Six Points: Rams at Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals will look to get back to their winning ways under daylight this Sunday against the visiting St. Louis Rams after a pair of back-to-back prime-time losses.
The Bengals (8-2) fought tooth and nail in their 34-31 loss to Arizona last Sunday night, but were ultimately done in by penalties and miscues. The consecutive losses have left the door slightly ajar for the 6-4 Steelers to make a run for the AFC North crown. A loss to St. Louis would give Pittsburgh a chance to kick it wide open.
The Rams (4-6) have dropped three straight games, the last coming in Baltimore where the Ravens scored 13 straight points in the fourth quarter to win 16-13. The loss to the Ravens might have some writing off the Rams already, but all Bengals fans have to do is look at two weeks ago when the Texans silenced Paul Brown Stadium with a 10-6 upset. Rams coach Jeff Fisher is undoubtedly studying the film of that game to see how his team can duplicate Houston's success.
Here are three keys to the game for both the Rams and Bengals:
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RAMS
1. More touches for Tavon Austin
One of the few playmakers on the Rams, Austin was barely involved in last week's loss at Baltimore. Sure, the end-arounds have become a bit too predictable, but Austin had only two touches - one rushing and one receiving - and both came in the second half. While never a high-volume receiver, Austin has only three catches for a total of 10 yards in the past two games.
2. Secondary help
St. Louis can't complain much about a defense that ranks among the league leaders in sacks (30) and forced fumbles (13). It's hard to envision the Rams matching points with Andy Dalton and Co., so they will need a turnover or two from the secondary. One problem: Dalton has been picked off five times in 10 games and St. Louis has only eight interceptions.
3. Involve the tight ends
The Rams have scored nine offensive touchdowns in the past six games - all coming from Todd Gurley and Austin. With the offensive line in tatters, targeting Lance Kendricks and Jared Cook with short to medium-range passes serves a dual purpose. It will prevent the Bengals from stacking the box against Gurley and keep Case Keenum or Nick Foles from having to stand in too long against the paas rush.
BENGALS
1. Protect Andy Dalton
Dalton was sacked just 11 times in the Bengals' first eight games -- all wins. In the last two games, he's been sacked four times each. While the front seven for both Houston and Arizona present their own challenges, the Rams' defensive front is among the best in the game. Aaron Donald is a nightmare for interior linemen and many times two blockers isn't enough. If Cincinnati can't keep Dalton clean, it could be a long day.
2. Stay with Bernard
After weeks of splitting reps, Giovani Bernard has played twice as many snaps as Jeremy Hill the past two games. Bernard led the Bengals with eight receptions for 128 yards in Arizona while Hill has been largely ineffective outside of the red zone. While St. Louis' defensive front presents matchup problems for most running backs, it's a particularly bad one for Hill's skill set. Cincinnati would be better off handing off to Bernard so he can use his speed to get to the edge.
3. Get Eifert involved early
Tight end Tyler Eifert has been deadly in the red zone lately with five touchdowns in the last three games, but he only has 11 catches and 101 to show for it. Eifert has the size and speed to do damage all over the field in the passing game. Getting him the ball early will draw the attention of the Rams safeties, freeing up more space for A.J. Green and Marvin Jones on the outside.