2. Does offense start fast or slow after sitting starters week before?
This will be interesting and should be answered within the first two to three possessions for the Bengals. Cincinnati decided to take an approach to rest the majority of their starters, including Joe Burrow.
Some teams have the same tactic, but also, a lot of teams tend to play their starters the final game of the season, even if it’s minimal snaps to try and keep them in a groove and rhythm (see the Packers and Aaron Rodgers). Either way, it could benefit the Bengals, or it could hurt them if they come out slow and sloppy.
The offense started playing their best football of the season toward the end of the year and is firing from all phases. Tee Higgins has transformed into a completely different player and Tyler Boyd has become a focal point of the offense and remains one of the most talented receivers with his catch/drop ratio.
Ja’Marr Chase has shown his ability to still get open even against double coverage. He had his best game of the year against the Chiefs, going for 266 yards and three touchdowns. If the Burrow-Chase combination is thriving the Bengals are an extremely tough team to beat. The Raiders defense is known for not allowing big plays and keeping everything in front of them.