Washington Football Team vs. Bengals Week 11 preview, score prediction
Washington Football Team defense vs. Bengals offense
On the defensive side of the ball, things get a bit tougher for Washington. They have one huge advantage, but if they can’t find success in that area, they may have trouble containing the Bengals offense.
Obviously, the area is the defensive line and pass rush. Washington’s unit hasn’t quite been the consistent threat that many thought it would be, but they are still top-10 in sacks per game and they have the young talent needed to be one of the league’s best lines for years to come.
Joe Burrow has struggled when teams have been able to pressure him this year. We saw it against the Ravens. We saw it against the Bengals. We need to see it against Washington if they are going to win this game.
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Chase Young and Montez Sweat have to lead the charge in this contest. The Bengals have a very weak offensive line and their right tackle, Bobby Hart, is particularly poor and has been injured in recent weeks. The left tackle, Jonah Williams, is better, but he’s still an inexperienced starter. Young and Sweat are a bit green too, but they certainly can win this battle.
If Young and Sweat can pressure Burrow early and often and force him into sacks, throwaways, or turnovers, that will go a long way toward helping Washington win this game. If not, it’s going to be a lot tougher.
Burrow has a live arm, good mobility, and most importantly, a group of receivers that can get open for him. Between Tyler Boyd, stud rookie Tee Higgins, and the venerable A.J. Green, Burrow should have no problem finding open weapons… if he’s not pressured. Washington has some good defensive backs, but they don’t have the personnel to cover everyone. Kendall Fuller will be key in helping take Boyd after in the slot, so that matchup will be key. Elsewhere though, the advantage lies with the Bengals.
That’s what makes the pass rush so important to this one. If they can make Burrow uncomfortable, they won’t be able to move the ball as much. And that will give Washington a chance to keep pace despite their mediocre-at-best offense.
It will also make stopping the run important. Washington has struggled in that area recently, but they may catch a break if Joe Mixon (foot) can’t suit up again. Giovani Bernard would get the start and most of the carries on his 29th birthday if that happens, so Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen could help to slow him down. That will be critical as rendering Cincy one-dimensional would certainly hurt Burrow.
The path to victory on defense is clear, and it’s one that Washington should be able to attain. But as we’ve seen against the Giants, things don’t always work out that way, so Ron Rivera and Jack Del Rio need to have a good game plan in place to make sure their players are ready to execute on this side of the ball. Otherwise, the Bengals could score a lot.