The Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Seattle Seahawks in their Week 6 matchup at Paycor Stadium.
The Bengals finished the 17-13 win with 185 receiving yards and 46 rushing yards. Cincinnati receiver Ja'Marr Chase recorded a Bengals-leading 80 receiving yards on six receptions. Linebacker Logan Wilson led the Bengals' defense with 11 tackles and eight solo tackles. He added two tackles for loss, one quarterback hit and 0.5 sacks.
“We have a lot of faith in our defense, especially when they have to go out there — we put them out there in tough spots,” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said when asked what was going through his mind the final three minutes of the game, via Bengals.com. “To have those four low red (zone) stops that they had, they held them to a field goal, two turnovers on downs and a turnover. Exceptional job by our defense. They give you a lot of confidence.
“It's a stressful situation. Seattle has a great team. They did a great job in some plays, moving the ball down there. But at the end day, we just have tremendous confidence that our defense is going to figure it out and they did. And they had a huge stop there at the end.”
Cincinnati will take on the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium in Week 8. The 49ers fell to the Minnesota Vikings in a 22-17 loss at U.S. Bank Stadium in Week 7. San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy ended the game with 272 passing yards, one passing touchdown and two interceptions. Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins countered with 378 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
What are some bold predictions for the Bengals when they face the 49ers on Sunday?
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Joe Burrow will throw for at least 250 yards
Burrow ended the matchup against the Seahawks with 185 passing yards, two passing touchdowns and one interception. He completed 24 of his 35 pass attempts. Burrow threw for 348 yards and two touchdowns in a 26-23 loss to the 49ers in 2021.
“One of the best, that's why he went first in the draft,” 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said in an October interview, via NBC Sports Digital Editor Jordan Elliott. “It's his throwing with his size, too. He's a guy who can sit in there, hold on to the ball for a while, and really let plays develop and get the ball downfield with no room. And he's got the best receivers for that, so you can't ever go to sleep on him.
“There are times where he's not going to pick you apart because he's going to look for that big play. You can stop him a couple drives in a row, and then just like that, it's just explosives left after right.”
The former LSU quarterback has garnered 1,230 passing yards and seven passing touchdowns over the six games he has suited up for the Bengals this season. He has thrown for 250 yards or more on two occasions this year. He earned a season-high 317 passing yards and three passing touchdowns in a 34-20 win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 5.
San Francisco's defense has allowed 1,565 passing yards during the 2023 NFL season, according to NFL.com. The figure put them behind the New York Giants, New England Patriots and Houston Texans for 19th in the league.
Joe Mixon will rush for at least 90 yards
Mixon rushed for 38 yards on 12 carries in Cincinnati's victory over Seattle. He added 24 receiving yards on three receptions. The one-time Pro Bowler has gained a total of 366 rushing yards over six games this season. The Bengals rank 32nd in the league with 419 rushing yards, taking spots behind the Vikings, Las Vegas Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers.
The 49ers are in fourth place in the NFL with 555 rushing yards allowed this season. Their three rushing touchdowns allowed put them on pace with the Tennessee Titans, Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints. The Vikings rushed for 74 yards on 21 carries in their Week 7 win.
The Bengals will win by a one-score margin
The Bengals must find a way to continue to build off the momentum of a two-game win streak when they take to Levi's Stadium. They have gone 2-1 in their last three matchups after starting off the season with a 1-2 record. Cincinnati must slow down San Francisco's pass rush and its playmakers on offense to take a potential win over the 49ers on Sunday.
“It starts with the run game really for them,” Taylor said of tight end George Kittle and the 49ers' offense, via A to Z Sports Division Editor John Sheeran. “The physicality, the violence, the motions and all the things that they can put you in a bind with and then they play off of that with all the play actions, naked (bootlegs), and screens and they do a good job of that.
“But a big part of that is because of what Kittle can bring to the table, and his willingness in the run game to be dominant.”