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Bengals are 6 point favorite. The Over/Under is 47.5
Two injuries to monitor. Njoku [knee] and Mixon [concussion] are both questionable.
This is an tough game to predict. The Bengals are on a roll again. After last week's win against KC, many are now saying they are the team to beat in the AFC. They have an excellent qb, the best trio of WRs in the NFL, and a very good defense. The Browns offense looked dreadful last week w/Watson at qb and we all know their run defense is putrid. However, the Bengals were on a roll before we met them on Halloween and they were demolished by the Browns. Also, the Browns have won 5 straight against Cinci, w/Baker, Keenum, and Jacoby at qb. It's also been very obvious that Stefanski has outcoached Taylor by a long shot in these matchups.
Key Matchups:
--Bengals WRs vs Browns secondary. Jamar Chase is back and that gives Cinci three dynamic WRs. Can the Browns secondary slow down these WRs?
--Browns Run Game vs Cinci Front Seven. Houston dedicated fewer guys to the box last week because Watson was back. That trend should continue and that might open up more room for Chubb and Hunt.
--Browns Pass Rush vs Bengals OL. Cinci's OL is playing better and giving Burrow more time. However, the Browns pressured Burrow a ton in their first game this year.
--Watson vs Bengals Defense. Will Watson shake off the rust and nerves? Will he start to look like the dynamic qb he has been in the past? Will we continue to add in RPOs to take advantage of his dual threat abilities?
--Bengals Run Game vs Browns Front Seven. Whether it is Mixon or Perine, the Bengals have a good back. The Browns will be w/out TakiTaki, who was helping a lot in the run game. Will the DTs for the Browns slow down their running game?
--Field Position. Last week, the Browns began five drives inside their own 20 yard line in the first half. That makes for tough sledding for an O that is undergoing a huge transition from one qb to another.
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