The Cincinnati Bengals had high hopes this season of getting back to the playoffs with one of the most explosive offensive teams in the NFL. Those thoughts disappeared early in the season when star quarterback Joe Burrow went down with a ligament tear in his big toe early in the season. Once that happened, the Bengals (5-10-0) quickly fell out of playoff contention and they are now just trying to finish the season on a respectable note.
The Cardinals (3-12) had one of the toughest assignments in the league as they compete in the NFC West against 3 playoff teams. Starting quarterback Kyler Murray has been replaced by solid backup Jacoby Brissett, and while he has an excellent understanding about how to execute a high-level offense, he does not have the kind of supporting cast that would have allowed Arizona to be competitive on a consistent basis.
Burrow has returned to the Bengals lineup but he has made noises that he might want to play for a team that is a consistent winner and in the playoffs on an every-year basis. The Bengals have not been in the postseason since the 2022 season. However, he does have one of the best receivers in the league at his disposal in Ja’Marr Chase.
Burrow will throw 3 TD passes vs. Cardinals
Despite Cincinnati’s troubled year, Burrow is capable of dominating the game with explosive plays when he gets off to a fast start. That’s just what he will be trying to do against the vulnerable Cardinals defense. Arizona ranks 29th in points allowed as head coach Jonathan Gannon’s team is giving up 27.6 points and 350.5 yards per game.
Burrow is preparing to play his 7th game of the season and he has completed 120 of 189 passes for 1,268 yards with 12 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. His ability to see the defense, determine the best matchup for his offense and deliver the ball with both accuracy and velocity makes him one of the most talented quarterbacks in the NFL.
Few quarterbacks have the kind of partnership with a receiver the way that Burrow and Chase relate to each other. One half-glance at the line of scrimmage an instant before the ball is snapped is more than enough to let Chase know the ball is coming his way.
Chase always produces and he has caught 110 passes for 1,256 yards with 5 touchdowns and 62 of his receptions have resulted in first downs. Nearly two-thirds of Chase’s season have been played with Jake Browning or ancient Joe Flacco at quarterback for the Bengals. A full season with a healthy Burrow at quarterback is likely to see Chase approach 2,000 receiving yards.
In addition to Chase, Tee Higgins is probably the best No. 2 receiver in the NFL. He has caught 49-720-10, and Burrow will always look his way when he is getting single coverage and the game is on the line.
Additionally, Andrei Iosivas, Noah Fant and Mike Gesicki (pectoral injury, IR) have demonstrated they can contribute when healthy.
Jacoby Brissett will throw for 200-plus yards and 2 TDs
Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
Brissett is as solid a No. 2 quarterback in the league as he started the season as the backup to Kyler Murray. He has given the Cardinals an opportunity to compete for at least half the game most weeks, but the team’s inability to play for 60 minutes is the biggest issue for the Cardinals.
However, if Brissett had been on a team like the Bengals or the Minnesota Vikings, either team might have be fighting for the playoffs instead of having a losing record.
Brissett has completed 272 of 417 passes for 2,911 yards with 19 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. He has averaged 7.0 yards per throw, and if the Cardinals had a solid running game and a crew of dynamic receivers, that number would likely be significantly higher.
Brissett is quite resourceful, and he will be throwing the ball to tight end Trey McBride and wideout Michael Wilson. McBride has shown he has dependable hands and can shake off coverage in order to get open. He has caught an impressive 109 passes for 1,098 yards and 10 TDs, and 58 of his receptions have resulted in Arizona first downs.
Wilson has caught 68-818-5 with 10 receptions of 20 yards or more.
Marvin Harrison Jr. has missed 4 games this season and he has a heel injury, but he could be back in the lineup against the Bengals. The Cardinals drafted Harrison with the hope that he would be as dominant as Chase of Justin Jefferson, but that has not been the case through his first 2 seasons.
Bengals should be able to take over in second half
The Cardinals can compete in this road game for 30 minutes, but they simply don’t play 60 minutes of solid football and that’s why they are buried in last place.
Expect that scenario to play out here. Arizona mistakes will likely serve as the key to this game and the game will belong to Burrow and the Bengals in the third and fourth quarters. Cincinnati picks up its 6th victory of the season, leaving the team’s fans wondering what might have been.