Detroit Lions at Cincinnati Bengals

Lions at Bengals

▶ Kickoff: 4:25 p.m., Sunday, Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

▶ TV/radio: Fox/97.1 FM

▶ Line: Lions by 10½

▶ Records: Detroit is 3-1; Cincinnati is 2-2

Richard Silva of The Detroit News breaks down the Lions’ Week 5 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Key matchup

DETROIT’S CORNERBACKS VS. CINCINNATI’S WIDE RECEIVERS

This Bengals offense without Joe Burrow isn’t the same unit we’ve come to know it as since the former LSU star was drafted first overall in 2020 — it’s not even in the same stratosphere with Jake Browning in Burrow’s place, to be blunt — but the NFL’s best receiver tandem still resides in Cincinnati, and Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins won’t have to see Detroit’s No. 1 cornerback (D.J. Reed) on Sunday.

Reed, placed on injured reserve Wednesday as he recovers from a hamstring injury, will be unavailable for the Lions’ next four games. Terrion Arnold is also banged up, but he’s been practicing throughout the week, and the shoulder injury he sustained in a Week 4 win over the Cleveland Browns isn’t believed to be serious. Assuming Arnold is a full-go, it’ll be him and veteran Amik Robertson (5-foot-9, 183 pounds) on the outside, tasked with slowing Chase (6-foot, 205) and Higgins (6-4, 220).

Cincinnati’s duo has struggled to be productive in Browning’s two starts (Chase and Higgins have combined for 120 yards over the last two games), but it still figures to be an early test for Robertson, who played on the outside through the first few years of his career but shifted into a nickel-based role with the Lions in 2024. Robertson more than held his own when he was pushed outside due to injuries last season. A repeat performance over the next month, starting with Sunday’s duel with Chase and Higgins, would serve the Lions well.

Bengals to watch

▶ Chase Brown, running back: For as much as the passing game has been unproductive since Burrow suffered turf toe in Week 2, Cincinnati’s rushing attack may be even worse, and that says more about the Bengals’ offensive line than it does for Brown, who has averaged 2.3 yards per carry this season, the second-worst mark among the 67 running backs in the NFL who’ve had at least 10 carries. His rushing success rate (24.6%) ranks sixth-worst among that same group.

▶ Trey Hendrickson, defensive end: One of the biggest bright spots on this roster is, of course, Hendrickson, the four-time Pro Bowler who has the third-most sacks in the league since 2020, with 72½, behind only Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt (76½) and Cleveland’s Myles Garrett (76). Hendrickson doesn’t have a sack since Week 2, but he’s still near the top of the NFL in pressures (19, tied for 11th) and win rate (20.8%, 20th). He’s the biggest threat to the Lions’ running streak of not allowing a sack, which is now up to three games.

▶ Jordan Battle, safety: A third-rounder in 2023 who really began blossoming into a promising starter toward the end of last season, Battle leads the Bengals in total tackles (32) and interceptions (two), and he has a strong passer rating allowed of 28.8 when targeted, surrendering just six receptions for 71 yards on 12 targets through four games. Battle is one of a few solid pieces in Cincinnati’s secondary, alongside fellow safety Geno Stone and nickel cornerback Dax Hill (Michigan).

Facts and figures

▶ Chase is quickly establishing himself as one of the Bengals’ best receivers of all time. Through five seasons with the franchise, Chase ranks sixth in receptions (421), 10th in receiving yards (5,689) and fifth in receiving touchdowns (47). He also has 20 career 100-yard games, tied for the third-most in franchise history. Chad Johnson, who spent a decade with the Bengals, leads in receptions (751), receiving yards (10,783) and receiving touchdowns (66). If Chase were to continue at his current pace for the next four seasons, he’d pass Johnson in each category.

▶ Browning entered this season with a 4-3 career record as a starter, having filled in for Burrow in 2023. He completed 70.4% of his 243 pass attempts for 1,936 yards, 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions that season for a passer rating of 98.4. His numbers through two games this season are much worse: 64.3% completion rate (84 attempts) for 506 yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions.

rsilva@detroitnews.com

@rich_silva18