Bengals need to keep airing it out vs. Seahawks' stout run defense
Two weeks after having Joe Burrow drop back 51 times in a game he was questionable to even play in, the Cincinnati Bengals drew up another 51 passing plays against the Arizona Cardinals in their best victory of the season. Don't be surprised if they replicate it once more this week against the Seattle Seahawks.Burrow […]
Two weeks after having Joe Burrow drop back 51 times in a game he was questionable to even play in, the Cincinnati Bengals drew up another 51 passing plays against the Arizona Cardinals in their best victory of the season.
Don't be surprised if they replicate it once more this week against the Seattle Seahawks.
Burrow being multiple weeks removed from a setback to his calf injury and looking closer to himself is a substantial part of the equation. As always, if the Bengals can lean on the run game at a higher rate and thrive, it'd be a great day in paradise.
The Seahawks' defense isn't likely to let that happen; not based on how they've played through the first quarter of the season.
Sitting at 3-1 on the year, the Seahawks have won three consecutive games after getting beat handily by the Los Angeles Rams, 13-30. Their first two victories of the season were practically shootouts against the Detroit Lions and Carolina Panthers, allowing at least 27 points in each matchup. Most recently, they shutdown the lowly New York Giants in a 24-3 walk in the park.
Seattle's defense is a two-sided coin that balances out in the middle. The Seahawks rank 14th and 17th in terms of Expected Points Added per play and Success Rate, respectively, with their pass and run defense ending up on opposite ends of the spectrum.
In short, they're much easier to pass the ball against them compared to a ground and pound attack. This includes intercepting Daniel Jones twice and holding him to 6.0 yards per attempt two Monday nights ago.
Seahawks Defense Rankings Through Week 5
| Category | NFL Rank |
|---|---|
(Pass Defense) EPA Allowed/Drop Back | 19th |
(Pass Defense) Success Rate Allowed | 26th |
(Run Defense) EPA Allowed/Run | 7th |
(Run Defense) Success Rate Allowed | 3rd |
rbsdm.com
These figures include intercepting Daniel Jones twice and holding him to 6.0 yards per attempt two Monday nights ago. Prior to the Giants game, the Seahawks were 27th in EPA allowed/drop back.
It's only been a week since Burrow was playing at a similar level to Jones. What he did in the desert was astonishing relative to his recent outings, but it's the expectation going forward if he's continuing to get healthier on that calf.
If the Bengals' passing attack is truly approaching peak form again, the Seahawks are the team to put it to the test once more.
Eventually, Cincinnati will need to find consistency with its run game that matches their 2022 run. The Bengals were the third-best team in EPA/rush and second-best in success rate from Week 5 and on last season. They're currently 23rd and 18th, respectively, through five weeks this season.
Four yards and a cloud of dust will be all the Bengals can expect against the Seahawks when trying to take the pressure off of Burrow, and that's okay. The Seahawks represent an ideal opponent for the passing game to continue its ascension.
Getting the run game back on track is a post-bye week problem now.
Make no mistake about it, Joe Burrow is back
Burrow looked like his normal self in a big win over the Cardinals,
