the linebackers and defensive backs assigned to stopping him out of the backfield.

For the Bengals, avoiding Buffalo's playmakers in the secondary isn't so hard to do thanks to the impressive depth and health of the weapons around Andy Dalton.

Defensive Game Plan   

In a surprising turn of events, Buffalo running back LeSean McCoy sounds like a go this weekend.

In another not-so-surprising turn, he sees the same weaknesses in the Cincinnati defense anyone can with the film on, as Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News captured:

The game plan against Buffalo isn't difficult: get back to basics.

Cincinnati got too cute at times last week, at one point dropping players who shouldn't be safeties into the role and watching as a miscommunication led to an easy score. The running lanes and contains were a mess, too, which is why Thomas Rawls looked like Marshawn Lynch on his way to 169 yards and a touchdown.

Cincinnati can handle receivers on the outside well if the pass rush remains stout, which it should. The problem is how the Bills will attack the lanes created by the rush, as McCoy can get around to the outside and especially cut back and take advantage of over-pursuing linebackers.

Also a problem necessitating basics would be the mobility of quarterback Tyrod Taylor. He's questionable for the game, but if he plays it's another wrinkle the Bengals have to compensate for after allowing Russell Wilson to rush for 21 yards on just three carries last week.

Physical, timing-ruining coverage on the outside and proper contain will go a long way for the Bengals Sunday in a hostile environment.

Key Players and Matchups 

Cincinnati's Interior Offensive Line 

Clint Boling, Russell Bodine and Kevin Zeitler have their work cut out for them this weekend.

One week after the unit's worst performance of the season while allowing four sacks, the interior has to deal with the elite tandem of Marcell Dareus and Kyle Williams.

Buffalo touts one of the best one-two punches in the NFL in the middle. Jerry Hughes and Mario Williams on the outside is bad enough, but the middle collapses pockets in a way Geno Atkins can.

A quick-hitting attack in theory will protect the line, but on those longer-developing plays, the middle three need to have strong performances.

Darqueze Dennard

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

With Leon Hall questionable, it might be time for Darqueze Dennard to land the first start of his career.

If so, the Bengals need a great showing from the young corner on the road as the secondary looks to limit explosive weapons such as Sammy Watkins and Percy Harvin, while also paying attention to talented tight end Charles Clay.

Dennard had a few iffy plays last week, but it's something he will need to clean up in a hurry if the team needs him on the field for the majority of the team's snaps.

Giovani Bernard

This weekend seems more like a Bernard game than a Jeremy Hill game.

If Bernard can be decisive in his cuts to the corner he'll go a long way toward helping Dalton and the offensive line. His biggest value, of course, will be through the air as Dalton checks down to keep the Bills honest.

While another big game would be ideal, just getting open and forcing the Bills away from others seems like the objective out of the backfield for Bernard.

Tyler Eifert

Eifert was the focal point of the attack last week as most expected with Richard Sherman on Green.

Despite the predictability of the situation, Eifert caught eight passes for 90 yards and two scores while taking a team-high 12 targets.

So it goes for Eifert, who can exploit almost any player he lines up against. Cincinnati needs this effectiveness again on the road this weekend, as Dalton's other go-to names might have a hard time finding room against another stout defense.

Prediction

Execution wins the day for the Bengals. 

Again, it sounds simple, but so it goes when an organization has done such a great job of building a roster.

The almost video game-esque amount of depth Cincinnati features on offense will go a long way in neutralizing the Buffalo rush. Where other teams don't have a choice but to throw at a pair of strong corners, Dalton has three or sometimes four other legitimate options on the field at once.

On defense, better gap assignment and pursuit means more success against a hobbled offense. The Bills are good for a few big plays a game, but otherwise the Bengals should have few issues if the reads and tackling are proper.

While it's a trap game, there's no reason to doubt the team's ability to pull this one out on the road. 

Prediction: Bengals 28, Bills 21

Stats courtesy of NFL.com and are accurate as of October 16. All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus.