After beating the Seahawks in the opener and coming up short against the 49ers in Week 2, the Los Angeles Rams will now take on the Bengals in a rematch of Super Bowl LVI. It’s the final game of Week 3, the second matchup of a Monday night doubleheader, so all eyes will be on this new-look Rams team.
But the Bengals have plenty of questions of their own, especially given Joe Burrow’s uncertain status. To get more insight on this Cincinnati team, we chatted with Bengals Wire editor Chris Roling and asked five big questions, including his final score prediction for Monday night’s game.
1
What’s been the biggest issue for the Bengals offense thus far?
Bengals Wire: Burrow’s calf, pretty much any way you slice it. He missed most of the summer, so timing with his weapons has been an issue. Then, in the games themselves, the playbook was dialed back in the hopes of preventing a re-injury. They weren’t using pretty much any varied dropbacks that put pressure on his plant foot, where the injury occurred. Defenses weren’t fooled and clamped. Nearly everything else about the offense has been fine. The line looks good, Joe Mixon actually looks the best he has in years, etc. They’ve just been handicapped by an unlucky injury and playing two AFC North teams that know them super well.
2
Are the Bengals better, worse or the same as the team we saw in the Super Bowl two seasons ago?
Bengals Wire: It’s hard to argue they’re better after losing Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell in the secondary, even if the Dax Hill-Nick Scott combo looks pretty good. But…they’re close. The offensive line is improved and they enjoy some uncanny continuity on the coaching staff. And sorry to be redundant, but until Burrow is 100 percent, they’re worse.
3
What’s a weakness the Rams can exploit in Cincinnati’s defense?
Bengals Wire: The secondary is still trying to get on the same page after personnel changes and they’re still trying to find a tight-end stopper (Dax Hill is starting to show flashes). Intermediate routes, especially over the middle, should give them problems. And as has been the case since the depths of the Marvin Lewis era and longer, they’re struggling against opposing tight ends again.
4
Is Jake Browning a capable backup if Joe Burrow can’t go or are the Bengals in big trouble?
Bengals Wire: They’re cooked without Burrow. The team didn’t take the backup situation seriously when Brandon Allen left for San Francisco. Browning was not impressive this preseason while playing with backups against backups and the offense probably wouldn’t look all that different from it’s chopped-up state to protect a hurt Burrow.
5
What’s your prediction for Monday’s game?
Bengals Wire: Hard to say if Burrow plays, but the outcome looks pretty cut and dry. There’s always a chance the rest of the team besides the quarterback toughs out a win. But it’s highly unlikely, especially with Aaron Donald disrupting things. It wouldn’t be a shocker to see it be a close game at half before the Rams adjust at the break, and that’s only if the Bengals coaching staff shocks and throws out some new looks in an effort to save the season. Rams 24, Bengals 14
