W2L4: How Bengals Strike Gold In Another Showdown With 49ers, Move Over .500 On Season

Bengals (3-3) at 49ers (5-2) Sunday, Oct. 29 at Levi’s Stadium (natural grass), 4:25 p.m. ET, TV: CBS, WKRC-TV Ch. 12 (Cincinnati) Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson, Radio: Dan Hoard, Dave Lapham. 700 WLW-AM, WEBN-FM (102.7 FM), ESPN1530. Sports USA Radio. Ted Robinson (play-by-play) and Dale Hellestrae (analyst).

Now comes the biggest test for the Bengals.

The Bengals used a stout defense and a lively crowd to overcome the Seahawks two weeks ago. It figures to be even tougher this week on the road against one of the most dynamic teams in the NFL on both sides of the ball.

After winning the first five games of the season to extend their regular season win streak to 15, the San Francisco 49ers (5-2) are suddenly riding a two-game skid as they host the Bengals (3-3) Sunday in Santa Clara, Calif.

The 49ers are coming off a 22-17 road loss against the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night.

The offense was again led by running back Christian McCaffrey, who totaled 96 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. San Francisco was without starting left tackle Trent Williams (ankle) and wide receiver Deebo Samuel (shoulder).

Despite playing through an oblique injury, McCaffrey has scored 11 scrimmage TDs in 2023, tied with Miami’s Raheem Mostert for the most in the NFL.

With one touchdown on Sunday, McCaffrey would match Lenny Moore of the Baltimore Colts for the all-time NFL record of consecutive games with a touchdown at 17 games.

Even though he scored twice Monday, McCaffery took responsibility for contributing to San Francisco’s loss with a first-quarter red zone fumble.

“Anytime you lose, it’s a bad feeling,” McCaffrey lamented. “I think we have a team that’s hypercritical of each individual. We can’t just let it trickle down. Got to take a good, hard look in the mirror. I know I’ll do that. I made a bad mistake that I believe cost us the game if I don’t fumble that ball. Put it on me. Go from there.”

San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy completed 21 of 32 passes for 272 yards. Tight end George Kittle added five receptions for a team-high 78 yards.

“We have a game on Sunday going into a bye week,” Kittle said of the matchup against Cincinnati. “So, we have a one game season, get back on the winning track, get the vibes going again, just move on.”

The 49ers are averaging 28.7 points, second only to Miami (34.3) in the NFL.

Defensively, the Niners held Minnesota to just 74 total rushing yards on the night, also marking the 34th straight game not allowing an individual to rush for 100 yards, dating back to Week 9 of 2021.

Speaking of 2021, Brandon Aiyuk flew through air to score the game-winning touchdown to give the Niners a 26-23 win over the Bengals at Paycor after Burrow brought the Bengals back from 20-6 down.

The Bengals return from the bye week looking to earn a third straight win and complete a sweep of the NFC West. After a 1-3 start, Cincinnati has posted wins at Arizona in Week 5 and home against Seattle in Week 6.

In their last game, the Bengals held off Seattle on four different trips inside the 10, including twice in the final three minutes to secure a 17-13 win. The Bengals intercepted Seattle’s Geno Smith twice and recorded four sacks on the day to earn the win.

“We kind of stubbed our toe starting this race off, and we’re going to continue to pick up steam,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. “There’s days where our defense is going to lead the charge, lead us to victory, and there’s times where the offense is going to reciprocate that. There’s times special teams is going to take over.

“I think good teams just find ways to do it, and right now we’re at that 3-3 mark. We get a chance to get healthy and then hit the surge after the bye, starting with San Francisco.”

Sunday’s game against San Francisco kicks off a stretch of six straight for the Bengals against teams that enter Week 8 with a record of .500 or better.

The 49ers lead the all-time series, 13-4, including their wins in Cincinnati’s first two Super Bowl appearances.

This weekend’s matchup is just the second visit to Levi’s Stadium for the Bengals, who claimed a 24-14 win in 2015.

Here’s what to look for:

• Joe Burrow vs. old friend Nick Bosa:

The two have been tight since their days at Ohio State and it was Bosa who signed his five-year, $170 million contract extension days before Burrow did the same on his $275 million extension with the Bengals in September. The Bengals quarterback enters Sunday’s game the healthiest he’s been all season. Will this translate to his best game of the season? It could if the Bengals signal-caller gets the ball out on time and minimizes the rush of Bosa, Arik Armstead, Clelin Ferrell and Javon Hargrave. The last time Burrow faced the 49ers, he came alive in the second half with 250 yards and a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown passes that erased a 20-6 deficit and forced overtime. Burrow called it one of the best games of his career. Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins need to be big. Higgins is healing fast from his rib injury suffered on Oct. 1 in Tennessee.

• Orlando Brown Jr. vs. Nick Bosa:

Nothing like testing your tender groin against one of the game’s best pure pass rushers. Yes, the Niners like to move Bosa around and won’t hesitate doing so. But rest assured, San Francisco will test Brown early and often to see if he’s up to the task of dealing with Bosa. Will also be interesting to see how Taylor, OC Brian Callahan and line coach Frank Pollack decide to help out on Bosa.

• Bengals offense vs. Fred Warner:

Simply put, there’s not a better impact middle linebacker in football than the sixth-year stud out of BYU. He is all over the field and impacts the run and pass game equally. If the Bengals play to attack the middle of the field, they must account for and rise to the challenge of Warner. He’s as good a downhill defender as there is in the game. Minnesota had some success isolating him in pass patterns. Can Bengals tight ends rise to the challenge and help keep Warner backpedaling? Dre Greenlaw is their other linebacker, and also an impressive playmaker.

• Brandon Aiyuk vs. Cam Taylor-Britt:

San Francisco’s leading receiver scored the game-winning touchdown in overtime in 2021, spoiling Burrow’s comeback bid as the Niners prevailed, 26-23. Taylor-Britt figures to draw this assignment as the Bengals catch a break with Deebo Samuel out with a shoulder injury.

• George Kittle vs. Dax Hill:

Jessie Bates had this assignment the last time these two teams squared off and Kittle went for 151 yards, with 13 catches on 15 targets and a touchdown. No reason to think Kyle Shanahan won’t try to test Dax Hill the same way this time around.

• Bengals D vs. Christian McCaffrey:

McCaffery is the best all-purpose back in football. He’s going to get yards. Like Kittle, Shanahan is going find ways to feed him. He’s scored a touchdown (rushing or receiving) in 16 straight games. He’s going to get his yards. What the Bengals want to avoid is him getting to the second level of the defense with speed. Avoid the explosive plays and make sure you wrap up.

• Trey Hendrickson vs. Trent Williams:

Fascinating match-up here. Williams, the all-pro left tackle is returning from an ankle injury. Hendrickson figures to get his chances to test that ankle with his full repertoire of moves. Lou Anarumo hinted this week that he’s leaning on using rookie Myles Murphy more in the pass rush, along with Joseph Ossai and Cam Sample. First step, get the Niners in second and third-and-long situations.

• Bengals D vs. Brock Purdy:

With Brock Purdy returning to practice on Thursday from concussion protocol and fully participating on Friday, it certainly would appear he gets the start at quarterback. Obviously, if the Niners think he’s sluggish or off his game then they won’t hesitate turning to Sam Darnold. Lou Anarumo will no doubt be prepared for that possibility.

• Bottom Line:

The Bengals have made some strides in the last two weeks in finding their offense rhythm. Asking them to continue it against this defensive front seems a bit too much to ask, especially with the Niners coming off a pair of bitter road losses. No Chase Brown (hamstring) means Joe Mixon will have to shoulder more of the load than Taylor and Callahan had hoped coming into the game. The Bengals just haven’t found the golden touch when it comes to the run game this year and if the Bengals are pressed into must-pass situations, that plays right into San Francisco’s hands. Burrow will find a way to get Higgins into the act along with Chase and Tyler Boyd. The Bengals find a way to win this game by forcing Purdy/Darnold into two key turnovers.

Bengals 24, 49ers 23