Carrying a 3-0 preseason record, the Bengals look for a clean sweep against Indy. Watch for multiple positional battles as the roster crunch approaches.
The Bengals have a short turnaround for their final preseason game, as they take on the Colts just four days after their win over the Buffalo Bills. The team will try to extend their three game preseason winning streak and sweep the preseason this season. They get to play this game at home, although the fans won’t get to see many of their favorite players.
All the starters will sit this final game, and entrenched veterans should also get some rest (like Giovani Bernard or Michael Johnson). This game should feature many of the backups who are fighting for their roster spot.
Yesterday, we identified three positions that should feature some heavy competition, and Brad Griffith noted the battle at wide receiver between Cody Core and Auden Tate today. The Core/Tate duel may be the most intriguing storyline to watch today, as the Bengals will have a tough decision to make no matter what. Also, expect to see a lot of Jon Brown, as the team will likely give Randy Bullock a rest after he went 3/3 against Buffalo.
This matchup against the Colts has an extra wrinkle to it since they are the Bengals’ Week 1 regular season matchup. After this game wraps up, the Bengals will travel to Indianapolis to take on the Colts just ten days later. Because of this scheduling irregularity, expect to see a particularly bland offensive and defensive scheme today.
The team will obviously not want to reveal any of their best plays, so they will keep certain looks hidden in today’s game. This may result in a low scoring game, but today is more about evaluation than anything.
One other intriguing thing to watch is the Colts’ offensive weapons. The Bengals will likely contend with Jacoby Brissett for a little bit at quarterback, and he should provide a challenge for the defense as a dual-threat quarterback. The Colts will also likely feature their “thunder and lightning” rookie running back duo in Jordan Wilkins and Nyheim Hines. The Bengals’ line should also get an interesting challenge in dealing with these backs.
This is the last hurdle to clear before the regular season begins. This game has even less importance as far as result goes, but let’s win regardless! Who Dey!