Bengals Bytes (10/7): It’s a trap

TDBH: Boomer’s 490 pulls Sam, Bengals through OT win over Rams
Quarterback Boomer Esiason ends the most bizarre week in Bengals history today when his team-record 490 yards featuring three different 100-yard receivers leads the Bengals to a 34-31 victory over the Rams in overtime and gets them off to a 4-1 start. Esiason admits after sifting the Rams on 30 of 44 passes that include three touchdowns for the tenth most prolific passing game of all-time that the celebrated matchup with Rams quarterback Jim Everett gets his juices jangling.

Roots of a reunion
Launch into the theory and Justin Smith cuts it off like one of his 87 career sacks split evenly between Cincinnati and San Francisco, where he somehow had 43.5 sacks in seven years in each stop. “Fake news,” Smith says. “I think you’re stretching for a story here.” Smith, No. 41, and his fellow defensive end from the early Marvin Lewis Era, Robert Geathers, No. 48, are among those honored as the Bengals’ salute to their first 50 players continues Sunday (1 p.m.-Cincinnati’s Channel 12) when the Bills arrive at Paul Brown Stadium and the hosts fittingly hope to extend their NFL-best streak to 34 straight games with a sack.

Top 50 Moments: Bengals Beat Bills for First Playoff Win in Franchise History
It took four tries, but the AFC Central Division Champion Bengals finally won a playoff game on Jan. 3, 1982 in their first-ever postseason home contest when they held off a rallying Bills Wild Card team, taking the first step toward Super Bowl XVI. Cincinnati, which failed to produce a postseason win in its first three playoff appearances in 1970, ’73 and ’75, lost leads of 14-0 and 21-14 before eventually winning with what was a solid performance by the entire team.

Quick hits: O-Line, running game adjust in rotation; Eifert, Ross ruled out; Rain in for Bills
For the most part, head coach Marvin Lewis and offensive line coach Paul Alexander have spent the last 15 years together with stable lineups and punchy running games. Neither is the case heading into Sunday’s game (1 p.m.-Cincinnati’s-Channel 12) against the Bills at Paul Brown Stadium. But Lewis, Alexander and left guard Clint Boling, who along with new left tackle Andre Smith is the dean of the line, are confident it will come together at some point. Sooner is better than later. The Bills are known to be salty up front with formidable tackles Kyle Williams and Marcell Dareus.

Fan Focus: Bengals Fans Share Favorite Memories
Where do I start? I have so many favorite games, it is impossible to share just one. Needless to say, attending Super Bowl XVI and Super Bowl XXIII would have to be at the top of my list. Yet, I can still see Corey Dillon running 278 yards during the Denver game. That memory is forever etched in my mind. How many of us remember the “Freezer Bowl?” My wife still laughs when she tells people that I looked and walked like a robot as I left the house for the game. I dressed in layer-upon-layer of clothing, multiple socks and boots. Frankly, I could barely move, let along sit down. When purchasing a beer, it was frozen before we could return to our seats!

Week 5 NFL predictions: Scores for every game; Bengals could be a trap for Bills
The Bengals have a tough matchup against one of the league's best defenses (Buffalo is 10th overall), but it looks like their offense finally has begun to click in the past two weeks. The Bengals can build on their momentum here, and a win would make them 2-3 prior to their bye. Bengals 14, Bills 10

Cincinnati Bengals could be finding their replacement for Tyler Eifert
Bengals tight end Tyler Kroft is not a carbon copy of Tyler Eifert, but maybe he doesn’t need to be. After a two-touchdown day against the Browns last Sunday, Kroft is doing just fine being himself.

Walkthru: Predictions for Bills at Bengals
That time of week where we offer up our predictions. We took to the top of Paul Brown Stadium for this week’s prediction video. We risked our lives against the stadium spiders for your entertainment. We also offered up our thoughts on a massive Sunday for the Bengals. Here are our predictions for Cincinnati-Buffalo, 1 p.m., CBS.

Buffalo Bills vs Cincinnati Bengals: By the numbers
Bill Lazor’s tenure as Bengals’ offensive coordinator has the Red Rifle rejuvenated so far. In two games combined, Andy Dalton has completed 80 percent of his passes (46-of-57) for 498 yards, six touchdowns and zero interceptions.

Rey Maualuga, former Bengals LB with Miami, answers 20 questions about his weight
Linebacker Rey Maualuga, who spent the first eight seasons of his NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals and made 108 starts in his 119 games with the team before signing in August with the Miami Dolphins, did an interview with PalmBeachPost.com's Jason Lieser that was mostly (at least what was published online) about Maualuga's weight, eating habits and love for McDonald's.

Scouting Report - Week 5 - Bills-Bengals
Buffalo has been very stingy when opponents get inside their 20-yard line this season. They’ve allowed just one passing touchdown in four weeks and just four touchdowns total on 11 possessions. Cincinnati’s offense is converting less than a 50-percent success rate.

Cincinnati Bengals rule 4 players out for Buffalo Bills game
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert (back), wide receiver John Ross (knee) H-back Ryan Hewitt (knee) and safety Derron Smith (ankle) have been ruled out for Sunday’s game against Buffalo, while rookie linebacker Jordan Evans (hamstring) is questionable.

AFC North Bytes

7 Keys to Victory in Pittsburgh's Week 5 Matchup
On Sunday, the Pittsburgh Steelers play host to the two-win Jacksonville Jaguars. Though the Steelers got a much-needed win on the road against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 4—something that hasn't been all that common in the last decade—they don't have much time to rest on their laurels. The Jaguars, for all their faults, are still formidable, and overlooking them would be a grave mistake.

NFL: Ravens v Raiders preview
When’s the last time you can remember Joe Flacco working the ball outside to his receivers? Comebacks, stop routes, out patterns? There was a time with Cam Cameron when that’s all the team ran, especially with veteran receiver Derrick Mason. Now, it seems to be the opposite situation. Everything is over the middle or underneath. That’s what you get with a West Coast scheme.

Random Bytes

Marcus Mariota a Game-Time Decision vs. Dolphins with Hamstring Injury
Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Mularkey said Friday that quarterback Marcus Mariota will be a game-time decision for Sunday's road game against the Miami Dolphins, according to Jim Wyatt of the team's official website. Mariota left the Titans' 57-14 loss to the Houston Texans last week with a hamstring injury, and he has been limited in practice this week.

Raiders list Derek Carr as questionable
It doesn’t seem likely Derek Carr would play a week after injuring his back, but the Raiders haven’t ruled him out. They listed him as questionable on their final injury report Friday. Raiders coach Jack Del Rio said Monday the team expected the quarterback to miss two to six weeks with a transverse process fracture in his back. But Carr was able to take snaps behind E.J. Manuel on Thursday and Friday.

Roger Goodell Contract Talks Reportedly Held Up by Severance Pay
Roger Goodell's five-year contract extension is still expected to be finalized, but SportsBusiness Daily's Daniel Kaplan reported Friday that talks have hit a snag due to negotiations regarding the NFL commissioner's severance pay. According to Kaplan, Goodell "wants to ensure he would receive most of the low nine figures that he would be due to receive from '19-24, even if for some reason the owners let him go."

Josh Norman Ruled Out for 4 Weeks with Rib, Lung Injuries
Washington cornerback Josh Norman will miss four weeks after he suffered a fractured rib and damage to his lung lining during Monday night's 29-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Washington is on a bye this week but will have to make do without the All-Pro against the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys.