Bengals Bytes (9/6): By the numbers

Coach Marvin Lewis in spotlight as Bengals go younger
Marvin Lewis has been with his team longer than any other NFL head coach besides Bill Belichick at New England. Lewis is finishing his contract as he enters his 15th season with the Bengals. Cincinnati has been through two painful seasons, following a home playoff meltdown against Pittsburgh in 2015 and a 6-9-1 finish last season. Lewis failed to get a contract extension in the offseason.

Anderson, Dalton by the number
For the first time since Andy Dalton asked the Bengals for No. 14, he’ll share the Paul Brown Stadium stage with the man they asked if he could wear it. When the Bengals open their season Sunday (1 p.m.-Cincinnati’s Channel 12) against the Ravens, Ken Anderson leads the first group of legends to be honored during each home game of the club’s 50th season. He says now what he said then when the Bengals asked him that day back in 2011.

Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon third on Week 1 depth chart
The Cincinnati Bengals released their first depth chart of the regular season on Tuesday, giving a first glimpse at the 53-man pecking order prior to their season opener against the Ravens. Here are some notable highlights

NFL Clear Bag Policy Enforced at PBS; Metal Detectors at all Gates; Plan to Arrive Early
The Bengals want to remind fans that most bags are prohibited from NFL stadiums. The NFL clear bag policy is designed to provide a safer environment for the public and expedite fan entry into the stadium. The Bengals strongly encourage fans not to bring any bags, however the following will be permitted

Injuries: Bengals WR Ross expected to miss opener
The fastest man in NFL Combine history will likely be sidelined to open the season. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Tuesday that Cincinnati Bengals receiver John Ross is expected to miss at least the season opener against the Baltimore Ravens with a knee sprain, according to a source informed of the decision. The first-round rookie is likely to miss Week 2 as well, per Rapoport, with a potential return for the team's first road game in Week 3 at Lambeau Field.

First Look: Bengals vs. Ravens
The Cincinnati Bengals open a season at Paul Brown Stadium for the first time this decade against the team in which they ended last year, the Baltimore Ravens. The Bengals won the 2016 season finale 27-10. The Bengals are hoping to get back to the playoffs this season after missing the postseason for the first time since 2010. The Ravens are in a similar position, having not reached the playoffs in two years and just once since 2012.

Bengals should be considered legitimate contenders in 2017
It’s that time of year. All the preseason games have been played and, hopefully, any injuries will be short-lived. Rookies have either found new teams or have been sent packing to find employment in their hometowns. With a little luck, some will be back after getting an emergency call. However, the Bengals shouldn’t have to be worried about the cuts made. Even though only four of the seven draft picks made the cut, there is enough talent on this current Bengals roster to pack a serious punch.

Three Ravens-Bengals week one storylines
Last season, Cincinnati had an average defensive unit that struggled to stop the run. Moving on to this year, the Bengals will be without Vontaze Burfict and Adam Jones (Pacman) for their first regular season game. Burfict has been suspended for three-games after a vicious hit on Anthony Sherman. Pacman is suspended for one-game for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. The Bengals may also be without Shawn Williams due to an elbow injury.

Cincinnati Bengals weekend forecast: First glance at the Ravens
No one is looking forward to the fresh start of a season opener more than the Baltimore Ravens, the team the Cincinnati Bengals will face at 1 p.m. Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium. The Ravens endured a brutal preseason that saw them place 10 players on Injured Reserve while working without a number of key pieces for a good chunk of camp. Quarterback Joe Flacco missed every practice with a back injury, while wide receiver Breshad Perriman (hamstring) sat out more than a month with hamstring issue and running back Danny Woodhead (hamstring) missed more than two weeks.

Doc makes his predictions for Bengals — and gets dragged into fantasy
SINCE PDJ AND JIM-O did their season Men rundown, I’m gonna do mine. Those guys had ‘em missing the playoffs. I’m a bit more optimistic. I think best case is Tackle 1 and Tackle 2 are effectively average and the offense benefits more than a little. I think if that’s the case, there is no reason Dalton doesn’t approach his 2015 form, when he was on the edge of the MVP photo for more than half the year. I object to Joe Mixon being here, still and again, but I think his talent will be a big story.

Top 9 epic events in Bengals history: The 'what-ifs?'
In the star-crossed history of the Bengals franchise, there have been so many “what-ifs?” that we couldn’t narrow it down to one of two. So we’ll combine a few here and save one for later in the countdown. For the first, we’ll go back to the early days of the franchise. Paul Brown, the founder, decided to step down after eight years as coach. He picked offensive line coach Bill “Tiger” Johnson as his successor.

AFC North Bytes

T.Y. McGill Arrested for Marijuana Possession Hours Before Signing with Browns
Cleveland Browns defensive tackle T.Y. McGill was arrested early Saturday morning in North Carolina and charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession. Katherine Peralta of the Charlotte Observer reported the news. McGill, 24, was claimed by the Browns less than 24 hours after the arrest. He spent the preseason with the Indianapolis Colts before being released as part of 53-man cuts.

Baltimore Ravens: 5 Most Important Players in 2017
With preseason in the books, we learned a lot about the defense. It’s bursting at the seams with talent, especially on the line. The secondary will be much improved from a talent and depth standpoint. The pass rush looks like it will have the juice necessary to finish off the close games it couldn’t a year ago. The difference in athleticism from a year ago is staggering. This is without doubt a playoff-caliber defense, one that could be a top 5 unit.

Random Bytes

Ezekiel Elliott can face Giants, but rest of '17 remains up in the air
FRISCO, Texas -- That Ezekiel Elliott will be available to play this Sunday against the New York Giants is good news for the Dallas Cowboys. But they are still in a holding pattern. A U.S. District Court judge will rule Friday whether to uphold a temporary restraining order to prevent the six-game suspension that was upheld by arbitrator Harold Henderson on Tuesday night. The Cowboys will have their best offensive weapon for a critical NFC East game, which could set the tempo for the season.

There might be an NFL game hosted in Philadelphia this week after all
The NFL is considering moving the Week 1 game featuring the Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers to Pennsylvania. Both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are being considered as host sites, according to ESPN.

Gridiron Heights Season 2, Ep. 1: 28-3 Jokes for Life
Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons must move beyond their monumental Super Bowl collapse if they plan to fly back into the playoffs this season. Yet memories of their squandered 28-3 lead over the New England Patriots will linger throughout the 2017 season.

Buccaneers-Dolphins Game Won't Be Played in Miami Due to Hurricane Irma
The NFL announced Tuesday the Week 1 matchup between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Miami Dolphins won't be played in Miami on Sunday due to the impending threat from Hurricane. Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald shared the NFL's full statement. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport first reported the news.