Almost two years since their bout in Du(uuuuu)val county, it’s looking this week may be the return of both A.J. Green and Jalen Ramsey. It’s almost fate-like that both players could come back to the field just in time for the Bengals and Jaguars to play one another.
It’s a shame that Ramsey was just traded to the Rams, who happen to play the Bengals next week in London. So that rematch will have to wait for next week. Green will practice this week and for the first time all year, could be in line to play on Sunday.
Green’s injury isn’t the only storyline providing good news for Bengals fans this week. Cordy Glenn and Darqueze Dennard have each been cleared to practice for the first time this season and if everything goes well, they’ll be suiting up for their debuts on Sunday. The offensive line was down to its fourth option at left tackle this week and the defense just lost Dre Kirkpatrick and William Jackson III to injuries for a couple weeks each, so Glenn and Dennard’s return could not be more timely.
Dennard and the defense will be introduced to the new-look Jaguars offense that no one was expecting. Quarterback Gardner Minshew II and running back Leonard Fournette lead an offense that’s equally capable of exploding or imploding on every single play. Though they’re still sixth in passing DVOA, “Minshew Mania” and the Jaguars offense cooled down last week and will now take on a Bengals’ defense that officially looks just as bad as it did last year.
The good news for Cincinnati? Jacksonville’s defense (27th in DVOA) isn’t quite the “Sacksonville” unit that they were when they last met in 2017. That may not mean much for Zac Taylor’s anemic offense, but it’s the one weakness they can exploit if they expect to win.
For all the latest news, updates and analysis for the Bengals’ matchup against the Jaguars, keep it locked in to this stream!