Cincinnati Bengals vs Jacksonville Jaguars: Week 7 Preview

Cincinnati Bengals are 0-6 and one of the worst teams in the entire league—possibly THE worst. The 2019 season is a lost cause for the Bengals. A struggling 2-4 Jaguars team, that just traded away its’ best player, is coming to town expecting a big win to get their season back on track. Two different teams on two different paths will be colliding in Cincinnati this weekend.

Injury Report (per teams websites/Pro-Football Reference)

Cincinnati Bengals

DE Carlos Dunlap – Doubtful
DE Carl Lawson – Out
WR A.J. Green – Out
CB William Jackson III – Out
OL Andre Smith – Out
OL John Miller – Out
CB Dre Kirkpatrick – Out
OL Cordy Glenn – Out (Suspension)
WR John Ross – Injured Reserve
RB Rodney Anderson – Injured Reserve
OL O’Shea Dugas – Injured Reserve
CB Darius Phillips – Injured Reserve
DT Niles Scott – Injured Reserve
DE Kerry Wynn – Injured Reserve
OL Jonah Williams – Physically Unable to Perform list

Jacksonville Jaguars

WR Marqise Lee – Out
TE Geoff Swaim – Out
LB Jake Ryan – Non-Football Injury List
RB Alfred Blue – Injured Reserve
CB Cody Brown – Injured Reserve
QB Nick Foles – Injured Reserve
OL Donnell Greene – Injured Reserve
OL Ben Ijalana – Injured Reserve
RB Devante Mays – Injured Reserve
OL KC McDermott – Injured Reserve
RB Taj McGowan – Injured Reserve
TE James O’Shaugnessy – Injured Reserve
LB James Onwualu – Injured Reserve
WR Marcus Simms – Injured Reserve

Expected Starters (per team websites)

Cincinnati Bengals

Offense

QB – Andy Dalton

RB – Joe Mixon

WR – Auden Tate, Tyler Boyd, Alex Erickson

TE – C.J. Uzomah

LT – John Jerry

LG – Billy Price

C – Trey Hopkins

RG – Alex Redmond

RT – Bobby Hart

Defense

DE – Sam Hubbard, Andrew Brown

DT – Geno Atkins, Andrew Billings

LB – Preston Brown, Nick Vigil

CB – Darqueze Dennard, B.W. Webb, Tony McCrae

S – Shawn Williams, Jessie Bates III

Jacksonville Jaguars

Offense

QB – Gardner Minshew II

RB – Leonard Fournette

WR – D.J. Chark Jr., Dede Westbrook, Chris Conley

TE – Seth DeValve

LT – Cam Robinson

LG – Andrew Norwell

C – Brandon Linder

RG – A.J. Cann/Will Richardson

RT – Jawaan Taylor

Defense

DE – Yannick Ngakoue, Calais Campbell

DT – Marcell Dareus, Abry Jones

LB – Myles Jack, Quincy Williams, Leon Jacobs

CB – A.J. Bouye, Tre Herndon

S – Ronnie Harrison, Jarrod Wilson

Key Matchups

Bengals linebackers vs Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette

Fournette is finally healthy and playing like it in 2019. Third in the league in rushing yards, Fournette is averaging a strong 5.1 yards per carry. Those numbers are inflated by a 229 yard performance against a struggling Denver defense with weak linebackers. Well he will be facing a struggling Bengals defense with even weaker linebackers this week so the recipe is there for him to have a huge game. Preston Brown, Nick Vigil, and rookie Germaine Pratt must step up in a big way to keep Fournette from dismantling this defense.

2. Bengals offensive tackles vs Jaguars edge rushers

The biggest weakness of this Bengals team? Probably the offensive line. The biggest strength of this Jaguars team? Probably the pass rushers. That should tell you all you need to know about this game. With John Jerry and Bobby Hart getting the starts at the tackles positions, look for the Jacksonville edge rushers to have their way with Cincinnati. Rotating Calais Campbell, Yannick Ngakoue, rookie Josh Allen, even defensive tackle Taven Bryan can play all over the line, it will be too much for the Jerry and Hart to handle.

3. Bengals cornerbacks vs Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew II

If you don’t already know about rookie Gardner Minshew II and his mustache, you’ve been living under a rock. The first year quarterback is taking the league by storm with his play-making abilities. He will be facing a Bengals secondary without both starting outside cornerbacks William Jackson III and Dre Kirkpatrick. Career slot guy Darqueze Dennard will be forced to play outside with a bunch of guys that shouldn’t be starting. Look for Minshew II to shred this secondary