It's Week 2 of the NFL season, and the San Francisco 49ers are in Cincinnati this week to take on the Bengals. The Niners are 1-0 after defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while the Bengals fell to 0-1 in a hard-fought game against the Seattle Seahawks.
Where and When: 1:00 PM EST (10:00 a.m. PST) at Paul Brown Stadium
Where to Watch: How to watch or listen to 49ers at Bengals
1) Get in Andy Dalton's Face
Just like last week, priority number one is going to be to pressure quarterback Andy Dalton early and often.
Dalton was able to throw for over 400 yards last week, and it will be up to the pass rush to ensure he doesn't get off to the same kind of rhythm.
With third-string offensive tackle Andre Smith playing, there's no reason this can't happen.
2) Protect Jimmy Garoppolo
Like the 49ers, the Bengals' strength on defense is their defensive line. If the offensive line can protect Garoppolo, he should be able to find open receivers and make plays.
If not, this could be an ugly game similar to when these two teams faced off in 2011. The 49ers did win that game 13-8, but that was one ugly game!
3) Stop the Run
Joe Mixon is planning on playing, but the plan is the same. Limit what the Bengals can do on the ground and make them one-dimensional.
The 49ers cannot afford to be gashed on the ground the way they were at times last week.
4) Avoid Penalties!
There was a yellow flag on nearly every play last week, or at least it felt that way.
There were big plays and three touchdowns wiped out by penalties. If the Niners are going to win the game, they need every big play to stand.
5) Contain John Ross
Wide receiver John Ross had a big day last week with seven catches for 158 yards and two touchdowns.
He's extremely fast and is the big-play threat. If they have to double him, so be it. The Niners must make someone else beat them and not allow Ross to take over the game.
Prediction
The 49ers have a great pass rush and should be able to disrupt Andy Dalton to the point where they force turnovers.
With Kwon Alexander back in the lineup, the run defense should be better than last week.
The 49ers' offensive line has a good chance to protect Jimmy Garoppolo and should allow him to make enough plays to win the game.
49ers 27, Bengals 17
