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Well, that was wild. After a first half that looked like it might turn into a shootout, it instead settled down and we got a blocked put that was touched by the Cowboys that the Bengals turned into a Ja'Marr Chase touchdown with less than a minute remaining. Wow!
If you're wondering if the Bengals can still make the Playoffs, the answer is yes, yes they can. Will they? That's a more complicated answer. Cincyjungle.com has the answer which is. . .a lot. I'll leave it to you to look it up or not.
We'll be looking ahead to the 2025 NFL Draft this week focusing on the Cornerbacks and safeties; also with the Fantasy Playoffs here this week, good luck to your team(s).
Bengals (5-8) @ Titans (3-10)
Kickoff - 1p FOX
Line - Bengals -5 O/u 46.5
Series - Titans lead 41-37-1
Last matchup - Titans 27-3 on October 1, 2023 in Nashville, TN
Draft Lookahead - Cornerbacks
After taking a look at the EDGE players who could be available to Cincy in last weeks article, we're moving to the secondary this week.
Let me rip the band-aid off right away. The Bengals aren't getting Travis Hunter. There, I said it. Hunter is a once-in-a-hundred-years type of player. I've seen corners play receiver and receivers play corner and do well at both. NEVER have I seen someone play to this level on both sides of the ball, not in college, and certainly not in the NFL. While Hunter would be a big fix for two positions of need for Cincinnati, the cost to move high enough to get him would be prohibitive. Not only that, but he's not playing WR and CB even 50% of the time. NFL HOFer Champ Bailey, who coincidentally played WR and CB in college, gives his take on why that won't happen in this article.
So, absent Hunter, here are the corners and a safety who could be available come April's draft.
Will Johnson - Michigan - Johnson has great size for a corner, add to that him being a ballhawk and scheme-diverse along with technically sound and you have a potential cornerstone of a defense.
As a bonus, here is the 2023 matchup between Johnson and former OSU star Marvin Harrison Jr.
Shavon Revel Jr. - East Carolina - Revel also has excellent size (though weighs a bit less than Johnson), is athletic, and loves to compete; he also contributes on special teams, blocking two kicks in 2023.
Maxwell Hairston - Kentucky - Another corner with good size, Hairston is a high IQ player with good short-area quickness, excellent ball skills, and exhibits good explosiveness.
Malakai Starks - Georgia - The highest rated safety in this class, Starks is able to play in all three facets of the defense (pass rush, run defense, pass defense) and do them well. He's a smart player who has the ball skills and athleticism to make a difference any time he's on the field.
Bits and baubles
5 of the last 6 games (including this week's) between these two teams have taken place in Nashville, only one has been a playoff game. The Bengals are one win away from the franchise's 400th regular season win. Ja'Marr Chase can become the 5th player in NFL history with at least 100 catches, 1400 receiving yards, and 15 touchdowns if he catches 7 passes for 81 yards, he already has 15 TDs.
The home team has won four of the last five games in this series. The Bengals have faced the Titans more times than any NFL team NOT name the Steelers or Browns, this is because until 2002 the Titans were in the AFC Central with the Bengals.
Injury Report
Bengals
Orlando Brown Jr. - OT - OUT (Leg)
Jon Bachie - LB - OUT (Groin)
Sheldon Rankins - DT - OUT (Illness)
Charlie Jones - WR - Questionable (Groin)
Titans
Roger McCreary - CB - Questionable (Shoulder)
Tony Pollard - RB - Questionable (Ankle)
Fantasy Advice
With the Fantasy Playoffs here in most leagues, we've concluded the fantasy advice segment for the 2024 season.
Prediction
Bengals 24-21
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