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Cincinnati
Bengals
Keeping Playoff
Hopes Alive in Week 13
CINCINNATI-The Cincinnati Bengals' Week 12 blowout of the Oakland
Raiders marked their third straight win as well as the second time this
season they have strung together a chain of three victories. It also
propelled them to a 6-5 record, which has them on the cusp of snagging
a wild-card playoff berth.
While there are five games left in the season in which anything can
happen, the Bengals seem to have put behind them the mistakes that led
to the four-game losing streak that preceded this current spate of wins.
As long as they don't reverse course, this should lead to their second
straight playoff appearance.
Here are the two biggest areas the Bengals need to focus on in Week 13
to pick up yet another win and stay on the path to the playoffs they've
forged over the last three weeks.
Keeping Andy Dalton Protected
In the Bengals' three-game win streak, quarterback Andy Dalton has been
sacked a total of four times. The increased protection he's been given
from his offensive line has directly related to the fact that they've
managed those three wins, and it needs to continue into Week 13 and
beyond.
The success or failure of Cincinnati's offense rests on Dalton's arm.
Most obviously, this is because the Bengals have centered their offense
around their quarterback and his receiving targets. If Dalton cannot
connect with A.J. Green, Mohamed Sanu or Jermaine Gresham, then the
scoring dries up.
His passing under pressure has improved over the weeks—he's now
completing 50 percent of his pressured passes—but when he has faced the
pass rush repeatedly in the past, it has left him flustered, prone to
interceptions and errant throws.
Further, Dalton's passing is also one reason why the Bengals have had
such an uptick in run production over the last two weeks. Defenses
assume that the Bengals still cannot run the ball well and they're
playing deeper to stave off scoring shots to Green and Dalton's other
receivers, leaving them susceptible to big gains up front by running
backs BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Cedric Peerman.
If Dalton's passing dips, defenses will be less afraid of him, causing
them to play shorter and have better success defending the run.
While it appears that the Bengals' much-shuffled offensive line has
finally settled down, resulting in fewer hits on Dalton and better
running out of the backs, it still needs to be wary of opposing
pass-rushers ruining its day. This Sunday, the Bengals take on the San
Diego Chargers, who had a field day with the Baltimore Ravens'
offensive line last week, sacking quarterback Joe Flacco five times…
Read the rest of the article at the Bleacher Report
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