Advertisement

Philadelphia Eagles vs Cincinnati Bengals: prediction, preview, pick to win

By The Sports Xchange
The Bengals need to protect Andy Dalton, who has been sacked 32 times. Eagles defensive ends Brandon Graham (team-high five sacks) and Connor Barwin (four sacks) will attempt to pressure Dalton, who had several passes batted down in last Sunday's 19-14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
The Bengals need to protect Andy Dalton, who has been sacked 32 times. Eagles defensive ends Brandon Graham (team-high five sacks) and Connor Barwin (four sacks) will attempt to pressure Dalton, who had several passes batted down in last Sunday's 19-14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

KICKOFF: Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Paul Brown Stadium. TV: FOX, Thom Brennaman, Charles Davis, Peter Schrager.

SERIES HISTORY: 13th meeting. Cincinnati leads the series, 8-3-1. Cincinnati's .708 winning percentage against the Eagles is its second-highest for any opponent. The Bengals are 3-0-1 against Philadelphia as the home team.

Advertisement

KEYS TO THE GAME:

Philadelphia (5-6) has dropped six of its last eight games since a strong start and is desperate for a victory to remain a viable contender in the NFC wild-card race. The Eagles are just 1-5 on the road -- the lone victory on Sept. 19 against the Chicago Bears.

The Eagles also are having issues finding the end zone. Philadelphia averaged 14 points while losing to the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers in the past two games and rookie quarterback Carson Wentz is experiencing growing pains.

Advertisement

Doug Pederson wants a balanced offensive attack, but circumstances haven't allowed that lately. In their first six games, the Eagles had a 45.4 run-play percentage. In their last five: 37.2. Against a Bengals defense that hasn't been particularly good against the run this season (ranked 28th), the Eagles hope to run the ball about 30 times and take some pressure off rookie quarterback Carson Wentz.

Cincinnati (3-7-1) is well aware that its streak of five consecutive playoff appearances will come to an end. The Bengals all but assured that with three consecutive losses.

The Bengals are averaging 15.3 points during their skid, and will be without star receiver A.J. Green for basically the third consecutive game. Green injured a hamstring on the opening series against the Buffalo Bills on Nov. 20 and missed last Sunday's 19-14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

The Bengals need to protect Andy Dalton, who has been sacked 32 times. Defensive ends Brandon Graham (team-high five sacks) and Connor Barwin (four sacks) will attempt to pressure Dalton, who had several passes batted down in last Sunday's 19-14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Advertisement

MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

--Eagles DE Brandon Graham vs. Bengals RTs Cedrick Ogbuehi and Eric Winston. Graham leads the Eagles in sacks and hurries. Ogbuehi, the Bengals' 2015 first-round pick, has been playing so poorly they're now rotating him with veteran Eric Winston.

--Eagles RT Allen Barbre vs. Bengals DE Carlos Dunlap. Barbre is making just his third start at RT in seven seasons. Dunlap had 13 1/2 sacks last season and has a team-high 6 1/2 this season.

FRIDAY INJURY REPORT:

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

--Out: RB Ryan Mathews (knee), T Halapoulivaati Vaitai (knee)

--Questionable: WR Jordan Matthews (ankle)

CINCINNATI BENGALS

--Out: DE Wallace Gilberry (calf), WR A.J. Green (hamstring), S Derron Smith (thigh)

--Doubtful: LS Clark Harris (groin), TE C.J. Uzomah (calf)

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT:

Eagles RB Wendell Smallwood. With Ryan Mathews out and Darren Sproles less than 100 percent, the fifth-round rookie figures to get a lot of work Sunday against the Bengals. He's averaging 4.4 yards per carry and has 14 rushing first downs, eight double-digit-yard runs and just three negative runs on 66 carries.

Advertisement

FAST FACTS:

Eagles TE Zach Ertz has 23 receptions since Week 9, tied for the most for NFL tight ends.

Eagles DE Brandon Graham had a career-high 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble in the last meeting. He has four sacks in the past four games vs. the AFC.

Eagles LB Jordan Hicks has two interceptions in his past three road games. He has four INTs since 2015, tied for third among NFL linebackers.

Bengals QB Andy Dalton ranks third in the AFC with 3,043 passing yards. He and Peyton Manning are the only QBs in NFL history with 3,000 passing yards in their first six seasons.

Bengals TE Tyler Eifert has 303 receiving yards and two TDs in his past four games. He has 15 TD catches since 2015, second among NFL tight ends.

Bengals DE Carlos Dunlap has 1.5 sacks in the past two games and has 6.5 this season. He is the only player in the NFL with five sacks and 10 passes defensed.

PREDICTION:

Both teams are scuffling along, so we'll call this a low-scoring affair and give the home team without the rookie QB the edge.

OUR PICK: Bengals, 16-13.

Advertisement

--Chris Cluff

Latest Headlines