Mercury Morris and the rest of the ’72 Dolphins will have all eyes on Cincinnati this Sunday, as they desperately hope someone can stop the Bengals run to a perfect season.
This weekend the Seattle Seahawks are being served up for a Cincy beatdown.
Such is the hype around the Bengals right now, those are the kinds of storylines surrounding this week’s matchup.
Are the ’72 Dolphins getting nervous?
Let’s take a closer look:
Seattle Seahawks at Cincinnati Bengals Pick
NFL Odds: Cincinnati -3
Over/Under: 44
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Yes, Cincinnati are 4-0, but I got news for you. Bob Griese and Larry Csonka aren’t trembling. Perspective is important. Fact is, if the Seahawks and Bengals reversed schedules over the first four games, the Seahawks would very likely be 4-0 and Cincy would very likely be 2-2 (3-1 for sure).
The four teams Cincy beat won’t be around come playoff time. I did expect the Chiefs, as a 4-point underdog, to give them more push-back, and they were close until a couple of brutal defensive breakdowns let it slip away.
But Seattle is a step up from KC and a big step up in class from the other three opponents Cincy has faced (Oakland, San Diego, Baltimore). Even a struggling Seattle team brings the first real challenge for Andy Dalton and crew.
That said, Cincinnati are a good team. Balanced offense plus sturdy defense. Tough to beat at home. It all looks good. But let’s see what happens when the offense faces some adversity. When Dalton goes up against the best secondary in the game (sorry Denver and NYJ) and a unit that can handle the running game.
The Bengals offense haven’t been smacked yet this year. That should change this Sunday. How will they handle it?
The concern for the Seahawks isn’t with the LOB now that Kam Chancellor is back. The problems for Pete Carroll are along that O-line. They’re bad. And not Michael Jackson bad…the real kind of bad. They can’t keep pressure out of the pocket and their run blocking is ain’t any better.
Russell Wilson is a master at keeping plays alive and making something happen. Without his mobility and smarts, this team wouldn’t be able to ride this out, as they wait for things to get better up front. Wilson’s a game-changer.
No Lynch is noteworthy, but I don’t believe his status is all that germane to how this one plays out.
Seattle Seahawks at Cincinnati Bengals Pick
On a short week, on the road with an offensive line that isn’t any good, without their star running back – that’s a tough spot for the Seahawks.
However, I don’t see this being the Bengals real coming out party. Seattle’s defense is close to being back to the bully we’ve seen the last couple of years. That spells some trouble for the Bengals. Cincy will be forced to punt the ball more times than they have in any game so far this year, giving the Seahawk offense a few extra series. Hopefully they’ll be facing a tuckered out Bengal D in the second half.
Led by their defense, I like Seattle +3 (+100) in Cincinnati.
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