A victory Sunday at Paycor Stadium would put the Bengals back to .500 going into a bye, and that could be a big difference as the Bengals are trying find their rhythm for a deep run this season. Anything less would be a surprising setback considering the expectations following back-to-back AFC Championship appearances.
“We have to continue to build this and improve,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. “It wasn’t always perfect through the course of the game. We could have been so much better in all areas. That was kind of the message to the guys is (we are) happy that we won and proud of them, but we have to get better real fast.”
The last time the Seahawks came to Cincinnati, the Bengals were able to continue what ended up being an eight-game winning streak to start the season. They beat Seattle 27-24 in overtime during that 2015 matchup in Week 5, but the teams have met once since then, a 21-20 season-opening loss for Cincinnati on the road in 2019.
That one was Taylor’s first game a head coach and the first of seven losses decided by seven points or less in his first season, the 2-14 campaign that landed the Bengals the No. 1 overall draft pick and ultimately, Burrow.
Much has changed since those last two meetings. The one in 2015 was part of the last winning season in Marvin Lewis’ tenure, and Taylor has overhauled the culture of the locker room since he inherited his first roster in 2019.
Seattle, four years later, looks quite different as well.
Geno Smith is in his second season as the Seahawks’ starting quarterback, and he has Seattle sitting at 3-1 and ranked sixth in scoring offense. The Seahawks, who are coming off a bye week, average 27.8 points per game, 211 yards passing (16th) and 108 yards rushing (17th).
Smith injured his knee in the Oct. 2 win over the New York Giants but came back for the second half and coach Pete Carroll said on his weekly radio show last week the quarterback should be OK. Drew Lock, who was traded to Seattle last year in a move that sent Russell Wilson to Denver, stepped in and completed two of six passes for 63 yards in the second quarter before Smith returned after halftime of the 24-3 win.
Kenneth Walker leads Seattle’s running game with 283 yards and five touchdowns on 64 carries, and Zach Charbonnet has 104 yards on 21 carries.
D.K. Metcalf has a team-leading 268 yards receiving and two touchdowns on 18 catches, while tight end Noah Fant has160 yards on 10 receptions and Tyler Lockett chips in 157 yards and two touchdowns on 17 catches.
Defensively, the Seahawks rank 19th in scoring defense, allowing 22.8 points per game, and just two teams have given up more than their 280 passing yards allowed per game, but they’ve been solid against the run, surrendering just 87.0 rushing yards per game (sixth fewest allowed).
Seattle’s defense is led by linebacker Bobby Wagner’s 50 tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks. Cornerback Devon Witherspoon has an interception returned for a touchdown, two sacks, four passes defended and two tackles for loss, and defensive end Jarran Reed adds two sacks, a fumble recovery and six quarterback hits.
The Seahawks are among the top three in takeaway differential, at plus-5. The Bengals will be looking to win the turnover battle like they did Sunday against the Cardinals when they recorded two interceptions and a fumble recovery.
SUNDAY’S GAME
Seahawks at Bengals, 1 p.m., CBS, 700, 1530, 102.7, 104.7
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