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There were no surprises in last Sunday's "Battle of Ohio"; the Bengals won, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins had their usual solid games, Dorian Thompson-Robinson was bad, and the Browns continue to sink.
Thanks to the win, the Bengals still have a(n extremely) slim chance at making the playoffs needing to win out, the Broncos to lose against a Chiefs team that will almost certainly be sitting it's starters, and both Miami (@CLE, @ NYJ) and the Colts (@NYG, JAX) to drop at least one game. According to the latest DVOA Playoff model they have a less than 1% chance. It can be done, but Bengals fans might want to speak with the man upstairs and see if he can help things along.
Denver (9-6) @ Cincinnati (7-8)
Kickoff - Saturday December 28 @ 4:30p
Line - Bengals -3.5 O/u 49.5
Series - Broncos lead 22-11
Last matchup - Bengals 15-10 on December 19, 2021 in Denver, CO
2025 NFL Draft Lookahead - Defensive Line
While we covered the EDGE position a couple of weeks ago, the Bengals needs a LOT of help in reforming their line into something resembling championship caliber and it's possible (but not probable) that with B.J. Hill, Joseph Ossai, and Cameron Sample as pending free agents the Bengals go the draft route and not the free agency route despite spending their 2024 First Round pick on Kris Jenkins Jr. Here's who they could be keeping tabs on.
Walter Nolan - Mississippi - Possesses good size and strength and can anchor against the run while also collapsing the pocket from inside. He'll need more pass rush moves in the NFL and he has somewhat of a reputation as a hothead and a dirty player, he'll need to tame that to succeed on Sundays.
DeMonte Capehart - Clemson - Can overwhelm interior linemen at the point of attack and holds up well against double teams. Plays with heavy hands and is able to play all along the line. When he keeps his pad level low, he can be unstoppable, when he doesn't. . .it's not great.
Deone Walker - Kentucky - Shows great playing strength and sometimes requires double teams to keep him in check, but he has a tendency to play with poor pad level, partly due to his size (6'6").
Shemar Turner - Texas A&M - Can play anywhere on the line from 0 technique to standing up and rushing the passer, converts speed to power very well, and shows good hand usage. On the downside, he relies too much on his athleticism to beat blockers and not enough on a solid strategy.
Bits and Baubles
Ja'Marr Chase is in line to win the receiving Triple Crown (Most REC, REC Yards, and REC TDs) and has a solid lead over the number #2 man in each category. Last week, Joe Burrow broke the 2007 record set by Tom Brady by throwing for 250+ yards and three+ TDs in seven consecutive games.
The Broncos lead the NFL in sacks as a team with 51, including seven players with at least three. The Broncos can clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 2015 if they win this afternoon, something they failed to do last week against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Injury Report
Bengals
Sam Hubbard - DE - OUT (undisclosed)
Sheldon Rankins - DT - OUT (Illness)
Joseph Ossai - DE - Questionable (Undisclosed)
Tanner Hudson - TE - Questionable (Knee)
Charlie Jones - WR - Questionable (Groin)
Geno Stone - S - Questionable (Undisclosed)
Broncos
Tyler Badie - RB - OUT/IR (Back)
Prediction
Bengals 28-24
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