The NFL schedule-makers circled Sunday’s game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Minnesota Vikings as a key AFC-NFC matchup. CBS’ top broadcast crew of Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, and Tracy Wolfson will have the call in Minneapolis, but most of the country will watch a much different contest than the one we thought was in store for us.

Instead of Joe Burrow squaring off against a Brian Flores-led defense, Jake Browning is getting his first start in almost two years. Instead of J.J. McCarthy building off the first two games of his career, Carson Wentz will officially log a start for his sixth different club in as many years.

What is going on here? We’re trying to figure that out, which is why I reached out to A to Z Sports Minnesota’s Tyler Forness to figure out what the Bengals should expect when they take the field Sunday.

Bengals vs. Vikings questionnaire with Tyler Forness

JS: This matchup looks a lot different than how it was going to look about a month ago. We’ve obviously seen how head coach Kevin O’Connell can make it work with a backup quarterback, so what’s the confidence level in Carson Wentz starting for a very green J.J. McCarthy?

TF: It’s frustrating that McCarthy won’t be the starting quarterback on Sunday for many reasons. However, so much of what was happening wasn’t his fault. The offensive line is all out of sorts, and it’s the biggest problem with this team. If the Vikings can fix the offensive line, it will bring the offensive baseline up.

Wentz will be a higher-floor player at quarterback than McCarthy. He can stretch the field with his arm and run with his legs, while also not being turnover-prone. However, there’s a reason he’s a backup. The offensive scheme as a whole still looks good, especially on the back end with Justin Jefferson and Jalen Nailor getting open consistently.

JS: No matter who’s throwing the ball, we know Justin Jefferson is showing up to produce. Bengals fans may be surprised to learn that Jalen Nailor is second in receiving thus far. What made him emerge as the second option with Jordan Addison suspended? 

TF: Over the course of general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s tenure, there has been a lot of criticism about his drafting. It’s completely fair when talking about his first draft in 2022, when he was on the job for just three months, as only two of the players from that class are currently on the team. One of those is Nailor, who was a sixth-round pick and hand-selected by wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell.

He’s been a work in progress. Known as “Speedy,” Nailor was mainly used as the field stretcher, but this season, he’s done a tremendous job showing development in his fourth year. He is regularly cooking defenders down the field and getting open in different ways. With Jordan Addison’s return, the bevy of weapons at McCarthy’s disposal will be among the best ever for a first-year starter.

JS: It’s been hard for the Bengals to generate a pass rush aside from Trey Hendrickson. What’s the state of this offensive line that received so much investment during this offseason?

TF: This comes down to one thing: will Christian Darrisaw play? When he does, it makes everyone’s job on the offensive line much easier. The left guard has a significantly easier job, which is huge for the Vikings since it’s their 2024 first-round pick, Donovan Jackson. If Darrisaw plays, Hendrickson will be somewhat neutralized, as the Vikings have a top-three tackle duo in Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill. If it ends up being OT4 Walter Rouse, things could get really ugly.

JS: Brian Flores loves to blitz, but Jake Browning was at his best last week when the Jaguars rushed more than four. What are you expecting from Minnesota’s defense as a counter?

TF: Brian Flores has loved to blitz, but this season, the rates have gone down. They currently rank fifth in blitz rate at 34.3%, but rank first in hurry percentage at 19.4%, per Pro Football Reference. One of the primary reasons the blitz rate has decreased is the presence of defensive tackles capable of rushing the passer, such as Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave. Having those players has been a huge factor with this rendition of the defense. 

The biggest thing will be Flores sending creative blitzes and having his edge rushers drop into coverage, something he loves to do, and they are capable of playing in coverage. If the Vikings can confuse the offensive line with those blitzes and force Browning to think, that will be disastrous.

Final score prediction

TF: This is a really interesting one for the Vikings. Things are at one of the lowest points for the Vikings in the tenure of Kevin O’Connell. However, they are still 1-1 and have a talented, yet injured roster. In the history of this matchup, the Vikings are undefeated against the Bengals in the state of Minnesota (6-0), and they have the advantage in the trenches, which will be the difference.

Vikings 24, Bengals 21

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