Cincinnati (4-6) at LA Chargers (6-3)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m. EST, NBC/Peacock
BetMGM NFL odds: Chargers by 1 1/2.
Against the spread: Bengals 6-4; Chargers 6-3.
Series record: Chargers lead 22-14.
Last meeting: Chargers beat Bengals 41-22 in Cincinnati on Dec. 5, 2021.
Last week: Bengals lost to Baltimore 35-34; Chargers beat Tennessee 27-17.
Bengals offense: overall (12), rush (29), pass (4), scoring (6).
Bengals defense: overall (23), rush (17), pass (23), scoring (26).
Chargers offense: overall (22), rush (19), pass (22), scoring (19).
Chargers defense: overall (6), rush (9), pass (9), scoring (1).
Turnover differential: Bengals even; Chargers plus-9.
Bengals player to watch
DE Trey Hendrickson leads the NFL with 11 sacks, but no other Cincinnati defender has more than two. Hendrickson has been something of a feast or famine pass rusher, notching at least two sacks in four games. That includes four sacks against the Raiders in a Week 9 win. But Chargers QB Justin Herbert has taken two sacks in his past two games.
Chargers player to watch
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu had two of the defense’s seven sacks against the Titans. It was Tuipulotu’s second straight game with at least two sacks, and all 5 1/2 of his QB takedowns this season have come over the past three outings. If the second-year player from Southern California can maintain his disruptive presence, veterans Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa and Bud Dupree can be more judicious in using their energy coming off the other edge.
Key matchup
Chargers’ run offense vs. Bengals DT B.J. Hill and Sheldon Rankins. Cincinnati has been stout against the rush, holding three of its past four opponents under 100 yards on the ground. The two big guys on the inside will have to maintain that rugged presence against the determined Los Angeles tandem of J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards. They combined for 105 yards on 25 carries against Tennessee’s solid defense. Knowing every successful run also keeps Bengals QB Joe Burrow off the field, the Chargers will want to lean on those backs.
Key injuries
The Bengals have some optimism WR Tee Higgins (quad) and LT Orlando Brown Jr. (lower body) will be able to return after missing the past few games. ... Edwards tweaked his ankle versus Tennessee but seems likely to be be able to play through it. ... OLB Khalil Mack was held out of practice Wednesday because of a groin injury.
Series notes
The Chargers have won three straight over the Bengals, which all have come since moving to Los Angeles in 2017. … This will be the first meeting between the teams at SoFi Stadium. The Chargers did win as the home team in Carson, Calif., in 2018.
Stats and stuff
Burrow had one of his best games in last week’s loss to Baltimore. He threw for 428 yards and four touchdowns. … Burrow is completing 68.7% of his passes … WR Ja’Marr Chase has his most productive game of the season against Baltimore, piling up 264 receiving yards and scoring three touchdowns. … Chase leads the league with 981 yards and 10 touchdowns. … RB Zack Moss, who was sharing backfield duties with Chase Brown, went on injured reserve with a neck injury Nov. 5. The Bengals then traded for RB Khalil Herbert, who fumbled on his only carry against Baltimore. … The Bengals were up by 14 points in the third quarter against the Ravens before losing the game 35-34. … Burrow and Chase connected on a 5-yard TD pass to make it a one-point game with 38 seconds left. The Bengals went for 2, but Burrow missed tight end Tanner Hudson on a pass to the end zone, which sealed the win for the Ravens. … The Chargers haven't allowed more than 20 points in any of their first nine games. If they hold the Bengals under 21, they will be the first team to do it 10 times to start a season since the 1990 Giants. ... QB Justin Herbert wasn’t asked to do much against the Titans, going 14 of 18 for 164 yards and one touchdown. He also ran for 32 yards and a touchdown. … Herbert’s biggest strength this season has been ball security, having thrown one interception in 241 attempts. His only lost fumble came in Week 2 against Carolina. … The Chargers are tied with Washington for fewest turnovers in the NFL, with both teams having lost the ball four times. … Los Angeles has been pedestrian at scoring touchdowns inside the 20-yard line, getting into the end zone 13 times in 24 trips (54.2%). That ranks 18th in the league. … TE Will Dissly has already been targeted a career-high 42 times. He has 33 catches, which is his second-most productive season behind 2022 for Seattle, when he had 34 receptions. … Second-year LB Daiyan Henley had a career-high 11 solo tackles against Tennessee. He finished with 14 total tackles, one tackle for loss and one sack.
Fantasy tip
Chargers WR Quentin Johnston has touchdown catches in consecutive games. He seems like a good possibility to get back in the end zone this week in what sets up to be a higher-scoring matchup than what Los Angeles has been dealing with this season. Cincinnati has allowed 17 passing touchdowns and was tagged for four scores through the air in Baltimore.
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