After a sluggish start, the Cincinnati Bengals have won three of their last four games. They just defeated the New Orleans Saints in Week 6, and they will host the Atlanta Falcons in Week 7 hoping to win two straight games. A victory here might potentially guarantee them the top spot in the AFC North. Here are our Week 7 predictions for the Bengals’ game against the Falcons.
Last week, the Bengals overcame the Saints 30–26 after staging a comeback in the second half. Joe Burrow, the offense’s starting quarterback, with 300 yards and three touchdown passes. Meanwhile, two of those touchdowns were caught by Ja’Marr Chase.
Burrow finds Chase for the winning touchdown #WhoDey > #WhoDat pic.twitter.com/AhaR92hjuM
— Smashmouthing Football (@SMingFootball) October 17, 2022
The Falcons defeated the San Francisco 49ers last Sunday with ease, winning 28-14. In that significant victory, interceptions by Jaylinn Hawkins and Isaiah Oliver were crucial.
Bear in mind that among the Bengals’ top playmakers are Burrow, Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, and Joe Mixon. They will face off against a Falcons squad that is still searching for a replacement for Cordarrelle Patterson, who was lost to injury a few weeks ago. As a result, the Bengals should have little issue picking up a victory at home.
Here are our four audacious predictions for the Week 7 matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and Atlanta Falcons.
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4. Trey Hendrickson sacks Marcus Mariota
BENNINGS DE While Trey Hendrickson didn’t record a sack against the Saints last week, he did exert enough pressure on Andy Dalton to earn the game ball from Bengals head coach Zac Taylor. For instance, a three-and-out resulted after Hendrickson’s third-down hit on Dalton’s throwing arm. On the following play following the punt, Burrow found Chase for the 60-yard game-winning touchdown.
Hendrickson, a defensive back who is generally underrated, actually ranks fourth in the NFL with nine quarterback knockdowns, according to Pro Football Reference. Sam Hubbard, a teammate, is not far behind with seven.
We can easily picture Hendrickson securing a significant sack of Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota in Week 7.
3. Tyler Boyd gets TD No. 3
In their victory over the Saints last week, Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd hauled in all six of his targets for 66 yards. He had the second-highest receiving total of the season at that point, and we anticipate that trend to continue.
In terms of the team’s receiving group, Chase is understandably the main emphasis, although Boyd was productive in the triumph in Week 6. He’ll be taking on the Falcons, who have given up the most air yards thus far this year. That is encouraging for him as he seeks to build on his success from the previous week. Boyd once more surpasses the 60-yard mark and scores his third touchdown of the year.
2. Joe Mixon rushed for a TD
In Week 6’s Bengals victory over the Saints, RB For 45 yards, Joe Mixon carried the ball eight times. Additionally, he had four receptions for 23 yards and a score.
Mixon’s nine-yard reception in the first quarter resulted in the Bengals’ first touchdown. Keep in mind that the veteran running back just had eight touches during the contest. That’s primarily because the Bengals relied so heavily on passes. They only carried the ball 14 times as a team.
Through six games this season, Mixon has racked up 347 rushing yards and two total touchdowns. We are moderating our predictions for Mixon because the Falcons haven’t given up a lot of ground yards this season. Even so, we see him covering more than 60 yards on the ground and even scoring his second touchdown of the year.
1. Joe Burrow puts up big numbers
Joe Burrow, the standout quarterback for the Bengals, should relish taking on a Falcons team that has had trouble with pass-heavy teams. Remember that Burrow completed 28 of his 37 throws for 300 yards and three touchdowns in Week 6. On four carries, Joe Cool added another touchdown and another 25 rushing yards. Burrow connected with Chase for two of his touchdowns in that high-scoring game, the second a 60-yard game-winning score with 1:57 left. The seasoned quarterback has 12 touchdown passes and 5 interceptions through 6 games.
In a home game against the Falcons, Burrow ought to perform at his peak level. Although he has been sacked two or three times so far in this game, he should still be able to complete passes of more than 280 yards. He should also have no interceptions and at least three touchdowns. For the fourth time this year, we anticipate him to end with a passer rating in the triple digits. This weekend, Burrow & Co. had to be prepared for battle and secure victory number four.
Cincinnati Bengals: 4 audacious predictions for Week 7 matchup vs. Falcons first appeared on ClutchPoints.
