Cincinnati (2-1) travels to play the Denver Broncos (1-2) on Monday Night Football for their Week 4 matchup, as both teams try to bounce back from losses. The teams played in Week 17 last year, and the Bengals came out on top in overtime to keep unsuccessful playoff hopes alive, but five games – and nine months – later the matchup looks a lot different.
Here are three things to know going into the Bengals first primetime game of the season:
1. When the Bengals are on offense…
Jake Browning has thrown five interceptions in less than seven quarters since Joe Burrow went down, and the Bengals’ ball carriers didn’t help him last week adding three fumbles in a two-minute span. The loss at Minnesota left much to be desired, but the offense hasn’t looked great in any game yet.
Denver’s defensive front is another good one, led by Nik Bonitto, who is among the quickest and most effective edge rushers in the league, and defensive tackle Zach Allen. That could pose problems as Browning tries to “toe the line” between being aggressive and smart.
The Bengals also are still trying to get their running game going, which was a huge talking point this week after Chase Brown rushed for three yards on 10 carries at Minnesota. Members of the offensive line took that personally and the challenge is on them this week to help open up some holes.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
“I think we’re close,” Brown said. “You watch the tape and there’s a lot of things to learn from.”
One intriguing matchup will be between Ja’Marr Chase, the league’s best receiver in 2024, and Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II, who came into the season considered by many as the league’s top player at his position.
“It’s always good to watch Ja’Marr match up against great corners,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. “If Tee (Higgins) gets matched up as well, we always expect our guys to hold their own and find a winning matchup for us. I think (Surtain) is a really elite corner in this league, and I think our guys are always up for that challenge.”
2. When the Bengals are on defense…
The Bengals faced quarterback Bo Nix in his rookie season after the Broncos selected him in the first round of the 2024 draft, and they managed to beat him, but Nix threw two big touchdowns in the fourth quarter, including a 25-yard pass to Marvin Mims with eight seconds left to force overtime before Cincinnati won the game.
Nix hasn’t gotten off to a great start this year, though, throwing two picks and losing a fumble in an opening win over Tennessee and more recently completing just 14 of 25 passes for 153 yards and one touchdown in a loss to the Chargers.
Perhaps it’s a chance for the Bengals secondary to step up, after allowing 240.7 passing yards per game so far (ranked 25th among the 32 teams). Nix has a lot of the same weapons at his disposal, namely Mims and Courtland Sutton, who are both capable receivers.
“He’s a competitor,” Bengals defensive coordinator Al Golden said of Nix. “He’s really good on the move. Makes a lot of different throws on the run, and …he can pull the ball any time during the game, so that’s a threat in the scrambles. Obviously, he trusts the guys on the perimeter; he gives them a chance to catch the ball, as he should. Mims, (Troy) Franklin, Sutton all are really good players.”
What’s more concerning is how good Denver’s rushing offense can be, currently ranked eighth with 129.0 yards per game. Newcomer J.K. Dobbins has 222 yards and three touchdowns on 41 carries, and Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson said he’s been “underrated” in the past, last year with the Chargers and with the Ravens for three years before that.
It will be a test for Cincinnati’s run defense, which has allowed 119.0 rushing yards per game and could be lining up two rookies at linebacker if rotation with Wilson continues into a second straight game.
“He just had some injury history, which was unfortunate, but I think he’s a really, really good, explosive back,” Wilson said. “He has good pad level. He can make good cuts and he’s just, it’s hard to bring down.”
3. Injuries of note
Taylor said it was unlikely Shemar Stewart would be available this week, as he continues to nurse an ankle injury, and he did not practice the first two days, but he was hopeful the extra day between games would help Cam Taylor-Britt with his recovery from his hamstring injury that sidelined him last week.
Taylor-Britt was limited Thursday and Friday. Meanwhile, Noah Fant was still in concussion protocol and not practicing, but Samaje Perine, who injured his thumb at Minnesota, was a full participant all week and Dalton Risner bounced back from a calf injury just fine as well.
Taylor still wouldn’t commit to Risner remaining the starter at right guard, and it sounded later in the week like Jalen Rivers might be getting a shot after replacing Risner for his first significant snaps in the loss to the Vikings.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
The Broncos had a clean bill of health Friday when everyone reporting an injury practiced in full, including Bonitto, whose wrist injury did not limit him in either of the first two practices of the week, and linebacker Alex Singleton, who also was full both of those days despite a thumb injury.
Defensive end John Franklin-Myers was the only one limited early in the practice week but that was just one day because of a hip issue.
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