This is a huge game for the Bengals as they look to knock off the top team in the AFC North and get their first win since Joe Burrow’s injury.
The team has some really bright spots, but in this game, they need to all shine together.
Flacco Fast Start
This team has been notorious for slow starts to seasons and games alike.
It took Joe Flacco a half to get settled into the offense, but once he did, he had this offense moving. Hopefully, that was about Flacco getting his feet under himself and not about the team being unprepared or the initial game plan being hit garbage.
If Flacco can come out in the first half and zip balls into his receivers to methodically move the chains, this team could score a lot of points Thursday night.
Defensive Youth Movement
This rookie class could set the foundation for the Bengals’ future, and the future is now.
Last week, Barrett Carter joined Demetrius Knight as a starting linebacker on the Bengals’ defense. Both Knight and Carter have had their ups and downs, but they are trending upward and improving every week. For the Bengals to win this game, they need exemplary play out of their linebackers, and that means Knight and Carter need to be at the top of their game.
Rookie Shemar Stewart is expected to be back in the lineup after his Week 2 injury. The Bengals have struggled to generate any kind of pass-rush to complement Trey Hendrickson in recent weeks, but Stewart showed some excellent flashes early in the season. He needs to step up and make an impact in this game.
+Turnovers
The Bengals have very little margin for error in a game like this, so they must stay positive in the turnover column.
The offense must be smart and take care of the ball.
The defense must create more opportunities for their offense by getting them the ball and another chance to score.
Red Zone
The team that wins this game will be the team that goes deep into the other team’s territory and comes out with 7 points instead of 3.
The offense needs to capitalize on its appearances in the red zone.
The defense needs to get Red Zone stops.
The Bengals’ defense held the Packers to 10 points in the first half of last week’s game despite the offense’s inability to sustain a drive or even move the chains.
In the second half, the defense couldn’t step up and make a stop, while the offense was a-rolling.
This week, the offense and the defense need to be consistent throughout the game.
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