The Cincinnati Bengals play the Kansas City Chiefs this upcoming Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium. Coming off of a 16-10 loss to the New England Patriots, the Bengals are looking to rebound against the back to back Super Bowl champion Chiefs.
1- Improved Playcalling
It was no secret that Zac Taylor had an awful day play calling against the Patriots. Mix that in with your franchise quarterback playing like it was his first game off a season ending injury, it did not look pretty. The Bengals didn’t score until the second half and didn’t even have a first down until midway through the second quarter.
There were some positives to take away from the game, however. Zack Moss had a phenomonal game on the ground. Most of that success came out of a 12 personnel package with Drew Sample and Erik All. If they can commit to the running game, the passing game will open up. Joe Burrow was not able to attack downfield, with having only one completion over 20 yards.
Keeping a defense honest is the most important part of an offense. Play actions have to sell and to do that, a dominant running game is needed. Good route concepts and improved situational awareness will help the passing offense rebound.
2- Pass Rush, Pass Rush, Pass Rush.
The Bengals were 2nd in the NFL in pass rush win rate percentage for the first week of the season. Don’t let that number fool you. Trey Hendrickson was the sole contributor to the lacking rush. He would come off the edge and nobody would be home when Jacoby Brissett stepped up in the pocket.
Knowing Patrick Mahomes, you absolutely can not blitz the man. He is at his best when a defense blitzes him. Therefore, the defult pass rush needs to be able to contain the NFL’s best quarterback. It’s a hard task, but disrupting his timing and playing sound coverage will be key to winning on Sunday.
3- Finishing Tackles
According to defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, the Bengals missed a 6-year high 14 tackles. Pro Football Focus stated that 118 of Rhamondre Stevenson’s 120 rushing yards came after contact. When you have a back dead to rights, finishing tackles is crucial. You should not and will not win football games without the basic fundamentals.
Chiefs RB Isaiah Pacheco is one of the league’s top power backs. He runs like he’s angry at the ground. Keeping a good base and making form tackles is the only way the Bengals stand a chance against a dominant back like Pacheco.
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4- Win the Turnover Battle
Winning the turnover battle is a key for any football game you ever play. If you win that, you typically win the football game. The Bengals lost that battle 2-0 last weekend.
The Bengals lost 2 fumbles last week, matching their season total from 2023. Tanner Hudson was the first victim, reaching the ball out and fumbling at the Patriots’ one yard line. If he had held on, I would’ve liked his chances at fighting through the goal line.
Then, following a 3 and out from the Bengals defense first drive of the second half, Charlie Jones fumbled on a punt return. It resulted in another 3 points for New England, extending their lead to 13-0.
Keeping the ball out of Patrick Mahomes’s hands is always a great idea, and handing it over to him more than you need to is less than ideal. The Bengals need to control time of possession with long scoring drives.
5- Joe Burrow Needs to Have the “IT” Factor
Joe Burrow didn’t play a terrible game against New England, but he wasn’t himself. He admitted in a press conference on Wednesday that he was playing with happy feet. It is about what you would expect after not playing a game in over 10 months. He did a great job at managing the game, but he needs to be more than a game manager.
If the Bengals are without WR Tee Higgins again this weekend, you’ll likely see the same skill group as last Sunday. Chase, Irwin, and Iosivas will get most of the reps. Charlie Jones and Jermain Burton will be sprinkled in here and there also. If the Bengals want a shot at winning, the receivers need to do a better job at separating, and Joe needs to be better at taking one on one shots.
Joe Burrow should be better his second time out. I have every reason to believe he will be. I wrote an article earlier in August about why he’ll win an MVP this year. He just has a few things to figure out again and the Bengals will be rolling.
Recap
The Bengals will have arguably their toughest challenge on Sunday with the Chiefs. They will need to do something the Bengals have never done under Zac Taylor. Win a week 2 ballgame. I believe the Bengals will have a different mindset given that it’s their biggest rival, and I have my hopes that they’ll pull away a victory.
They kickoff at 4:25pm EST on CBS. Jim Nantz and Tony Romo will be on the call. Expect Tee Higgins and Kris Jenkins to be sidelined once again. My final prediction? Chiefs win 27-20. I believe we start 0-2 once again, but my hopes for the season remain strong. Hopefully they prove me wrong!
