Following an early bye week, the Seahawks head to Cincinnati this weekend to face the Bengals in just the third meeting between these teams in the Queen City this century. The Seahawks are looking to continue their momentum, having won three straight before the bye, while the Bengals, who earned a much-needed win last week after a 1-3 start, are looking to get on a roll after a slow start, much like they did last season when, after a 2-3 start, they went on to finish the year with a 12-4 record.
To get you ready for this weekend's game, we reached out to Bengals.com senior reporter Geoff Hobson with five questions about this week's opponent:
It was a slow offensive start to the season for the Bengals with an injured Joe Burrow, but he and the offense had big days Sunday. Are the injury concerns now a thing of the past/is Burrow back to his old self?
Hobson: That's the hope. Given that it's a soft tissue injury and not anything that can be fixed by surgery or medication, there's always the fear of a re-tweak. But he seems to be past that and the sense is, if anything, it is getting stronger. They get a bye after this one, which should put him over the top.
After three losses in their first four games, how big was last week's win for the Bengals, and does a team that was a lot of people's AFC favorite feel like it's back on track?
Hobson: Big. Huge. Ginormous. But they've been here before. Last year they were 0-2, 2-3 and 4-4 and won ten straight into the AFC title game. So they've got this one game at a time thing down pretty well. They know what the track looks like.
With six interceptions and eight takeaways, the Bengals rank in the top 10 in both categories; how big has the defense been in keeping them in games as the offense found its way?
Hobson: Best defense no one knows. It's been the spine of back-to-back AFC North titles. Last week was the first game since late November that the Bengals scored 30 points, so this is a continuation of how they won games last year. During the winning streak, they went seven straight games with at least one fourth-quarter turnover.
Outside of the obvious big names, what player(s) could be an X-factor for the Bengals in this game?
Hobson: Keep an eye on backup wide receiver Trenton Irwin, active because rookie wide receiver/punt returner Charlie Jones is on injured reserve. When Tee Higgins couldn't play last week, he emerged to make a career-high eight catches for 60 yards while adding punt returns of 28 and 21 yards. That's an interesting matchup against Seattle's top-ranked punt coverage team.
What matchup or matchups are you most looking forward to seeing play out on Sunday?
Hobson: Hate to be Mr. Obvious, but it as to be the pitched battle between two of the last three No. 5 picks, Bengals Pro Bowl wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, the reigning AFC Offensive Player of the Week, against Seattle rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon, a NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate and the NFC Defensive Player of the Week last week.Â
Burrow vs. Geno Smith is intriguing. Since 2022, they are two of the four quarterbacks who have at least four games of 300 yards passing on 75 percent passing. It could shape up to be an interesting battle of prolific efficiency in a building where Geno had a rough game as a rookie in 2013. He threw pick-sixes to Adam Jones and Chris Crocker in the Jets' 49-9 loss.
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.
