Bengals: Five keys to victory over the Chargers in week one

CARSON, CA - DECEMBER 09: Los Angeles Chargers stop running back Joe Mixon #28 of the Cincinnati Bengals to gain possession of the ball in the third quarter at StubHub Center on December 9, 2018 in Carson, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
CARSON, CA - DECEMBER 09: Los Angeles Chargers stop running back Joe Mixon #28 of the Cincinnati Bengals to gain possession of the ball in the third quarter at StubHub Center on December 9, 2018 in Carson, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
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To come away with a win against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, there are a few things the Cincinnati Bengals need to do.

After months of waiting, the Bengals will kick off this Sunday at 4:05 PM against the Chargers in their first game of the season. The Bengals went 2-14 in 2019, the worst record in the NFL. This weekend, they will look to start their season of redemption off right with a win.

It was an offseason of change for the Bengals and now they will get the chance to show if they have improved. Free-agent additions like D.J. Reader and Vonn Bell will be playing in their Bengals debuts while rookies like Joe Burrow and Tee Higgins will be making their NFL debuts.

With such a dramatically different team from 2019 and a rookie quarterback, there may be struggles early on. However, if head coach Zac Taylor and his staff have properly prepared their team for opening day, they could send shockwaves through the league by getting a win in Burrow’s first career game.

The odds are against the Bengals in week one, sure. However, they can get a win over the Chargers if they do these five things in their opening game.

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