Over the next three weeks, the Bengals will be put to the test. In order to turn things around, they need error-free, championship football.
The thrill is back. Bengals football became fun to watch, over the past two weeks. After two consecutive lackluster home games, the Cincinnati offense has looked like a powerhouse on the road. To be honest and completely open, there’s no coincidence the Bengals are scoring points under Bill Lazor. He simplified the play calling for Andy Dalton and he’s looking like the confident player fans have wanted. But, he’ll have to be just as good–or better–over the next three weeks. The next three games are make-or-break battles.
Looking at the upcoming games, it’s really a no-brainer. The Bengals have dug a deep hole and they’re gonna need to come out swinging to gain ground on the Steelers and Ravens. The division crown is still within their grasp. But, from Week 5 on, there can be no mental lapses. A record of 11-5 could possibly win the AFC North. But, the Bengals need to go on one heck of a run to keep it within reach.
Now that confidence is starting to ooze from the Dalton and Lazor led offense, it’s all about execution and determination. The Bengals have the talent to get the job done. If Marvin Lewis had pulled the trigger on Ken Zampese after Week 1, Cincy would be looking at a 3-1 record and tie for the division lead. Sadly, Lewis didn’t understand the severity of the situation until there was dissension in the air.
Nevertheless, there’s football to be played and the next three weeks will expose what the Bengals are truly made of.
If there’s any chance of making it to the postseason, it starts October 8 at Paul Brown Stadium. It’s more than a home game. It’s a statement that needs to be made.
Buffalo Comes To The Jungle
When the NFL schedule was tossed into the faces of fans, Week 5 looked like a cakewalk for the Bengals. Now, it looks like this home skirmish will be a battle for bragging rights. The Bills are coming off a surprising win over the Atlanta Falcons. The temptation is to say Atlanta was rolling on a flat tire and bad transmission. They were without Julio Jones and former Bengal Mohamed Sanu. That’s the equivalent of Dalton not having the services of A.J. Green or Alex Erickson or any other speedster of note.
Yet, the Bills were able to get it done.
Make no mistake about it. This is not the same hum-drum Buffalo team that came to PBS last year. In fact, that was a squad that the Bengals should have handled easily. A few harsh memories remain from that matchup. Green was lost for the rest of the season and Giovani Bernard went down as well. If anything, the Bengals should be ready to play the revenge card. They lost that Week 11 squeaker 16-12. It was all about a Zampese led offense that couldn’t get untracked and make adjustments in the second half.
Rematch
This time around, the Bengals could be without Tyler Eifert and John Ross. But, Dalton has been able to embrace Lazor’s pre-read offense and looks ready for the challenge. During his surprising performance against the Browns, Dalton connected with nine different targets. This will be his chance to prove how well he’s adjusting to the new OC. The Bills defense, overall, is ranked 11th in the NFL. But, they command the top scoring spot in the league with a 13.5 average.
Containing the scrambling Tyrod Taylor and playing stout against the run should get the Bengals a win at home.
Being 2-3 at the Bye Week is a better feeling than 1-4. Essentially, a must-win situation.
Steelers Week
Week 7 brings a visit to Steel Town. What a way to come out of the break. A quarter of the season has been played and Pittsburgh sits atop the North at 3-1. A mentioned before, this should be a tie. But, I digress. What’s done is done.
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When the Bengals descend on Heinz Field, the Steelers could be at 3-3. They have a couple of tough games against the Jaguars and Kansas City Chiefs. Both teams are looking like playoff contenders and are lights out with the scoring. The Jags are putting up 27.3 per game while the Chiefs are ringing up 30.5 points per battle. Lewis should offer some Skyline Chili or dinner at the Precinct to Doug Marrone and Andy Reid, for a win over the Stilluhs.
Even if the Bengals face a Pitt team with five wins, they have to come out victorious. Dalton & Co. are in the midst of a three-game losing streak (four with the 2015 playoff loss) to Pittsburgh. The Ginger is 3-9 against the Northeastern rivals. No matter what the scenario, the Bengals have to win this matchup. Beating the Bills will be a nice achievement at PBS. But, going into Heinz and quieting the crowd would be…awesome.
Get Out The Broom
To achieve what they haven’t done since Carson Palmer was under center (series sweep), the Bengals must think about what’s at stake. In order to take control of their destiny, they have to beat the Steelers twice. It might as well start in their house. A win would put the Bengals at .500 and a half game ahead, depending on what happens before the game. Again, looking up at 5-2 from a 3-3 position is a positive. But, solid wins from KC and the Jags would go a long way.
Back For Indy
This is where things can get tricky. The schedule brings Cincinnati home to face the Colts. But, as all Bengals fans realize, they have a hard team beating teams they should.
Before the Week 8 duel, the Colts have to face San Fran, the Titans and a fired up Jaguars defense. Hopefully, Andrew Luck will still be a rusty shell of himself. He’s back on the practice field and working his way back to starting condition.
"“We are where we are with that,” Colts coach Chuck Pagano said. “There’s no timeline. When they say he’s healthy and ready to go, we’ll get him out there. He’s played a lot of football.”"
With that being said, there’s a huge possibility that the Bengals will be seeing one of two QBs. Scott Tolzien, a seventh-year backup, or Jacoby Brissett will be the choices. Actually, it doesn’t matter who’s barking the signals. The Bengals need this game like they need air to breathe. This is another showdown that has been turned into a major game because of the implications.
You know what this is? It’s major trap game territory. If Lewis doesn’t have the troops ready for this matchup, the results could be as devastating as the Houston loss.
There’s no doubt Bill Lazor will have a decent scheme drawn up for the Colts. But, this will be about two things. Dalton will have to produce in a “big” game and the defense will definitely have to show up.
If Cincinnati can pull off this three-game stretch without a loss, the season could easily turn around.