Five stuff to watch: Bengals vs. Falcons

The Bengals go back to Paycor Stadium for the primary time in 3 weeks on Sunday for a 1 p.m. matchup towards the Atlanta Falcons. The sport airs on FOX. Here are 5 matters to watch:

Bengals vs. Falcons dashing assault

The Bengals face some other difficult floor assault towards Atlanta. The Falcons this season rank 0.33 leaguewide in dashing yards according to sport (165.2), and don`t depend upon one bell cow again that Cincinnati can key on. Even with their primary option, Cordarrelle Patterson, at the Reserve/Injured list, the Falcons characteristic 3 gamers who input Sunday’s matchup with 150-plus yards and averaging over 4 yards according to convey. One of that’s dual-hazard quarterback Marcus Mariota, who has run for 206 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Atlanta is coming off a 168-backyard overall performance towards the 49ers, who entered Week five because the NFL’s pinnacle dashing protection (71.four yards according to sport). For the Bengals to enhance to four-three, they may want to maintain a mighty and balanced Falcons run sport in check.

2.Offensive milestones in attain

Quarterback Joe Burrow, extensive receiver Ja’Marr Chase and halfback Joe Mixon are all inside hanging distance of yardage milestones on Sunday. Burrow enters the competition with 8,915 passing yards, simply eighty five shy of 9,000. Should he attain that mark on Sunday in what is going to be simply his thirty third sport, he might tie with Matthew Stafford because the fourth-quickest quarterback in NFL records to byskip for 9,000 yards. Burrow exceeded 8,000 profession yards in Week three on the N.Y. Jets, tying for the 0.33-quickest QB to attain that overall.

Chase heads into the Atlanta sport with 1,930 profession receiving yards, 70 shy of 2,000. Sunday can be his twenty fourth profession sport, giving him the danger to tie because the fourth-quickest receiver ever to attain the 2K mark. A pair of fellow former LSU stars, Odell Beckham Jr. (21 video games) and Justin Jefferson (24), also are on that list. Chase this season has 3 video games with 70-plus yards, which includes a season-excessive 132-backyard overall performance remaining week at New Orleans.

Mixon enters Week 7 with four,911 profession dashing yards, 89 shy of five,000. Though it’d require a season-excessive overall to attain that milestone, he has discovered a rhythm during the last weeks, averaging five.6 yards according to convey at Baltimore and New Orleans. Mixon might come to be the 5th participant in Bengals records to eclipse five,000 yards, and might be a part of seven energetic NFL gamers who’ve exceeded the mark.

three. Burrow in 0.33-down groove

The Bengals are changing on 0.33 down at a charge of 47.6 percentage this season, excellent for 0.33 withinside the NFL, and lots of that may be attributed to the stellar play of Joe Burrow. The 0.33-12 months quarterback leads the league in 0.33-down of of entirety percentage (73.8) and touchdowns (seven), is 2nd in overall completions (45) and 0.33 in yards (514), at the same time as throwing 0 interceptions.

Burrow and the Bengal offense have moved the chains distinctly nicely as of late, going a season-exceptional six of 10 on 0.33 down remaining week at New Orleans. This Sunday, Cincinnati faces an Atlanta protection that has allowed 36 overall 0.33-down conversions (twenty ninth in NFL) at a charge of 46.2 percentage (thirtieth).

four. O-Line preserving Joe clean

This week has visible head teach Zac Taylor, offensive coordinator Brian Callahan and quarterback Joe Burrow all showering the Bengals offensive line with reward for the unit’s sturdy play in latest video games. After Pittsburgh and Dallas recorded seven and 6 sacks, respectively, withinside the first video games, Cincinnati has now no longer allow an opponent get to Burrow greater than 3 instances since.

“Those men had been gambling thoroughly for us the remaining couple weeks, and they are going to keep to get higher and higher,” Burrow said. “They’re meshing as a institution. Each man or woman participant has performed absolutely nicely for us. I even have all of the self assurance withinside the global in the ones men.”

Atlanta is available in tied for thirtieth withinside the NFL with 8 sacks this season, with 1/2 of of these coming in Week 1. The Falcons have now no longer recorded a unmarried sack of their remaining video games. Cincinnati taking that streak to 3 video games ought to move a protracted manner closer to incomes a domestic win on Sunday.

five. Defense heats up in 2nd 1/2 of

The Bengals have allowed simply 12 factors withinside the 0.33 area this season and 30 withinside the 2nd 1/2 of, as compared to eighty five first-1/2 of factors given up. Most impressive, though, is the unit’s capacity to maintain warring parties out of the quit area after halftime. Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo’s institution is the most effective protection withinside the NFL that has now no longer allowed a 2nd-1/2 of landing this season, and persevering with that fashion on Sunday might placed Cincinnati in elite company. Since the 1970 AFL/NFL merger, most effective groups have long past seven directly video games with out giving up a landing withinside the 2nd 1/2 of.

In 32 opponent drives the Bengals have confronted withinside the 2nd 1/2 of this season, they’ve pressured 12 punts, eleven area purpose tries and 4 turnovers on downs, at the same time as netting 3 fumble recoveries and interceptions.