The secret is out if the Bengals want a chance to beat the 49ers.
“The 49ers’ offensive line is underpowered and has no protection.
Fresh off their bye week, the 3-3 Cincinnati Bengals will travel to Santa Clara for a date with the 5-2 San Francisco 49ers in hopes of turning their season around.. The Bengals, who have won two straight, can get above ..500 with a win on Sunday. If the 49ers lose, they will forfeit the third game of a back-to-back, so a lot is going on for both teams.
For more information on the 49ers, I reached out to Peter Panacy of Niner Noise, FanSided’s site dedicated to all things 49ers. Peter explained to me that the Niners didn’t play well in the trenches during their two losses and it cost them.
Fortunately, the Bengals have played quite well in the trenches on the defensive side of the ball. This could lead to Trey Hendrickson and Co. playing a different midfielder this season.
Check out my full conversation with Peter below. I will note that Peter and I spoke before Brock Purdy’s concussion became public, so keep that in mind as you read our conversation.. He wrote a good article explaining why this could be good news for the Niners.
Q&A Bengals vs. 49ers for Week 8
Q:
What was the biggest problem for the 49ers during their 2-game losing streak?
Peter:
Despite the problems, as an old-school football enthusiast, I can’t help but pay attention to the line of scrimmage. The 49ers’ offense didn’t step up and didn’t handle protection either, meaning the running game was no longer effective and Brock Purdy found himself under unnecessary pressure. Flipping the field, the Niners’ once-vaunted defense is very average, and Nick Bosa has just 2.5 sacks after leading the league a year ago in that category (and being paid accordingly). If San Francisco wants to get back to winning ways, it will have to happen in the trenches.
Q:
Who on the Bengals roster worries 49ers fans the most??
Peter:
It has to be Ja’Marr Chase, right? Of course.. Even if the 49ers blanket Chase with multiple defensive backs, his impact on the field is going to be felt, even if it’s drawing defenders his way, thereby opening up more one-on-one matchups for Cincy’s other top-billed wideouts, such as Tee Higgins or Tyler Boyd. Sure, things may have been frustrating for Cincinnati’s offense earlier this season, but Chase is someone who can take over a game (or at least influence it to be taken over by someone else).
Q:
In one sentence, describe how you think this game will go.
Peter:
This is a Christian McCaffrey game.
With the Bengals allowing 5 yards a carry, the third worst in the league, I’d expect the Niners to “get right” after struggling to run the ball against both the Browns and Vikings the last two weeks. A lot of that has to do with the offensive line, of course, but McCaffrey is one of those big names capable of taking a game over. Plus, he’s been on a touchdown-scoring tear this season, and there’s no reason for that to let up. Especially if a good running game means the Bengals’ trio of receiving weapons, along with Joe Burrow, are all on the sidelines for longer periods of time. Oh, also, keep an eye out for Brandon Aiyuk.. He established himself this season as San Francisco’s best receiver.
Peter:
The Niners would win if they were the better team in the scrimmage. This is probably the third time I’ve said this, but a lot of San Francisco’s recent struggles have come from either poor play on the O-line or great efforts from Bosa and the D-line. Trent Williams (ankle) can’t come back soon enough.
Q:
Give us your score prediction.
Peter:
Both teams are desperate and the 49ers are out for a short week. That means this is a home game for the Niners, as the East Coast team has to make the long trip west. Plus, San Francisco is certainly angry about what happened in their last two games. Let’s see the 49ers win this one (we are the Niners’ place, after all), 24-17.
Thank you again, Peter, for taking the time to answer my question. Be sure to check out his work on Niner Noise before this match!
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