Cincinnati Bengals: Five Players To Watch vs. the Falcons

Here’s five Bengals to watch in this Sunday’s match-up against the Atlanta Falcons. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

The Cincinnati Bengals will square off with Falcons in their home opener this weekend.  Both teams are coming off impressive wins as the Bengals were able to beat the Ravens on the road and the Falcons pulled out a victory against the Saints at home.  Both teams would like to continue their success this weekend, but only one can.  The Bengals have yet to face the Falcons during the Andy Dalton era, but this doesn’t mean the teams are entirely unfamiliar with each other.

Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis knows Falcons head coach Mike Smith from their days together in Baltimore; Lewis was the Ravens defensive coordinator from 1996-2001 while Smth was his defensive assistant and the team’s defensive line coach from 1999-2001.  It provides a bit of intrigue as both coaches know the other’s style.  But this game comes down to the players in the end and the Bengals will need a strong all-around effort if they are to keep the Falcons grounded following their aerial assault of the Saints this past weekend; a game that saw Matt Ryan set a Falcons’ record for single game passing yards with 448.  Here’s five Bengals that could make the difference in this Sunday’s game.