NFL Analysis Network

3 Bold Predictions For The Bengals In Divisional Round vs. Titans

The Cincinnati Bengals snapped one of the longest playoff droughts in all of sports during Super Wild Card Weekend. The Bengals hadn’t won a playoff game since the 1990 season when they defeated the Houston Oilers in a Wild Card matchup.

Since that point, they had lost eight consecutive playoff games before snapping the streak against the Las Vegas Raiders last weekend. The game went down to the wire, as the Raiders were driving downfield before Germaine Pratt intercepted Derek Carr to ice a 26-19 victory.

Following that victory, the Bengals will now head on the road to take on the No. 1 seed Tennessee Titans. The Titans finished the season 13-4 and will present a tough matchup for the Bengals.

What can we expect to see from Cincinnati in the game? Here are three bold predictions for the Bengals in their Divisional Round matchup in Tennessee.

3. Turn Their Run Defense Around

The Bengals were lucky that they built an early lead on the Raiders. Had it been the other way around, the outcome of the game likely would have been flipped given the success Las Vegas had running the game.

Josh Jacobs only carried the ball 13 times, but he gashed their defense for 83 yards. Even Carr had a 20-yard scramble at one point. Now, the Bengals will be tasked with potentially having to slow down Derrick Henry.

Henry has been sidelined since Week 8 because of a foot injury but is on track to return for this Divisional Round matchup. He will be the focus of the Bengals’ defense and they will hold him in check.

The Titans may elect to bring him along slowly, but Cincinnati will not let Henry beat them on the ground. He won’t rush for as many yards as Jacobs did, as the combination of the Bengals’ success and Tennessee’s coaching staff limiting his reps will curtail his production.

2. Multiple 100+ Yard Receivers

The Bengals have an explosive offense with so many young, talented players. Joe Burrow, Joe Mixon, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are all 25-years of age or younger. This is a core that could reach impressive heights during their time together.

Last week against the Raiders, Chase continued his dominant rookie season, catching nine passes for 119 yards. He will once again go off, surpassing that total with at least 125 receiving yards as the Titans don’t have a cornerback to match up with him.

When Tennessee adjusts to try and slow him down, Higgins will then burst onto the scene. Higgins only had one catch for 10 yards against Las Vegas but will be the second Bengals’ receiver to surpass the 100-yard plateau in the game against the Titans.

Higgins will take full advantage of the defense shading help over to Chase and bounceback after a quiet game against the Raiders.

1. Trey Hendrickson Keeps Sack Streak Alive

One of the best acquisitions of the 2021 NFL offseason was the Bengals signing Trey Hendrickson away from the New Orleans Saints. Cincinnati took full advantage of the salary crunch the Saints were facing, signing Hendrickson to a four-year, $60 million deal.

Through at least the first season, he has proven he is worth every dollar. Hendrickson finished the season with multiple career highs. He had 14 sacks, three forced fumbles, 34 combined tackles, 12 tackles for loss and 27 quarterback hits and 45 total quarterback pressures.

What is most impressive about Hendrickson’s performance is that you can count on it every week. He doesn’t have one game with four sacks and then goes a month without one. He had at least part of a sack in 11 straight games to end the regular season and picked up one against the Raiders.

He will keep that streak going and get to Ryan Tannehill at least once this weekend, pushing it to 14 consecutive games played with at least 0.5 a sack.

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