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Game Preview: Cincinnati Bengals at Atlanta Falcons
The 2-1 Bengals go in to the contest looking to bounce back from a 31-21 loss last week at Carolina. Despite the setback, Cincinnati still owns a share of first place in the AFC North Division, standing tied with the Baltimore Ravens, who also are 2-1. The Bengals, however, currently hold an edge for the top spot over Baltimore by virtue of a win over the Ravens in Game 2.

 

Cincinnati Bengals: First look at Atlanta Falcons
The Cincinnati Bengals have some corrections to make on defense after suffering their first loss of the season Sunday at Carolina, but this week’s opponent likely is thinking the same thing. Cincinnati (2-1) travels to play a 1-2 Atlanta Falcons team that is coming off a 31-27 overtime loss to New Orleans and ranks 27th in the league in yards allowed (401.7 per game) and 25th in points surrendered (28.3 per game

 

Bengals aren’t only team fighting injuries going into game vs. Falcons
That’s both starting safeties, the starting left guard and arguably the team’s best linebacker. Running back Devonta Freeman has missed the team’s last two games and pass rushers Takkarist McKinley and Derrick Shelby both missed last week.

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Joe Mixon injury news

According to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, Mixon may be able to return to the Bengals ahead of their Week 4 matchup with the Falcons. La Canfora said that it was "at least a possibility", so while Mixon might not be a sure thing, the questionable designation seems likely for him this week.

If Mixon does return, he'll have a great matchup against a Falcons defense that has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to RBs. Still, it's premature to say that Mixon will be on the field, as he is just a week removed from minor surgery to clean up his knee.

If the Bengals decide to take the cautious route and sit Mixon in Week 4, Giovani Bernard would continue to serve as the team's lead back. Bernard saw 17 touches and totaled 86 yards and a TD against the Panthers last week and was the only Bengals RB to get a touch. He could be a borderline RB1, as seen in our Week 4 RB rankings, in the event that Mixon misses a second-straight game.

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POSITIVES

Falcons are very banged up too

The Bengals can and should score on a pretty poor Falcons defense

Atlanta's defense is terrible against the run

Carl Lawson called and said he's decided to show up this weekend

 

CONCERNS

Calvin Ridley vs Dre Kirkpatrick

Falcons playing their 2nd home game in a row, Bengals playing their 2nd road game in a row

Bengals defense allowing league worst 32% conversion on 3rd down (ATL is 2nd worst, luckily)

Atlanta has been dominating the middle of the field on offense, this is one of the Bengals weaknesses

 

The formula to beating Atlanta is simple. Don't turn over the ball, get to Matt Ryan to help the secondary manage Jones/Ridley as best they can.

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17 hours ago, Duluoz said:

Falcons are 5.5 point faves, so this would be a nice upset if the boys can get it together...Mixon's early return would be a huge difference-maker.

5.5???  That's disrespectful!

 

 

 

To the Falcons!

 

 

 

 

:lol: 

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18 hours ago, schotzee said:

That would be awesome if he plays but not sure it's worth the risk, especially if Rawls is healthy.

Never know what a desperate/dumbass coach will do.  My son's high school soccer team has an excellent player who hurt his quad. Next game coach put hin in even though he was obviously struggling.  Left him in an entire half.  Hasnt played in 6 games and we are hoping he can play in the tounament. He put him in a game we won 7-2.

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55 minutes ago, SF2 said:

Never know what a desperate/dumbass coach will do.  My son's high school soccer team has an excellent player who hurt his quad. Next game coach put hin in even though he was obviously struggling.  Left him in an entire half.  Hasnt played in 6 games and we are hoping he can play in the tounament. He put him in a game we won 7-2.

Jeebus. As far as Lewis goes on injuries though  I think he usually errs to the side of caution. I know I did read Mixon saying though that his return was up to him.

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29 minutes ago, Hooky said:

I like the idea of resting Mixon if Rawls can go. He could punish their D. Ours could be too if we don't get a run stopper. I could see this being a shootout where Last team with the ball wins. A lot of the falcons games are.

I want to see what Rawls has got.  Was disappointed we did not see him last week.

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2 hours ago, Sea Ray said:

The run game wasn't what did us in vs Carolina. That's great that he's feeling good but I suggest they leave him off the active roster this week

 

 

...we averaged 5.1 yards per carry in that game...but only ran the ball 13 times.

 

Perhaps our utilization (or lack thereof) of the running game played a big part in that defeat.

 

 

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The 5 Bengals to watch against the Falcons

Alex Erickson needs to reaffirm why the Bengals extended him, while Jordan Evans could make a statement before Vontaze Burfict returns.

 

usa_today_11306020.0.jpg "Thank you, God"

 

You gotta love watching a team’s first game coming off of a loss, because losing streaks in a season that’s only 16 games long can be deadly down the road. 

In the case of the Bengals, a losing streak to close out the month of September would negate an impressive 2-0 start and would likely knock them off the AFC North pedestal. To prevent that from happening, a couple veterans and a couple second-year players need to do well in Atlanta to come back home 3-1. 

Andy Dalton

For all intents and purposes, the Bengals starting quarterback could be forecasted pretty successfully based on who the Bengals are playing. For so long, we could expect great statistical performances from Dalton when the Bengals were playing teams they haven’t faced in a while, and the opposite for teams they’ve met more recently. Under offensive coordinator Bill Lazor, that narrative has seemed to flip on its head.

In years past, Dalton has had ample success against NFC teams because they’re all uncommon. Now, the expectations have been switched, and there is added pressure for him to succeed, especially when it’ll likely be the difference between the Bengals being a comfortable 3-1 and a reserved 2-2. 

Looking at more conventional metrics, the Falcons’ pass defense has taken a multitude of hits since the beginning of the season and aren’t the unit they hoped to be as a result. Their defense as a whole is allowing the 10th most points per play, and outside of stud defensive tackle Grady Jarrett, their pass rush hasn’t been otherworldly. Coming off a four-interception game, this can be a nice bounce-back game for Dalton.

Despite the new narrative that’s forming around Dalton, he’ll be counted on to match Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan every drive to keep the Bengals in what looks to be a shootout. 

Alex Erickson

It’s becoming increasingly obvious that the importance of the kickoff is diminishing in football, but returning kickoffs aren’t the only reason the Bengals signed Erickson to a two-year extension before the start of the regular season. Erickson has taken back only three kickoffs, which are all of the ones that actually reached the end zone, and has split punt return duties with rookie Darius Phillips. His production in this regard (two returns, eight yards, four fair catches) aren’t too appealing compared to Phillips (two returns, 24 yards, no fair catches).

The third-year player has seen just as little time in the offense as a return man, only logging eight total snaps at receiver with no targets coming his way yet. The Bengals believe in his ability as a slot receiver, he just hasn’t gotten the opportunity yet after signing his new deal. That probably isn’t changing any time soon unless injuries at the receiver position really start to stack up, but all we’re asking for is a spark in the return game. If it doesn’t come soon from Erickson, perhaps putting Phillips back to take them full-time is the appropriate move. 

Tyler Eifert

Last Sunday’s game against the Panthers felt like a trip back to a couple years ago when the ball came Eifert’s way. The 6-6 ball magnet hauled in six catches for 74 yards, with usage in the form of slant routes on run-pass options, and contested seam routes down the middle of the field. The best news: he got up after every tackle.

Through three games, head coach Marvin Lewis has kept his word about Eifert not reaching 50 snaps in a game. Eifert’s also been taking the majority of his snaps from the slot instead of a traditional inline alignment. He’s basically a big slot receiver at this point, and last Sunday really showed how good that can be. When will he find the end zone for the first time in two years though? Going against an Atlanta defense playing two backup safeties and without their best coverage linebacker, Deion Jones, gives Eifert a favorable matchup. 

Jordan Evans

This will be the final game linebacker Vontaze Burfict will have to miss due to suspension, and starting next week, he’ll take his place at outside linebacker. That all means this is Evans’ last start at Burfict’s position until another opening pops up.

Tackling has been a rough spot for the Bengals linebackers in Burfict’s absence, but this hasn’t been an issue for Evans. His main deficiencies involve getting off blocks and play recognition. Coverage for all Bengals linebackers can be classified as a weakness as well, but this still seems like a scheme issue than anything.

Sunday will surely not be the last time we see Evans on the field for the defense with the way injuries have plagued the linebacking corps thus far. But hopefully, Evans returns to the special teams only brigade following a solid performance against Atlanta’s run game.

William Jackson

While Dre Kirkpatrick has been getting a lot of (deserving) heat to start the season, Jackson has watched him from the other side of the field get targeted nearly twice as much. Jackson’s production in coverage hasn’t exactly been at the all-world level he was at last year, but aside from a few missed tackles, he’s been solid.

Ryan and the Falcons offense will no doubt test Kirkpatrick like the three teams before them did so often, but Jackson is likely to face his toughest matchup yet in wide receiver Julio Jones. After a relatively quiet start for the budding superstar, this game has the makings of a breakout game for him. Conversely, he could be torched multiple times by the All-Pro receiver. We hope it’s the former.

 

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https://www.cincyjungle.com/2018/9/27/17890044/how-the-bengals-can-exploit-the-falcons-depleted-defense

 

In recent years, the strength of the Atlanta Falcons defense has been their speed at linebacker and safety. 

When linebacker Deion Jones got hurt, it meant a larger role for second-year player Duke Rileyand that rookie Foyesade Oluokun would see some time as well. This is a definite drop off in speed. 

With the injury to safety Keanu Neal, safety Ricardo Allen transitioned from a mostly deep field player, to Neal’s role rocked down into the box. Now, the Falcons have also lost Allen, leaving the safety duties to Damontae Kazee and Jordan Richards. This position has become a liability for the team. 

In Week 2, Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey had 14 receptions. In Week 3, Saintsrunning back Alvin Kamara had 15 receptions. The lack of speed at linebacker and talent at safety could mean a big day for Bengals pass-catching running back Giovani Bernard in Week 4. It could also mean a great day for wide receivers running slants and posts.

In the clip below, Saints tight end Ben Watson has no trouble releasing on Falcons rookie defensive back Isaiah Oliver, and Brees drops the ball in right over the head of Kazee. This is a position that Neal likely would have been in weeks earlier and his reaction and speed would have made it much more difficult.

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The article has clips of the Falcons getting beaten in the middle of the field.  Since Marvin now tells us Ross is primarily a decoy to keep a safety deep and a fourth at bridge during halftime, this may help all the more.  Could be a field day for the tight end trio  and running backs.  Can Rawles catch the ball?  Hope to find out.

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http://506sports.com/nfl.php?yr=2018&wk=4

 

On the link above it says Louisville was just changed to Bengals and Atlanta.

Hope that helps some folks on here.

 

Late game is Cleveland and Oakland

 

Sunday night is Baltimore and Pittsburgh. (hope for a tie)

 

I'm not leaving my TV chair all day except to answer the door for the pizza delivery guy.

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I'm really fired up about this game; this whole weekend really when (some) of us will get to see all four teams in the division in one day.

 

What this team is lacking big time at this point is heart.

They are much too complacent and laid back/unmotivated and allow their noses to be rubbed in shit.

They have taken on the personality of their coach and might as well be the Cincinnati Marvins.

Hopefully some of that will change when Burfict comes back but that's not for another week and who

knows how long he will last or many games he will play before self destructing.

 

We'll see.  They lose and its 8-8 or worse.

If the depleted team wins, I think things will look good when we get Brown, Burfict, Billy and Mixon back.

 

I would like to see the first play of the game to be an easy pass to Ross.  Something to boost his confidence

and remind the Flounders (tyvm, Amish) that he is more than a decoy.

 

Not brought up but there was an article pointing out that Glenn did not have a good game last week.*

Lots of pressure from his side and the player opposite him seemed to be running around him and

Glenn could not handle the speed.

 

So we shall see.  But DAMN I hate to see them sleepwalking and going all Kevin Bacon with "thank you, sir, may

I have another" as they are getting their asses whipped.

 

https://www.cincyjungle.com/2018/9/26/17896476/bengals-weekly-lineman-cordy-glenn-and-carl-lawsons-contrarian-performances-vs-carolina 

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