Panthers’ Week 9 matchup: Defense needs to find a way to shut down Bengals’ Joe Burrow
Following a heartbreaking overtime loss to the Atlanta Falcons, the Carolina Panthers will head back onto the road in Week 9 to take on the Cincinnati Bengals (4-4) at Paycor Stadium on Sunday.
The Bengals are looking to keep pace in the AFC North following a prime-time loss to the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football. Even with quarterback Joe Burrow trying to will the Bengals back to the Super Bowl, the Cincinnati offense has been inconsistent.
With a battle between two young teams on the horizon, Panthers interim head coach Steve Wilks will need to devise a plan to stop Burrow on defense and make sure the offense doesn’t lose steam after a brutal end to their Week 8 matchup against the Falcons.
Below are five things you need to know about the Panthers’ Week 9 opponent, the Bengals:
Ja’Marr Chase’s status is up in the air
Chase — the Bengals’ best playmaker — missed Monday’s loss to the Browns with a hip injury. The receiver’s status is worth monitoring, as he has caught 128 passes for 2,060 yards and 19 touchdowns through the first 24 games of his career. Chase is a game-changer and Burrow’s top asset on offense.
If he isn’t available on Sunday, the Panthers’ defense will only need to worry about Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins in the passing game. Boyd and Higgins will still be tough assignments for the Panthers’ cornerbacks, but Chase is special.
The Bengals avoided putting Chase on injured reserve, so his status is open-ended at this point.
Bengals prefer to let it fly
Obviously, Chase’s status greatly impacts the Bengals’ passing game. But he isn’t their only weapon in that phase.
The Bengals have a dynamic passing attack, and Burrow has thrown 17 touchdowns in just eight games. That total is ranked third in the league, which is in stark contrast to the Bengals’ scoring success with the running game.
Only seven teams have fewer rushing touchdowns than the Bengals, who have five scores on the ground this season.
It’s also worth noting that Burrow ranks first in passing yards (2,329) and third completion percentage (69.3%) among NFL quarterbacks with at least 200 passing attempts. He has also converted the second-most passing first downs (111) in the NFL, behind only Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
A Sunday sack party?
Through eight games, Burrow has been sacked 30 times. The Bengals’ offensive line has allowed the second-most sacks in the league, behind only the Chicago Bears with 31.
The Bengals’ 30 allowed sacks have led to a loss of 208 yards, which ranks as the biggest total in the NFL.
The Panthers enter Week 9 with 12 sacks on the season. Defensive end Brian Burns leads the team with five sacks, and he could add to his total against the Bengals, who have struggled at both offensive tackle spots this season.
Vonn Bell is a problem for quarterbacks
The Bengals’ top playmaker in the secondary is safety Vonn Bell. The veteran defensive back is tied with four other players at the top of the interception totem pole through eight games. Bell has picked off four passes and forced a fumble this season.
The Bengals’ passing defense has done a nice job of limiting opposing quarterbacks throughout the first half of the campaign. The opposition has just seven passing touchdowns and six interceptions in eight games. Opposing quarterbacks are completing just 58.4% of their passes against the Bengals.
Still, the Cincinnati defense has only produced 14 sacks this season. That total ranks 26th in the league.
Not much of a history here
The Bengals and Panthers have only faced each other six times in the regular season. The Panthers lead the series 3-2-1.
The Panthers won the last matchup, 31-21, on Sept. 23, 2018 in Charlotte. The last time the Bengals defeated the Panthers was on Sept. 26, 2010 at Bank of America Stadium.
The Panthers’ roster features only a handful of players who were on the team when Carolina previously played the Bengals in 2018. Wideout D.J. Moore, long snapper JJ Jansen, linebacker Shaq Thompson, defensive end Marquis Haynes, cornerback Donte Jackson and tight end Ian Thomas were part of the last game against the Bengals.
This story was originally published November 2, 2022 at 6:30 AM.
