Local and national media make their picks for Sunday's 2019 regular-season opener between the Seattle Seahawks and Cincinnati Bengals at CenturyLink Field:
Brady Henderson, ESPN.com: Seahawks 27, Bengals 17
Henderson: "The debuts of Jadeveon Clowney, Ezekiel Ansah and Zac Taylor are the headlines for this one. Seattle will want to ease Clowney (holdout) and Ansah (shoulder) in given that both are coming off extended absences, so don't expect a full workload from either. And Taylor will have his hands full in his debut as Cincinnati's new head coach."
Ben Baby, ESPN.com: Seahawks 31, Bengals 14
Baby: "Clowney will have two sacks in his Seattle debut. He probably will be lined up against backup left tackle Andre Smith, the veteran who was signed two days before training camp."
Gregg Rosenthal, NFL.com: Seahawks 23, Bengals 22
Rosenthal: "(Bengals head coach Zac) Taylor wants to construct long drives based on short Andy Dalton throws, while the Seahawks' defense is willing to give up yardage in an effort to prevent big plays and look for turnovers. Combine that with Seahawks offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer's new-wave run-run-pass offense, and you have a recipe for a close game filled with long field goal drives and late Russell Wilson heroics. Same as it ever was!"
Pete Prisco, CBSSports.com: Seahawks 21, Bengals 14
Prisco: The Bengals have a first-year coach in Zac Taylor and a new-look offense. But their season will be decided by the defensive improvement. That unit was terrible last season. Russell Wilson should have success here, but I think the Bengals hang around."
Michael David-Smith, ProFootballTalk.com: Seahawks 31, Bengals 14
MDS: "The Seahawks showed by trading for Jadeveon Clowney that they're serious about winning this year. They should get the season off to a big start, at home against a bad Bengals team."
Mike Florio, ProFootballTalk.com: Seahawks 27, Bengals 6
Florio: "Look away while you still can."
Todd Haislop, Sporting News: Seahawks 31, Bengals 14
Haislop: "Unless first-year Bengals coach Zac Taylor has some early-career tricks up his sleeve, it's hard to imagine Cincinnati getting the best of Pete Carroll's team in Seattle. Personnel-wise, the talent gap between these two teams is not large, so the Bengals could leverage a couple timely turnovers and walk out of CenturyLink Field with an upset victory. That is, of course, only if Russell Wilson turns the ball over a couple times. Don't count on it."
More Picks From Around The Web
- All eight experts at CBSSports.com like the Seahawks this Sunday.
- All 10 analysts at ESPN.com side with Seattle.
- All the writers at the Seattle Times have the Seahawks winning their season-opener.
- USA Today's staff unanimously picks the Seahawks to win.
- SI.com's staff does too.
The Seahawks and Bengals face off on Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023. Kickoff is set for 10:00 a.m. PT. Take a look back through history at the Seahawks' matchups against the Bengals.
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Steve Largent (80) is seen in action against Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Louis Breeden (34) during an NFL game Sept. 6, 1981, Cincinnati. (Tony Tomsic via AP)
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Cris Collinsworth shakes a Seattle Seahawks defender as he runs for an 18-yard gain on a pass from Bengals quarterback Turk Schonert in the second quarter of the Bengals 27-21 win in the season opener at Cincinnati, Sept. 6, 1981. (AP Photo)
Cincinnati Bengals Ickey Woods (30) runs away from Seattle Seahawks Jacob Green in the second quarter of the Bengals 21-13 AFC semi-final victory in Cincinnati, Jan. 2, 1981. The Bengals will play for the AFC championship next Sunday in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)
Seattle Seahawks receiver Steve Largent (80) gets a pat on the helmet from teammate Norm Johnson after Largent caught his 100th career touchdown pass against the Cincinnati Bengals at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, Dec. 10, 1989. Largent broke the 44-year-old NFL record he shared with Don Hutson. (AP Photo/David Kohl)
Seattle Seahawks receiver Steve Largent catches his 100th career touchdown pass in the first half of their game with the Cincinnati Bengals at Riverfront Stadium, Dec. 10, 1989. The touchdown broke the 44-year-old record held by Don Hutson. (AP Photo/Rob Burns)
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason carries the ball during the Bengals AFC divisional playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks in Cincinnati, Dec. 31, 1989. The Bengals will play the San Francisco 49ers at Super Bowl XXIII, in Miami on January 22. (AP Photo/Rusty Kennedy)
Stanford Jennings, center, of the Cincinnati Bengals is tackled by Nesby Glasgo, bottom, and Cortez Kennedy (96) of the Seattle Seahawks during the fourth quarter of NFL game in Seattle, Oct. 2, 1990. (AP Photo/Bill Chan)
Seattle's quarterback Dave Krieg steps away from a Cincinnati defender in the second half of NFL game in Seattle, Oct. 1, 1990. (AP Photo/Bill Chan)
Nose tackle Cortz Kennedy (96) of the Seattle Seahawks rushes quarterback Boomer Espason (7) of the Cincinnati Bengals in 1991. (AP Photo / Al Messerschmidt)
The Seattle Seahawks play against the Cincinnati Bengals at the Kingdome in Seattle, Wash., Sunday, Nov. 6, 1994. Seattle lost 20-17. (AP Photo/Bill Chen)
Seattle Seahawks running back Ricky Watters (32) is shown Nov. 7, 1999 in their game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jon Kitna (3) releases a pass while avoiding a sack by Seattle Seahawks' D.D. Lewis, right, in the third quarter,Sunday, Oct. 26, 2003, in Cincinnati. Kitna completed 19 of 31 passes for 240 yards as the Bengals won, 27-24. (AP Photo/Tom Uhlman)
Seattle Seahawks tight end Itula Mili pulls in a first-quarter touchdown pass from quarterback Matt Hasselbeck against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2003, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Tom Uhlman)
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer (9), center, hands the ball off to running back Kenny Watson (33) during in the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks Sunday, Sept. 23, 2007 at Qwest Field in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh catches a pass in the end zone as Seattle Seahawks cornerback Kelly Jennings, left, and safety Brian Russell defend and carry him out of bounds denying the Bengals a touchdown during the first quarter of their football game in Seattle, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2007. The Seahawks went on to win 24-21.(AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer, second from right, passes to wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, left foreground, for a 35-yard touchdown with Seattle Seahawks' Chuck Darby defending during the first quarter of their football in Seattle, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2007. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander (37) runs for yards in the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday, Sept. 23, 2007 at Qwest Field in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Seattle Seahawks' Marshawn Lynch in action against the Cincinnati Bengals in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2011, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks running back Leon Washington returns kick against the Cincinnati Bengals during a game on October 30, 2011. The Bengals defeated the Seahawks 34-12.
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Ben Obomanu pulls in a reception over Bengals defensive back Leon Hall during a game on October 30, 2011. The Bengals defeated the Seahawks 34-12.
Seattle Seahawks' Tarvaris Jackson in action against the Cincinnati Bengals in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2011, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Cincinnati Bengals and Seattle Seahawks face off in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2011, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton sets to pass in the second half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2011, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Seattle Seahawks Thomas Rawls (34) during an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio on October 11, 2015.
( Tom DiPace via AP )
Seattle Seahawks Russell Wilson (3) during an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio on October 11, 2015.
( Tom DiPace via AP )
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) runs the ball in the second half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2015, in Cincinnati. The Bengals won 27-24. (AP Photo/Frank Victores)
Seattle Seahawks' team captains take the field for the pregame coin toss during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on October 11, 2015. The Bengals defeated the Seahawks 27-24.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson evades Bengals defenders as he looks to pass down the field during a game on October 11, 2015. The Bengals defeated the Seahawks 27-24.
