The Bengals snapped their losing streak last week with a wild 33-31 upset over the Steelers on Thursday night. At least for one game, their trade for veteran quarterback Joe Flacco was vindicated. The 40-year-old Flacco threw for three touchdowns and over 300 yards with no turnovers, out-dueling Aaron Rodgers to nearly 500 total offensive yards and 27 first downs.
Heading into Week 8, the Bengals have a good chance to build off their performance with an advantageous matchup against the New York Jets. The Jets, who benched quarterback Justin Fields last week, are the only remaining winless team in the NFL at 0-7. The Bengals are also playing at home, too.
Of course, anything can happen on any given Sunday, so this is by no means a shoo-in victory for Cincinnati. To replicate their offensive showing from last week, the Bengals should once again play mistake-free football and find success running the ball. Chase Brown rushed for a season-high 108 yards against the Steelers on just 11 carries. His longest run of 37 yards almost matched his single-game high yardage mark on the year.
The Jets still some notable defensive talent and skill position playmakers. It’s unclear who the Bengals will be facing at quarterback. New York benched Justin Fields mid-game last week in favor of Tyrod Taylor. Taylor was expected to start for this upcoming game but is now day-to-day with an injury.
The Browns earned their second win of the season last week and did so in convincing fashion. They dominated a reeling Miami Dolphins team courtesy of a dominant defensive performance and strong rushing attack.
The Browns have one of the league’s best defenses this season when playing at home. They intercepted Tua Tagovoila three times, which helped their offense score a season-high 31 points. Sustaining momentum won’t come easy, though, with a tough matchup on deck.
Cleveland will look to secure their first road victory of the year in New England, against a five-win Patriots team that has found its groove. Rising star quarterback Drake Maye will test the Browns’ defense, and the Patriots’ run defense is much more formidable than Miami’s.
For what it’s worth, Mike Vrabel’s familiarity with the Browns having been on the coaching staff last year could also give the Patriots an advantage. The success recipe for the Browns remains the same, which is to limit mistakes and run the ball well to control clock.
The Ravens badly needed a bye week last Sunday, having lost four straight games amidst a slew of injuries to top players. Now, they enter Week 8 in a desperation mode with no room for error if they hope to turn their season around.
Fortunately, the Ravens are set to return a number of key players to the lineup, including Roquan Smith, Pat Ricard, and Ronnie Stanley. The biggest variable is obviously the status of quarterback Lamar Jackson, who returned to practice in limited fashion on Wednesday.
For the team to have any chance of saving their season, Jackson needs to be healthy and leading the charge. The Chicago Bears will not be a walk-in-the-park by any means this Sunday. The Bears have won four straight games, albeit in close-call fashion, and have a talented offense.
Traditionally, the Ravens have fared very well at home against young quarterbacks and first-year head coaches . So, this will be a good test to set the tone for the rest of the year. The Ravens desperately need to play inspired and motivated football.
Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2)
The Steelers fell victim to a classic trap game last Thursday night, losing to the Bengals by a narrow 33-31 score. It was a back-and-forth affair, but the Steelers surprisingly had no answers to slow down a Joe Flacco-led passing attack.
That loss snapped a three-game winning streak and dropped the Steelers to 4-2 overall. While they’re still comfortably in the driver’s seat atop the division, their schedule is about to get more difficult — starting this Sunday night.
Pittsburgh will host the Green Bay Packers in a potential “revenge game” for Aaron Rodgers against his former team. The Packers have played down to their competition a lot this year but are still a four-win team with just one loss. They have an elite coaching staff and are balanced on both sides of the ball.
The Steelers will need to bring their A-game, and protecting the quarterback is priority No. 1. Green Bay has a ferocious pass rush and if they can regularly get after Rodgers, the Steelers could have a difficult time moving the ball enough to keep pace.