The Seahawks open regular-season play on Sunday when they host the Cincinnati Bengals, marking just the third time these teams have met in the Pete Carroll/John Schneider era, and the first meeting at CenturyLink Field since 2011.
To learn more about the Bengals under first-year head coach Zac Taylor, we reached out to Bengals.com senior writer Geoff Dobson with five questions about Seattle's Week 1 opponent:
Q: How have Andy Dalton and company taken to Zac Taylor's offense? Just how much change is the new head coach making across the board after such a long run under Marvin Lewis?
Hobson: There has been a massive overhaul on both sides of the ball, spearheaded by the largest coaching staff in Bengals history and led by Taylor's new offensive playbook that appears to be plucked from the Rams grease board the Hawks know well.
Taylor has done a nice job getting his players to buy in, and they have responded positively to a new regime after 16 years under Lewis. On defense the players have been raving about how first-time defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo has simplified things after a confused, lost year last season led to a No. 32 finish. On offense leaders like Dalton, A.J. Green and Joe Mixon have been praising the creativity and multiplicity of the scheme. They kept their offense and defense as vanilla as could be in the preseason, but they had to be pleased with the offensive returns. Green and John Ross, another starting wide receiver, didn't take a snap. Tight end Tyler Eifert, one of Dalton's top targets, didn't have a catch. Mixon, their bell-cow running back, had one carry. But Dalton, who didn't get sacked and took one shot, began the preseason with a TD drive and ended the preseason with a TD drive completing 68 percent of his passes averaging eight yards per attempt.
Q: With A.J. Green out to start the season, who steps up to fill that void? And on a related note, what are the expectations like for local favorite John Ross heading into his third season?
Hobson: It's Tyler Boyd and a cast of thousands. Boyd, a third-year slot-type receiver, is coming off a 1,000-yard season. They desperately need Ross, their 2017 No. 1 pick out of Washington, to use his record-setting combine speed to give them another threat. His career has been slowed by injuries, just as his preseason was this year when a severe hamstring took him out of training camp until last week. But there's confidence Taylor's scheme can find a way to unveil his prodigious talent after two seasons he has a curious career stat line of 21 catches, seven for TDs. In the department of Something Marvin Would Never Do, Taylor has announced that undrafted rookie Damion Willis, a 6-3 deep-ball tracker out of Troy, has drawn an Opening Day start.
Q: The Bengals ranked 28th in run defense last year, what changes have they made that will help against a Seahawks offense that was No. 1 in the league in rushing a year ago?
Hobson: The biggest thing Anarumo has done is simplified the scheme because the personnel is still pretty intact, but healthier. Their deepest position is the defensive line, where they kept 11 players, among them Pro Bowl sackers Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap, as well as two young pass rushers in Carl Lawson and Sam Hubbard. Lawson tore his ACL last year after he racked up 8.5 rookie sacks and new starting right end Sam Hubbard had six sacks in a part-time role as a rookie last year. They'll keep them fresh Sunday. They like their first three cornerbacks, two are former first-rounders William Jackson III and Dre Kirkpatrick, and safety Jessie Bates III was their first rookie in two decades last year to start every game while logging three interceptions. The weak link is linebacker, where they kept just four.
Q: On the flip side of that, Joe Mixon is coming off a big 2018 campaign, how important will his production be to Cincinnati's offensive success?
Hobson: Mixon, the defending AFC rushing champ, is absolutely huge for this club and Seattle knows it after facing Rams running back Todd Gurley in this scheme the past two years. They believe they can enhance Dalton's ability with a big play-action game and that means they really need Mixon to repeat that 4.9 per average of last year. Offensively on Sunday you're looking at two offenses that trying to do whatever they can to run the ball.
Q: With injuries taking their toll, how big of a concern is the offensive line this week, particularly for a road opener at a stadium known for crowd noise?
Hobson: It's not a concern. It's downright scary. Even before camp started they lost the dean of their offensive line, left guard Clint Boling, to retirement, and their No. 1 pick, left tackle Jonah Williams, to a shoulder injury. And now they're down to their third left tackle Sunday with Cordy Glenn out with a concussion.
But all's not lost. Although Glenn's replacement will be Andre Smith, making just his second NFL start at left tackle, he's an 11-year vet that has played all over the league. Smith will start next to rookie left guard Michael Jordan, a fourth-round pick out of Ohio State and an excellent prospect. The No. 1 line did have just one false start in the preseason. But it's certainly challenging with four new linemen against that defense in that building. See Mixon, Joe.
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.
