The Arizona Cardinals take on the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday afternoon at State Farm Stadium. It is their first meeting since 2019. Both teams are 1-3 and the Bengals are struggling offensively.
Cincinnati has never beaten the Cardinals in their home stadium, whether in St. Louis, Tempe or Glendale.
Buy Cardinals TicketsTo help get some insider perspective to the Bengals’ season thus far, Bengals Wire managing editor Chris Roling take us “behind enemy lines.”
His answers to my questions are below.
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
Joe Burrow
What exactly is the situation with Joe Burrow and his calf? He isn’t on the injury report. Does that mean he is fine? Why has he looked so unimpressive so far this season?
So he took five or so weeks off over the summer after injuring it early in camp, then re-tweaked it at the end of Week 2. In that game, a near-win over Baltimore, he looked back to his old self in the second half, especially with his mobility. He’s looked much more mobile in practice again this week and indeed, wasn’t listed on the report. So there’s an outside chance he’s back to that Week 2 form, which would open up the offense dramatically. But he’s been forced into being a statue in the pocket without any designed moving pockets and, paired with bad coaching, it has tanked the season so far.
Struggles
What have been the Bengals’ struggles on both sides of the ball so far this season?
The offensive play-calling has completely failed the team, failing to adjust for how defenses would play an immobile Burrow. It used to be unheard of to blitz him, for example, and now everyone does freely. There have been some odd pre-snap penalties from veterans and drops, too. Defensively, they’re just on the field far too long and nobody but Trey Hendrickson has provided a pass rush (and now he’s questionable with a back issue, which nagged him all last season). All of the issues are fixable, but very harmful against the schedule they have played so far.
Matchups
What matchups are you most excited to see between the Cardinals and Bengals? Which ones are most worried about?
It’s going to be fun to see if this new-look offensive line can stop Cardinals pass-rushers. They’ve done well and don’t get enough credit because Burrow hasn’t been able to move. Ditto for how Bengals corners match up with old friend Hollywood Brown and Cardinals weapons. Cam Taylor-Britt is a new starter this year, as are safeties Nick Scott and Dax Hill. And if Chidobe Awuzie is out, second-rounder DJ Turner will get thrown to the wolves out there.
Rookies
Are the Bengals getting any good contributions this season from their rookies or newcomers?
Dax Hill, first-rounder from last year, has stepped in for Jessie Bates and done a fantastic job. So has Orlando Brown Jr. at left tackle. Rookie wideout Charlie Jones had already scored one returner touchdown before going to injured reserve, too. A nice bit of production from newcomers for a team that didn’t have much turnover while contending.
Prediction
How does this game go down?
At the risk of looking like a fool, this feels like the get-right game for Burrow. The clips from practice have suggested all restrictions are off and if the coaches don’t adjust properly this time, heads might roll. Don’t get me wrong, this was penciled as a trap game even before the season because the Cardinals don’t get the respect they deserve. But this is right in the zone where the Bengals rebounded the last two years after a slow start, about a month in when coaches and players really got in gear. I would expect something similar to the Ravens game – slow start in the first half before really coming alive in the second to steal it.
