The most embarrassing portion of Monday night's tilt between the Seahawks and Lions wasn't the blown batted ball call; it was the fact that the defending NFC champions needed it to beat a Lions team that punted on all but two of its possessions.
NFL picks and predictions, Seahawks vs. Bengals 2015: Bengals are expected to deliver a statement win
Though the Seahawks are scuffling, the undefeated Bengals could further legitimize themselves with a win over the defending NFC champions.
Though the Seahawks have evened up their record at 2-2, they still don't appear to be right. They have the sixth-worst passing offense in the league, and haven't been able to consistently get All-Pro tight end Jimmy Graham involved. Through four games, Graham has only caught 18 passes for 174 yards.
It's been an uneven start to the season for Russell Wilson, who's in the first year of the $87.5 million extension he signed over the offseason. Though he's completed 71.7 percent of his passes for 979 yards, he's only been able to lead the Seahawks into the end zone on five occasions. At this point, the Seattle passing attack shouldn't scare any opponent.
If Marshawn Lynch is held out for the second consecutive week, the Seahawks may really struggle to put points on the board against a stingy Cincinnati Bengals defense. The undefeated Bengals have only allowed 19.2 points per game this season, which is eighth-best in the league.
This appears to be a now-or-never season for the Bengals, who could have as many as 18 players –– including mainstays such as Leon Hall, Andre Smith, Reggie Nelson and George Iloka –– file for free agency once the league year ends. And so far, they've responded in a big way.
Andy Dalton seems to be putting it all together this year, completing 67.1 percent of his passes for 1,187 yards with nine touchdown passes and only one interception. A.J. Green is once again leading the way at wideout, as he's caught 25 passes for 417 yards and three touchdowns.
Considering Richard Sherman only plays on the left side of the field, the Bengals will have a choice to make: line Green up against him, or put him on the other side, where he almost assuredly will be double-teamed. With Kam Chancellor back, this Seahawks secondary remains one of the best in the NFL.
Seattle needs a signature win to get back on track this season, and Sunday at Cincinnati seems to be the perfect opportunity to notch it down. For the Bengals, conversely, Sunday represents an opportunity to make a statement. The Seahawks have been the best team in the NFC for the last two seasons. A win over the Seahawks, regardless of whether they’re scuffling, could further put the Bengals on the map at the top of the AFC.
Six of our eight experts have the Bengals pulling out the win at home, and six of the CBS experts do as well.
| Ryan Van Bibber | Stephen White | Joel Thorman | David Fucillo | Danny Kelly | Matt Ufford | PFT Commenter | OddsShark Computer | |
| SEA @ CIN | CIN | CIN | SEA | CIN | CIN | SEA | CIN | CIN |
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