NFL Week 15 Preview: Fighting for a playoff spot, Bengals and Broncos battle in Denver

CINCINNATI BENGALS (7-6)
AT DENVER BRONCOS (7-6)

SUNDAY, DEC. 19, 2021 // 4:05 PM ET // EMPOWER FIELD AT MILE HIGH // REFEREE: ADRIAN HILL

ON THE AIRWAVES

TV: CBS (4:05 PM ET): Ian Eagle, Charles Davis, Evan Washburn (field reporter)
SIRIUS: 134 (Cin.), 158 (Den.) | XM: 383 (Cin.), 228 (Den.) | SXM App: 806 (Cin.), 809 (Den.)

Empower Field at Mile High. 2014 photo. By Thelastcanadian – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https commons.wikimedia.org

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES HISTORY

LEADER: Broncos lead all-time series, 22-10
STREAKS: Broncos have won 3 of past 4
LAST GAME: 12/2/18: Broncos 24 at Bengals 10
LAST GAME AT SITE: 11/19/17: Bengals 20 at Broncos 17

CINCINNATI BENGALS LEADERS

L 26-23 vs. San Francisco (OT) LAST WEEK

Zac Taylor: 0-0 COACH VS. OPP.

27.2/22.5 PTS. FOR/AGAINST

358.8 OFFENSE

Joe Burrow: 284-413-3,483-25-14-100.6 PASSING

Joe Mixon: 245-1,036-4.2-12 RUSHING

Ja’Marr Chase (R): 60-1,035-17.3-10 RECEIVING

349.8 DEFENSE

Trey Hendrickson: 12.5 SACKS

Logan Wilson: 4 INTs

-4 (17/21) TAKE/GIVE

Kevin Huber: 46.3 (40.9) PUNTING (NET)

Evan McPherson (R): 100 (37/39 PAT; 21/25 FG) KICKING

BENGALS NOTES

QB JOE BURROW completed 25 of 34 atts. (73.5 pct.) for 348
yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 125.6 rating last week, his 9thcareer game with 300+ pass yards, tied-4th most by player in
1st 2 seasons. Aims for 3rd in row with 300+ pass yards. Has 2+
TD passes in 5 of his past 6 on road.
• RB JOE MIXON had 68 scrimmage yards (58 rush, 10 rec.) last
week. Has TD in 9 of past 10. Had 85 scrimmage yards (82 rush,
13 rec.) in last meeting. Ranks 2nd in NFL with 1,036 rush yards,
his 3rd-career season with 1,000+ rush yards.
• WR JA’MARR CHASE (rookie) had 5 catches for 77 yards & 2
TDs last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 5+ catches & 50+ rec.
yards. Has rec. TD in 5 of 6 road games. Is 5th rookie in SB
era with 1,000+ rec. yards (1,034) & 10+ rec. TDs (10). WR TEE
HIGGINS aims for 4th in row with 5+ catches & 110+ rec. yards.
Has rec. TD in 2 of past 3. WR TYLER BOYD aims for 3rd in row
with 50+ rec. yards. Had 6 catches for 97 yards in last meeting.
• DE TREY HENDRICKSON can become 2nd player since 1982 with
sack in 10 straight games within single season, joining CHRIS
JONES (11 games in 2018). Is 1 of 3 in NFL (MYLES GARRETT &
T.J. WATT) with 12+ sacks in each of past 2 seasons. DT LARRY
OGUNJOBI aims for 3rd in row with sack. Had sack & PD in his
last game vs. Den. (11/3/19 w/ Cle.). DT B.J. HILL has sack in 2
of past 3. S VONN BELL led team with 10 tackles & had 2 PD &
FF last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 6+ tackles. Is 1 of 2 DBs
(TERRANCE MITCHELL) with 3+ FFs in each of past 2 seasons.

DENVER BRONCOS LEADERS

LAST WEEK W 38-10 vs. Detroit

COACH VS. OPP. Vic Fangio: 0-0

PTS. FOR/AGAINST 21.2/17.5

OFFENSE 345.0

PASSING Teddy Bridgewater: 273-404-2,954-18-7-96.5

RUSHING Javonte Williams (R): 155-743-4.8-3

RECEIVING Courtland Sutton: 48-658-13.7-2

DEFENSE 324.8

SACKS Dre’Mont Jones: 5.5

INTs Justin Simmons: 5

TAKE/GIVE +1 (16/15)

PUNTING (NET) Sam Martin: 45.4 (42.3)

KICKING Brandon McManus: 87 (27/28 PAT; 20/23 FG)

BRONCOS NOTES

QB TEDDY BRIDGEWATER completed 18 of 25 atts. (72 pct.) for
179 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 118.6 rating last week, his 6th
game this season with 70+ comp. pct. (min. 20 atts.), tied 2ndmost in NFL. Has 0 INTs in 5 of his past 6 starts. Aims for his
5th in row at home with 0 INTs. Has 100+ rating in 2 of past 3
overall & 3 of his past 4 at home. Has career-high 18 TD passes.
• RB MELVIN GORDON rushed for season-high 111 yards & 2 TDs,
his 11th-career game with 2+ rush TDs, tied 4th-most since
entering NFL in 2015. Aims for 3rd in row with 80+ rush yards.
Has TD in 5 of his past 6. Had 88 rush yards in only career
game vs. Cin. (9/20/15 w/ SD). Is 6th player ever with 7+ rush
TDs in 6 straight seasons. Rookie RB JAVONTE WILLIAMS had
83 scrimmage yards (73 rush, 10 rec.) & career-high 2 TDs (1
rush, 1 rec.) in Week 14. Aims for 4th in row with 80+ scrimmage
yards & TD. Ranks 3rd among rookies with 1,022 scrimmage
yards (743 rush, 279 rec.).
• WR JERRY JEUDY had team-high 5 catches for 47 yards last
week. Has 5+ catches in 2 of his past 3 at home. WR COURTLAND
SUTTON had 85 rec. yards & TD catch in last meeting. TE ALBERT
OKWUEGBUNAM had 2nd rec. TD of season in Week 14.
• S JUSTIN SIMMONS had 5th INT of 2021 last week. Has PD in 6
of past 7. Had INT in last meeting. Has INT in 3 of his past 4 at
home. Is 1 of 2 in NFL (J.C. JACKSON) with 5+ INTs in each of past
2 seasons. DE DRE’MONT JONES had season-high 2 sacks & PD
in Week 14. Aims for 3rd in row with sack.

COURTESY NFLmedia.com

Posted in NFL