The three best positional battles on the Bengals’ 2020 schedule

When the Dallas Cowboys travel to Cincinnati to face the Bengals, it will likely generate significant buzz, as Andy Dalton will be returning to his old stomping grounds, even if it is just as a backup. Looking at the battle in the trenches between these two teams suggests that the hype around the game should be increased even more.

The Bengals defensive line is looking to be the biggest strength on the team. Long-time stars like Carlos Dunlap and Geno Atkins will look to continue their impressive run of terrorizing quarterbacks.

You can’t forget the young guns in Sam Hubbard and Carl Lawson with their endless motors and unique skillsets. Adding D.J. Reader to the mix means a lot of these guys will get one-on-one matchups they aren’t used to.

It also gives the defense a much better shot of matching up against the Cowboy’s deadly run game, led by one of the best backs in the league, Ezekiel Elliot.

On the other side is an offensive line unit that has been touted as one of the most elite groups in the NFL. It holds all-pros in Tyron Smith and Zach Martin along with talented young guys. Pro Football Focus even has them rated as a top-5 offensive line in 4 of the past 5 years, earning the top spot in two of those years.

This matchup will likely determine the outcome of the game. It’ll also see if all the money poured into the defensive line unit was warranted.