Anyone going to Paycor Stadium to watch the Cincinnati Bengals play the Pittsburgh Steelers should carry a poncho and/or an umbrella. This AFC North matchup will take place in wet conditions.
According to NFL Weather, rain is in the forecast, and the temperature will be 48 degrees with 10 mph winds at kickoff. The temperature will not drop much by the fourth quarter, hovering at 47 degrees, but the rain will persist throughout the game.
The Bengals must win this game if they are to have any chance of making the playoffs. A loss, especially without their primary quarterback, would make it difficult for them to recover. Hopefully, the weather won’t discourage them from doing what they want on offense.
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The Cincinnati Bengals are in trouble. Joe Burrow, their franchise quarterback, is out for the season due to a ruptured ligament in his right wrist.
There is a core group of players that will ultimately determine whether or not the Bengals can recover.
Here are the players who must step up for the Bengals to save their season and remain in contention for the NFL Playoffs.
Jake Browning, quarterback
Top of that list, of course, is quarterback Jake Browning, who took over as the starter Thursday night in Baltimore and had a fine, if unspectacular, performance. Browning completed 8 of 14 passes for 68 yards and a touchdown strike to Ja’Marr Chase.
Browning has only thrown one pass prior to Thursday night, quarterback incompletion in Cincinnati’s season-opening loss to the Cleveland Browns. But it doesn’t mean the fifth-year pro is inexperienced.
Browning excelled at the University of Washington, where he was named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2016. He retired as the Huskies’ all-time leading passer, with 12,296 yards passing, 94 touchdowns, and 34 interceptions. He signed as an undrafted free agent with the Minnesota Vikings in 2019 and was promoted to the Bengals’ practice squad in September 2021.
The Complete Offensive Line
And, no matter how talented Browning is, it won’t matter if his offensive line can’t protect him. Cordell Volson, the left guard, is a known liability. But Orlando Brown Jr., the left tackle, was meant to help with that. Brown, on the other hand, has shown to be just as much of a liability – at least recently.
Brown allowed a sack and at least five pressures against the Ravens and didn’t fare much better in the Texans’ loss last week. Brown and Volson, however, are not the only ones who are battling.
Alex Cappa, a right guard signed by the Bengals from Tampa Bay last year, had a 21.0 pass-blocking grade.
