With only three weeks remaining in the regular season, the Cincinnati Bengals are still alive, albeit barely, in the AFC playoff picture. In order to keep the dream alive, the Bengals need to pull out a win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 16. Here's a look at three Bengals players who need to thrive in order for the team to secure victory.
Trey Hendrickson, Defensive end
The Browns are expected to start the inexperienced Dorian Thompson-Robinson against the Bengals on Sunday, and generating pressure on him should be a top priority for Cincinnati's defense. In his career, Thompson-Robinson has thrown just one touchdown compared to seven interceptions, so if's he consistently under pressure, he's liable to make some mistakes.
When it comes to generating pressure and the Bengals, defensive end Trey Hendrickson is the man to look to. Hendrickson has been the team's top defensive player all season, and he continues to lead the league in sacks heading into Week 16 with 12.5. Look for him to add to that number against Cleveland.
Chase Brown, Running back
Chase Brown has become an integral part of Cincinnati's offensive attack as his workload has increased over the course of the campaign. Brown is riding a streak of four consecutive games with 100-plus scrimmage yards, and he'll look to extend that streak to five against the Browns.
The emergence of Brown as a capable lead back has been one of the more exciting developments for Cincinnati this season, and star quarterback Joe Burrow recently had some very high praise for the talented back.
"He's been unbelievable, he really has," Burrow said of Brown. "It's exciting to see him come along like that. He's going to play here for a long time, he's going to be a great player for us for a long time."
Joe Burrow, Quarterback
The Bengals go as Joe Burrow goes, we all know that. And while Burrow has been excellent all season, he has to do a bit better job of taking care of the ball than he has of late. Burrow has thrown an interception in three straight games, and he tossed two against the Titans last weekend. He's also had a fumble in three straight games, and he's one of the league leaders in that category. Burrow would be the first one to say that he needs to do a better job of taking care of the ball, and that should be a priority for him against Cleveland, and beyond.