Special Preview: NFL, Week 15
Cincinnati Bengals at Denver Broncos
Bengals: Who are they? I think everyone is still trying to figure them out. I’ll say they’re a lot better than many anticipated them to be in 2021. After that big win in Baltimore against the Ravens, they were 5-2 and prematurely in the top spot in the AFC playoff picture. Here is the one issue I have with the Bengals. They don’t know how to put big wins behind them. When they beat the Ravens back in October, they had a game against the New York Jets and dropped the ball in an upsetting loss. The same thing happened at the end of November. For the first time since 2009, they swept the season series with the Pittsburgh Steelers and I remember speaking about this on the radio saying how impressed I was with them because they beat Pittsburgh at their own game. Following that, they lose badly to the Los Angeles Chargers. While the back and forth play may be concerning, remember that this is a young football team that’s not used to success. Even the head coach is young himself so this is all one big learning experience for them. In the wild, wild AFC playoff picture, they are still in the hunt and their playoff chances have taken a hit after losing consecutive games to the Chargers and 49ers. They will look to get back into the win column with a game in Denver on Sunday.
Broncos: Their game Sunday put everyone all in their feels. On December 9th, news came out that former Denver wide receiver Demaryius Thomas was found dead in his Georgia home. He was only 33 years old at the time of his unfortunate and shocking passing. When the Broncos played on Sunday, they started the game with ten men on the field and accepted the penalty to pay tribute to a fan favorite. Anytime the defense did something special, they placed the football on a number 88 decal that was added to the field. That was an emotional win for them. From a team standpoint, the Broncos are headed in the right direction. Everything is there for them. They have a solid offensive line, a defense that’s continued to stay afloat even after trading Von Miller in November and they have nice offensive pieces in Sutton, Jeudy, Hamler, Noah Fant, and Tim Patrick. The only thing that’s missing and I will continue to say it is a consistent quarterback. The other day, I took a phone call for Monday Evening Quarterback from a Broncos fan and he asked me could I see them going after a big-name quarterback in the off-season? I didn’t even hesitate, and I said absolutely and when they do, they’ll be a much-improved team. Now, they do just enough to win games and slide by. They’re back home Sunday for a big-time showdown.
Bengals X-Factor: Vonn Bell– I’ve always liked Vonn’s game. He’s able to drop back and cover receivers going over the middle, he can pick up tight ends and he can be used around the line of scrimmage to shut down the run. I always say some safeties play with that linebackers’ background. That can be applied to Vonn by far. He’s always finding himself around the football. He’s also one of the best tacklers in the league today.
Broncos X-Factor: Bradley Chubb– This is his defense now. Von Miller was teaching him the ins and outs. It all travels through him. Whatever Bradley does, he’s going to get to the ball, no questions asked. It’s the combination of violent hands, his first step, and pursuit of the football that make him stand out. I don’t trust this Bengals offensive line and this could be one of those big games for him.
Final Thoughts: This is a big game regarding the AFC playoff picture. Both teams are on the outside looking into the current playoff projections in the conference. The Broncos will have a tough time running the football in this one because Cincinnati is excellent when it comes to stopping the run. There are two matchups I’ll be watching. The first is Joe Mixon against these Denver linebackers who have struggled throughout the year. Watch him attack them with the run and in the passing game. The next is Ja’Marr Chase against his draft classmate, Patrick Surtain II! This will be a battle all game long. I like the Broncos’ defense, but I trust Cincinnati’s offense a bit more.
Prediction: Bengals 27, Broncos 16
