AFC North: Bengals, Ravens, Browns all have tough matchups in Week 7
As the teams in the AFC North enter Week 7 of the 2018 NFL regular season, the Cincinnati Bengals still lead the division at 4-2 with the Baltimore Ravens carrying the same win-loss record. Within the division itself, however, the Bengals are 1-1 while the Ravens are 1-2. The Pittsburgh Steelers will utilize the ‘bye’ with a record of 3-2-1 (1-1-1 in the division) while the Cleveland Browns at 2-3-1 (1-0-1 in the division) look to rebound despite facing a tough challenger. The AFC North continues to be an exciting division to watch and will be one to keep an eye on over the next couple of weeks as teams begin to solidify their identity and stack wins for the second half of the season.
Bengals to face red-hot Chiefs
Cincinnati took the loss to the Steelers in Week 6 on the chin and they’ll get another challenge on the road on Sunday night at Arrowhead Stadium when they take on a red-hot Kansas City Chiefs team. The Chiefs lead the AFC with a 5-1 record and the No. 2 offense (in scoring) in the league with 35.8 points per game, ranked fifth in offense overall, but are dead last in the NFL in total defense. The Bengals offense ranks No. 6 (in scoring) in the league with 29.0 points per game; ranked 23rd overall in offense. Cincinnati struggled to contain the Steelers’ defense, so it’s worth asking if they’ll have made the adjustments necessary to keep Patrick Mahomes from getting the Chiefs off to an early lead with the explosive arsenal of targets – like Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce and Kareem Hunt – and prevent a shoot-out for Andy Dalton.
The Bengals lead the series 15-13 (winning the last four times these two teams have met), and this is a Chiefs team that lost a very close game to the New England Patriots (43-40) in Week 6, so a win would help solidify Cincinnati as a real contender in the AFC.
KeiVarae Russell was promoted from the practice squad to the starting roster for Sunday due to the Bengals being down to just four cornerbacks (Darqueze Dennard ruled out with a shoulder injury for Week 7); they promoted Darius Phillips and Tony McRae (slot). Russell spent five months with the Chiefs before joining the Bengals but told the media this week that he’s focused on what he’s doing with his current team and doesn’t feel he has an advantage due to time in Kansas City. “I’m going to do whatever the coaches want me to do,” Russell said. “I don’t care if it’s two plays if it’s 20 plays, 30 plays, no plays.”
Game Info
Date: Sunday, Oct. 21
Kickoff: 8:20 p.m. (ET) – (game flexed by the NFL)
Location: Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City)
TV: NBC – (WLWT-TV in Cincinnati; WDTN-TV in Dayton; WLEX-TV in Lexington)
Radio: Bengals Radio Network – WLM-AM (700) – WCKY-AM (ESPN 1530) – WEBN-FM (102.7)
Ravens have opportunity to take lead in division with win over Saints
With most of the focus on Baltimore’s top-ranked defense facing New Orleans’ third-ranked offense this week, it may come down to just how well Joe Flacco and the Ravens offense (ranked ninth overall) is able to respond to the top-ranked run defense and No. 30 pass defense that the Saints boast entering this matchup. Recent tendencies to go pass-heavy will need to be tempered despite the temptation to go for it all in big chunks for Baltimore, but they showed they’re a better offense overall if they can be more balanced as evidenced in the win over the Tennessee Titans.
The Ravens are the NFL’s most stingy defense entering Week 7, allowing 12.8 points per game, and they’ll be facing All-Pro quarterback Drew Brees and a Saints offense that is scoring 36 points per game this season. Brees has thrown 11 touchdowns to zero interceptions entering the game but has never beaten the Ravens. He is complimented with a deadly duo in the run game with Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram. Michael Thomas has become a favorite target for Brees this season.
Defensive coordinator Don Martindale understands what his team is up against. “The reason (the Saints have) been so effective year after year after year is because [Saints head coach] Sean Payton and Drew Brees have stayed together,” said Martindale on Thursday. “It’s going to be fun for us – and talking to the defense today – we’re going to have to be at our best communication-wise, in between series, in between plays. We are going to have to be on point.”
Game Info
Date: Sunday, Oct. 21
Kickoff: 4:05 p.m. (EDT)
Location: M&T Bank Stadium (Baltimore)
TV: FOX
Radio: 98 Rock | WBAL 1090 AM (Baltimore market)
Browns to face Bucs with Chubb as their rusher of choice
Cleveland was crushed by the Los Angeles Chargers last week but look forward to the opportunity to face a 2-3 Buccaneers team. Tampa Bay currently boasts the top-ranked passing offense in the league with Mike Evans, O.J. Howard and DeSean Jackson helping Jameis Winston. On the other side of the ball, Tampa Bay is ranked 31st in total yards of defense and last in passing yards per game even though they’re tougher against the run.
The Browns hope to attack with more consistency at running back with Nick Chubb. This week, Cleveland traded running back Carlos Hyde to the Jacksonville Jaguars. In a move that some saw as a bit off, considering Hyde led the Browns through six weeks with 382 rushing yards and five touchdowns while adding an additional 29 yards on six receptions, it seems that Cleveland is ready to bank on their rookie rusher.
“The teams that are able to respond…continue to move the football and make plays,” offensive coordinator Todd Haley said this week, “are the ones that have a chance to be pretty good. That is what we are looking for this week is to see a group that has responded a bunch to adversity do it again.”
Baker Mayfield struggled in his last game, but so did his receivers. A more balanced offense may be what the Browns use to keep the Buccaneers from being able to turn the game into a pass-happy affair. Mayfield would be better served if the Cleveland defense is able to heavily pressure Winston (something they did not do well against Philip Rivers) to turn the field over. Myles Garrett is likely to make his presence known and with the 28th-ranked defense (total defense), the Browns may just need one big defensive stop to win on Sunday.
Game Info
Date: Sunday, Oct. 21
Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. (EDT)
Location: Raymond James Stadium (Tampa)
TV: FOX
Radio: ESPN 850 • 92.3 The Fan • 98.5 WNCX (Cleveland market)
