Cincinnati Bengals vs Minnesota Vikings | Week 3 Game Preview

Cincinnati Bengals vs Minnesota Vikings | Week 3 Game Preview

It’s a good old-fashioned battle of the backups. The Minnesota Vikings at home without their rookie signal caller, which based on their week two might be a good thing. Taking on the 2-0 Bengals, who march in with a JB that knows perfectly well how to fill in for a JB. Browning to the air. Higgins touchdown Bengals. Jake Browning has the initials and the experience throwing passes to Jamar Chase and T. Higgins. and he has the momentum of a comeback win on his side. Touchdown Bengals. They have the lead with 18 seconds left. Browning not only had the game-winning rushing TD, but added two passing touchdowns and 241 yards in relief of Joe Burrow, who’s out for 3 months or so. Of course, Minnesota’s secondary is also looking at a dude who threw three INTs. Rolls to the right off the map. Foot throw is intercepted. Big picture recap on Browning. This is his fifth year with Cincinnati. Didn’t play at all last season. Went 4 and three for them in 2023, filling in for a hurt Burrow. Completed over 70% of his passes. They’ve held on to him for a reason. Cincinnati’s offense good for a hefty 31 points against Jacksonville when the day was over despite the three giveaways. Browning to chase again. That’s catch number 10. Putting up 31 on Minnesota would be a feat no matter who their QB is. Despite their own offense only putting up two field goals, they held Atlanta to a touchdown. They gave up on purpose and five field goals. Hey offense, a little help here, fellas. McCarthy taking a shot downfield. Going to be intercepted. Secondary dominated Michael Penn, holding him to 135 yards, a low8s rate, only 6.4 yards per attempt, have held both QBs they faced in check in 2025. Broke it up trying to get it to pit. They held Drake London to 49 yards. didn’t give up more than that to any Falcons pass catchers. The test this week harder to pass when it comes to the talent at the position. Jamar Chase comes in off a 14 catch 165 yd touchdown game. Jamar Chase Gritty’s touchdown Bengals. T. Higgins also scored 56 yds. Higgins bumped. Doesn’t matter. Touchdown Bengals. Tight ends Noah Fant and Mike Gasiki options as well combined for 46 yards on six catches. Their line’s ability to stave off Minnesota’s pass rush will be big. Between Burrow and Browning, they took three sacks. Browning looks that way. Runs out of time. Three sacks on 45 pass attempts isn’t terrible per se, though. They only faced pressure 29% of the time. Can also usually live with that. Vikings didn’t get too many chances to Barry Pennix, but they got to him three times on 21 pass attempts. Dallas Turner Jonathan Gernard a sack each. They make the play right there with Bernard along the ground. Cincinnati has Chase Brown doesn’t come in with a red X though after finishing under three yards per carry versus Jacksonville. Maybe he gets it going versus Minnesota. The one facet of their defense that they need to fix, stopping runners, got gashed by Bojan Robinson and Tyler Algier over 215 rush yards on 5.6 per attempt. Down the sideline for the first down at the 37 yd line. So what about backup number two? You all remember Carson Wentz had those couple really good years and then has mostly been honing his clipboard carrying skills. He at least doesn’t have a high bar to meet. JJ McCarthy didn’t lead a single TD drive versus Atlanta. They managed just two field goals. He only threw for 158 yards, threw two INTs. McCarthy laces it in there and it’s taken away again. He takes on a Cincinnati defense that enters off a mixed bag showing. gave up three touchdowns and 270 plus yards to Trevor Lawrence, but on 42 pass attempts, pencils out to 6.5 yds per attempt, and they picked him off twice, which kept him to a low 80s rate. Cincy gets the stop and the jungle lets him know. Giving up 27 points is still troubling. Allowed Parker Washington to go for 76 yds. Deami Brown 57 held Brian Thomas to 49 on 12 targets. the star they’ll try and wrangle this week. Justin Jefferson who broke a 50-yard as part of his 81yd day. There’s Jefferson. JJ to the 33 yd line. No other Viking with 32 yds. Jaylen Naylor 31. Adam Thielen 26. TJ Hawinson just 12. They couldn’t get the ball to them because McCarthy got dragged down six times on just 21 pass attempts. JJ pressure out from behind. Vikings line is beat up already too, which Trey Hendrickson could take advantage of. Hendrickson from the backside. That was Cincinnati’s only sack on 42 pass attempts, though. And they didn’t pressure Lawrence at a very high rate. Also need to play the run better after giving up 5.1 a carry to Travis ETN. Gave up 139 rush yards total on 5.1 a run. ETN still going inside the 15. Vikings run game appears to be in Jordan Mason’s hands, though he struggled to do much versus Atlanta. 30 yards, 3.3 a carry. Sledgehammer work to get close to the first down. The last two times these teams have faced each other, they’ve gone to overtime. Bengals winning both to put them up 8-7 in the overall series. How about that game in 1989 between the two? Winner punched a ticket to the postseason. First down Minnesota. Wade Wilson drops the throw. Here comes a blitz. way to the screen pass the 10 at the five touchdown for one half Minnesota took the game right away from the Bengals [Music] [Applause] and he is in touchdown Craig Taylor from 18 yds out play action wants to throw lofts it to the end zone and it is good for a touchdown on the Steve Mowski. He tried [Music]

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