Green Bay Packers vs. Cincinnati Bengals: Lombardiave staffers predict
Less than an hour from now the kickoff at Paul Brown Stadium featuring the Green Bay Packers and Cincinnati Bengals will take place.
We here at Lombardiave.com have put on our tin foil caps, gathered in groups, and come up with our best thoughts about how this game will play out.
We’re not all on the same page here, but at least we’ve got some good reasons for our choices.
So, without further ado, here are our views on today’s game – let us know whether we’re spot-on or cray-cray, will ya? Leave your comment below, hop on over and Like our Facebook page, or follow us on Twitter.
Kevin Gibson
Kevin Gibson: I see a much tougher fight ahead in Cincinnati than the Packers experienced last week in the Land of Cheese. With the defensive backfield again short-handed, I look for a lot of play-action passing from the Bengals as A.J. Green tries to feast on Green Bay’s weaknesses. I also see lightning-quick Giovani Bernard getting a lot of dump-offs on third down, so let’s hope the linebackers continue their strong play and can contain him. However, I believe the Packers will get an early lead via the passing game, as the Bengals’ front seven mostly contains James Starks. Cue Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb. And much like last week, the fourth quarter turns into bend-but-don’t-break garbage time en route to a 31-21 Packers victory.
Bill Walton and his family
Bill Walton: The Bengals will not be a pushover. They have a solid defense and their offense is good enough to give the patched up Packers defensive secondary another stern test. To win this one the Packers will need to get after Cincy QB Andy Dalton and make sure they account for WR A.J. Green, TE Tyler Eifert, and RB Giovani Bernard on every play. I think they’re up to the task but it won’t be easy. The Packers offense will need to take advantage of every opportunity and ensure they protect the ball, get get every YAC available, and the O line will have to play their best game of the season so far. Wife and band mother Deneen sees the Packers coming out on top 31-14. Son and trumpet player John is picking the Packers to win 35-28. I see the Packers winning it 28-17 to get to 2-1 before the bye. Go Pack GO!
Tommy Marquardt
Tom Marquardt: Aaron Rodgers had one of the greatest performances in football history last week and I don’t think anyone outside of Packernation even heard about it. Even one of the Redskins defenders claimed Rodgers ‘misread’ coverage all day. The Cincy defense is much better than Washington’s, but they won’t be good enough to hold the GB offense to less than 31.
PACKERS 31 Bengals 21
Eric Balkman
Eric Balkman: It’s going to take quite the adjustment for the Packers offense this week as they go from facing one of league’s worst defenses in Washington to one of the league’s best in Cincinnati. The Bengals don’t necessarily wow teams with a lot of flashy turnovers and pick sixes, but what they lack in panache, they make up for in grit. They rank fifth in the NFL in rush defense, allowing a mere 62.5 yards per game. Those Mack truck-sized holes that James Starks ran through last week against the Redskins will be closer to scooter-sized this week. But Aaron Rodgers and company can still win games on the road through the air. The Packers exhibited their ability to compete against the best in the league away from Lambeau, when they nearly stole a Week One win from the 49ers. And while Cincy is good, they’re no San Francisco.
Packers 27, Bengals 24
Dan Turczynski
Dan Turczynski: This one is so tough! I just think it’s a hard place to play against a great defense. I think that GB is better, just won’t betomorrow. Hope to God I’m wrong though.
Bengals 27, Packers 24
Editor’s note – All the other writers here want him to know that we hope he’s dead wrong, too!
Davey Miller
Davey Miller: Packers running game continues to ascend, as does the whole offense against a very good Bengals defense. Defensively Green Bay finally faces a drop back passer. Nick Perry has a big day.
Packers 31 Bengals 24
Luke Hanish
Luke Hanish: After successfully zone running the ball last week Green Bay will undoubtedly try to establish the run once again. Cincinnati’s defense will prove to be much more stout however than Washington’s. It will more than likely be only a matter of time before McCarthy unleashes Rodgers on a weak Bengal secondary. Andy Dalton and the Bengal offense will put up points between A.J. Green and Tyler Eifert but they’re unlikely to keep up with Rodgers. It will be intriguing to see which receiver goes over 100 yards this week. My money’s on James Jones. Close unitl the half but Packers pull away and prevail
Packers 31 Bengals 19
Tim Thomas: After a dominating performance against the Redskins that gave me bragging rights over all the Redskins’ fans I know, the Packers take on a much better Cincinnati Bengals team. Aaron Rodgers is playing the best he has in his career so far and should have another big game against Cincinnati. However, Rodgers could end up on his back some from the pressure from guys like Geno Atkins and Michael Johnson. James Starks had a huge performance last week and I expect him to be decent Sunday but not as good as last week. The big matchup for Green Bay defensively will be slowing down AJ Green which will likely mean some double teams with Tramon Williams and a safety. Cincinnati doesn’t have a great running game either and will rely on Andy Dalton and the Bengals’ passing game to get the job done. This will not be an easy game for the Packers but Green Bay will prevail in a very close game.
Green Bay 31, Cincinnati 24
Dan Dahlke
The Packers just barely escape Cincinnati with a win. The Bengals match up well against Green Bay. They can get pressure with a four-man front and make things difficult for Rodgers and the offense. A.J. Green and the Cincinnati tight ends will also challenge the Packers young secondary.
However, this will be the first game of the season the Packers will be able to really unleash their pass rush. And at the end of the day, I think Rodgers and the offense just make a few more key plays than Cincinnati to win the game.
Packers 28 Bengals 27
Tom Mrozla
Tom Mrozla: I think the Packers will be able to contain the one-two punch that BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Giovanni Bernard present on the ground for the Bengals. The challenge that the Packers will face will be in the secondary. If they can survive getting burned a couple times through the air I don’t think the Bengals offense will be able to keep pace with the Packers offense. Since I’ve never seen a Bengal in Cincinnati, Packers win.
Packers 34 Bengals 24
Ray Rivard
Ray Rivard: OK, I’m keeping this short and sweet this week. News just broke that running back Eddie Lacy won’t play today and John Kuhn is also out, leaving the Packers perilously thin at running back today. Will that make a huge difference? Probably not. In fact, I am going to say that the Packers will utilize rookie running back Johnathan Franklin today and will be smart about it. With the tremendous pass rush the Bengals bring, I feel they will use Franklin on screens, tosses and checkdowns today and the rookie stabilizes the Packers run game for the week.
That said, this is going to be a high-scoring affair, but it will be the Packers with more firepower than the Bengals. I see Aaron Rodgers having another huge day and the Packers offense having at least two receivers with more than 100 yards. The running game will total between 80-100 yards.
In what will be a close game for three quarters, the Packers pull away in the fourth quarter.
Packers 34 Bengals 24
Darryl Krejci
Darryl Krejci: So after annihilating the Redskins, the Pack now move on to the Cincinnati Bengals. As with every game, it will be won in the trenches, on the line, in the air and on the ground and with special teams and on the sidelines with the coaching staff, trainers and water boy! There will be no assistance from the referees as we know they are just paid stooges of the league and will stop at nothing to defeat the Green and Gold (yes my conspiracy theory is still an active investigation).
So I predict that by assigning one touchdown (plus the extra point) to each letter in the name of the Packers and then dividing that number by how many words make up the team name, the Green Bay Packers will score 35 points. Using the same formula for Cincinnati but because it is home field I will also divide the total by thirds they are the home team (and because this is my theory and I can do what I want), The Bengals will score 20 points (rounded). Aaron Rodgers will throw for 387 yards, three touchdowns and will be sacked twice. The running game led by James Starks will tally 134 yards on 29 carries. The defense will have a total of three sacks (Matthews will have two of them) and Mason Crosby will not miss a field Goal attempt.