Cincinnati Bengals: 3 things to watch vs. Packers in Week 5

3. Both the Bengals and Packers’ cornerbacks have tall orders ahead

Staying with the theme of the passing game, cornerback play for both teams will be another area to watch. The Bengals and Packers have good offensive weapons littered all around the field. This poses huge challenges for defenders.

Heading into the Week 5 matchup, Burrow and Rodgers have been spinning the ball well. Guarding wideouts like Ja’Marr Chase or Davante Adams in one-on-one coverage mostly results in big plays for their offenses. Even if their receivers are not open, quarterbacks playing at an elite level can throw them open.

One of the most important positions in the NFL right now is cornerbacks since it directly challenges the passing game. Corner play will be very telling in this game. If the Packers’ injury-riddled secondary cannot guard Cincy’s receivers, the Bengals are in a fantastic position to put up points on Sunday.

Play in the secondary is interesting in general for the home team this week with players returning from injury. It looks pretty likely that Chidobe Awuzie, Jessie Bates, and Ricardo Allen will all be back. The full safety unit in the season-opener looked great. What is highly anticipated is finally seeing both Awuzie and Trae Waynes together.

Slowing down threats like the receiver Adams is a must for the Bengals. Outside of this week’s matchup, finally seeing Awuzie and Waynes together at opposite boundary corner spots could impact the entire season ahead. Awuzie has been very good and he is quietly doing it with little national recognition.

Waynes was expected to be this team’s number one corner when he was signed in 2019. That has not come to fruition yet with Waynes’ injury history.

What happens if Waynes gets up to speed and can replicate some of his past great play? It means the Bengals could end up having one of the best secondaries in the NFL hands down. This game can have some major implications for how good the Bengals’ secondary can truly be this season.

There will be plenty of interesting areas to keep an eye on during the Bengals’ Week 5 game.