NFL
By Jalen Willingham
The Cincinnati Bengals will be back home to face the Seattle Seahawks in week six of the 2023 season. This will be the first time these two teams face off since week one of the 2019 season.
Offense
The Bengals offense looked like an actual offense. I almost forgot what that looked like. Joe Burrow is back and also feeling much more healthy now. Will he be able to repeat this performance against a much better Seahawks team?
Any defense that can amass 11 sacks in a single game should not be overlooked. The Seahawks will definitely put pressure on Burrow often and the offensive line needs to be ready for that. Seattle is tied for fifth in the league with 16 sacks. Now I don’t think Burrow is going to get sacked 11 times like Daniel Jones did, but the pass protection needs to be ready for what they’re facing.
“I think Spoon (Devon Witherspoon) will get the best of him.” – D.K. Metcalf on Ja’Marr Chase. Here’s the full clip⬇️ pic.twitter.com/SWAYV6RpQs
— James Rapien (@JamesRapien) October 12, 2023
DK Metcalf says that Devon Witherspoon will get the best of receiver Ja’Marr Chase. Witherspoon has shined so far and is in contention for Defensive Rookie of the Year. The truth is that the Seahawks passing defense currently ranks 30th in the NFL. They are giving up a rating of 113.4 to opposing receivers. Ja’Marr Chase will be most likely be matched up with Riq Woolen to start off. Chase has over 140 receiving yards in both of the Bengals wins so far this season. The Seahawks still have better personnel to match up against a Bengals offense that will look to get the ball to Chase as much as possible. Tee Higgins should be back at receiver after missing last week with a rib injury. Seattle will also have safety Jamal Adams back in the lineup as well.
Bobby Wagner: highest-graded run defender in the NFL this season (93.2) ? pic.twitter.com/4JpqwYSVo0
— PFF SEA Seahawks (@PFF_Seahawks) October 11, 2023
Bobby Wagner is still playing at a high level in year 12. He’s currently the highest-graded run defender in the NFL this season with a grade of 93.2 according to PFF. Expect him to be all over the field on Sunday. Cincinnati is currently 31st in rushing yards a game, and Joe Mixon is averaging 3.9 yards a carry. I doubt that changes versus Seattle. The Seahawks are holding running backs to 2.6 yards a carry which is the best in the business.
If the Bengals want to win this game, the Joe Burrow to Ja’Marr Chase connection needs to be alive and well. When Chase isn’t open, Burrow has to be able to extend plays with his mobility and find the next available target.
Defense
Seattles offense is currently in the top ten in the NFL while also only having one turnover through four games and being 6th in points scored. This is a very balanced offensive attack all around. Quarterback Geno Smith isn’t exactly playing on an MVP level, but he has been very solid while completing 68.3% of his passes with a rating of 97.8. Cincinnati’s defense is holding teams to an average rating of 82.4. If the Bengals defense can somehow force a turnover here, it could be critical in deciding a game that I believe may come down to the wire.
The Seahawks rushing attack is a solid two-headed monster with Kenneth Walker and rookie Zach Charbonnet. Stopping the run is something the Bengals need to improve on. They are giving up 154 yards a game and 5 yards a carry on the ground.
The pass rush for the Bengals has been much better in comparison to last season. The bad news here is that Geno Smith also has a rating of over 110 when facing pressure. Cincinnati needs to try to continue to do what they are doing well in this game which is blitzing and sacking the quarterback. If Smith begins to pick them apart in these situations, I can see them reducing the blitzing altogether
Cam Taylor-Britt will most likely be lined up against D.K. Metcalf. That’s certainly a matchup to watch. It’s Tyler Lockett who has been the team’s most targeted pass catcher, however. I think the Bengals are well-equipped to handle whatever is thrown their way in the passing game. They are holding opposing receivers to a rating of 61.9 when targeted. The young secondary is coming along very well as of right now. DJ Turner, Cam Taylor-Britt, and Daxton Hill are only going to get better from here.
The biggest weakness in the passing game for the Bengals has been the tight end position. They’ve given up four total touchdowns to opposing tight ends while allowing a rating of 126.6 when being targeted. The Seahawks could definitely use this to their advantage with Noah Fans while facing the Bengals.
Prediction
Bengals win 27-24
