Chiefs 2022 Opponent Overview: Cincinnati Bengals

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This Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs will face arguably their toughest opponent left on their 2022 regular season schedule. That team, the Cincinnati Bengals, defeated the Chiefs not once, but twice last season. That second victory allowed Cincinnati to prevent Kansas City from a third consecutive Super Bowl appearance. Due to the recent dominance that these two teams have enjoyed this season, this game should certainly live up to the hype and anticipation.

More on some of the key matchups and game planning will be covered right here throughout this week. Today, we will be giving our own view of the Cincinnati Bengals entering their matchup with the Chiefs. What can Kansas City expect from their offense and defense? Let’s kick it off.

Burrow’s Big Brain

In a short span, Joe Burrow has already accomplished more than most quarterbacks have just three seasons into their career. That is especially true, when you consider the lack of consistent success for the Bengals in the last two decades. You can marvel at the accuracy of Burrow all you want. To boot, his release and arm talent is somewhat underappreciated among NFL quarterbacks. Yet, it is the decision-making and football IQ that truly separates Burrow among other young NFL quarterbacks.

His anticipation for what defenses are trying to do against him is impeccable. For example, you will see most young quarterbacks fail to work through their progressions and find the hot reads. Burrow not only does that with the ball as quick as possible. But, he also displays a great understanding of when and where the ball needs to be placed to avoid defenders having a chance to get their hands on it. That usually shines through in his pre-snap reads.

Elsewhere, Burrow is one of the smarter young quarterbacks, when it comes to his pocket awareness and movement in the pocket. Most young passers are more prone to dropping back farther in the pocket and will instantly get onto their back foot. As for others, you will see certain passers evade the pocket and escape too early, failing to execute the design of the play. Burrow does a tremendous job of sliding in the pocket to avoid pressure, while also stepping up and keeping his throwing base intact. Simply put, his feel in the pocket is always crisp, clean and it allows him to keep any play alive.

Bengals Attack An Epitome Of Today’s NFL Style

We know that most teams live through the air offensively. In today’s pass happy NFL, Cincinnati is a perfect epitome of winning with pace and space through the passing game. Overall, that is turned to the umpteenth degree, due to the way in which they attack opposing defenses.

You can argue if it is sustainable or not. But regardless of the amount of success or points that the Bengals create through the passing game, they truly place opposing secondaries in precarious positions. Cornerbacks are forced to win jump ball battles against larger pass catchers like Tee Higgins. On the flip side, teams are taking risks when leaving Ja’Marr Chase or Tyler Boyd on islands. If you press them at the line of scrimmage, you are in danger of immediately letting those quick-twitched route runners get on top of you. However, a free release allows them to attack with their violent route running style.

Playing defensive back was already one of the more difficult challenges in the NFL. With the emphasis on certain penalties and restrictions that defenses must use to limit explosive plays, the Bengals have a multitude of options to work with. Their dynamic pass catching trio is among the most dangerous in the entire league. Add in the efficient Burrow, and Cincinnati can test teams in a variety of ways.

Quietly Eccentric

The Cincinnati defense is extremely unique. While they are notorious for their second half adjustments, the Bengals are able to excel out of different looks from week to week. As a pass defense, this group will primarily run Cover 2. Cincinnati is looking for shorter passes to be completed against them. But at the same time, the instincts and quickness that they have underneath allows them to cover ample amounts of space immediately. Meanwhile, the Bengals are not afraid to press at the line of scrimmage in man coverage, if necessary. Oftentimes, they will put opposing quarterbacks in a bind, as they will occasionally drop eight into coverage and flood the slot or seam.

On the other hand, this defensive line is incredibly challenging for blocking units. Defensive ends like Trey Hendrickson, Sam Hubbard and Cam Sample are incredibly quick with their first step at the snap. Add that in with their size, and they become challenging to block. The Bengals also do a good job of crashing in laterally, muddying the line of scrimmage. Others like BJ Hill and DJ Reader are asked to shoot gaps and eat up space. With their power at the point of attack, they can thrive against both the run and the pass.

Be on the lookout for more FPC Chiefs articles and analysis throughout this week. For more great sports and NFL content, stay tuned to Full Press Coverage.

– Braden Holecek is the Kansas City Chiefs managing editor for Full Press Coverage. He covers the NFL. Like and follow on Follow @ebearcat9//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Follow @FPC_Chiefs//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js and Facebook.