Tag: Chargers vs. Bengals

Who are the experts taking in Chargers vs. Bengals?

NFL experts and analysts have made their predictions for the matchup between the Los Angeles Chargers and Cincinnati Bengals.

The Los Angeles Chargers are considered three-point favorites over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1 of the 2020 season. The over/under is set to 41.5 points, per BetMGM.

That means oddsmakers are taking bets on whether the two teams will combine to score more than or fewer than 41.5 points.

Our unofficial score prediction for the game is a 24-20 win for the Bolts, with a combined total of 44 points. So if we were putting money behind our prediction, we’d bet the over.

As for game picks, analysts are leaning towards the Bengals pulling off the upset.

Expert Pick
Nate Davis (USA Today) Chargers
Mike Jones (USA Today) Chargers
Mike Clay (ESPN) Bengals
Sporting News Bengals
Pete Prisco (CBS Sports) Bengals
Jared Dubin (CBS Sports) Bengals
Frank Schwab (Yahoo Sports) Bengals
Bleacher Report Chargers

Sunday’s game will begin at 1:00 p.m. PT and will be televised on CBS.

Chargers final injury report: Mike Pouncey out, 4 questionable

The Los Angeles Chargers released their final injury report ahead of the season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Los Angeles Chargers had their final practice on Friday before taking on the Cincinnati Bengals this Sunday.

Here is a look at the final injury report:

The Chargers will officially be without center Mike Pouncey. Starting in his place will be Dan Feeney. Filling in for Feeney at left guard will be Forrest Lamp.

Coach Anthony Lynn said that Pouncey’s hip is “too sore” for him to play right now.

Two other starting offensive linemen, tackle Bryan Bulaga and guard Trai Turner, are both questionable for the contest. Bulaga is dealing with a hamstring issue while Turner has a knee issue.

The backup behind Bulaga is Storm Norton and Tyree St. Louis is the backup to Turner.

Meanwhile, wide receiver Mike Williams (shoulder) and tight end Virgil Green (quad) are also questionable.

If Williams can’t go, the team will have a group that consists of Jalen Guyton, Jason Moore and rookies K.J. Hill and Joe Reed to fill the void.

Stephen Anderson and Donald Parham are the backups to Green.

LB Kenneth Murray taking on role as Chargers’ field general

The Los Angeles Chargers are leaning on their first-round pick to call the defensive plays.

The quarterbacks are the ones on offense who relay the plays and makes adjustments. But those responsibilities belong to someone on the defensive side of the ball, too.

For the most part, they are given to a veteran. But in this instance, for the Chargers, they fall on rookie linebacker Kenneth Murray’s shoulders.

Murray posted a picture of his helmet on Instagram, which had a green dot on top of the crown. That green dot indicates that he will have a radio in his helmet to receive the play calls from the defensive coaches.

It’s common for middle linebackers to have the green dot, which indicates that Murray is due to get the start at the position this Sunday against the Bengals.

This isn’t a new sight for Murray, though. The team’s first-round pick made the calls and checks all three years at Oklahoma, showing the ability to quickly process a playbook at a young age.

Los Angeles praised Murray for his high football IQ after they selected him with the No. 23 overall, hinting that he could be given the play-call responsibilities. Now, it’s official.

Murray, the new man in the middle of the defense, will share the field with Denzel Perryman, Drue Tranquill and Kyzir White.

We will have a better feel for the playing time and alignment for each player as the game rolls on Sunday.

What Chargers’ Gus Bradley said about facing Bengals QB Joe Burrow, defensive game plan

The Los Angeles Chargers’ defense will look to slow down Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow on Sunday.

Led by rookie quarterback Joe Burrow, the Bengals are looking to play spoiler in the season opener against the Chargers.

Even though Los Angeles will be facing a first-year signal-caller, defensive coordinator Gus Bradley knows that he is not to be taken lightly.

Bradley said they’ll have to adjust on the fly on Sunday, but the team thinks they “have a good feel” for what No. 1 overall pick will bring to the table on Sunday.

There’s some familiarity with Bradley and Burrow, as he and Burrow’s dad, Jim, coached together at North Dakota State. He said he has known Joe since he was a kid, and is really excited for the matchup.

Burrow knows that he will be facing a top-10 defense this weekend, and he will be ready for it.

“They’re going to do what they do, but I also anticipate some wrinkles that are going to try to make a rookie quarterback confused, so I’m anticipating some things he may not have shown last year and I’m just going to do my best to adapt to them,” Burrow said.

One of the ways to rain on the rookie’s parade is to bring a lot of pressure and keep the coverage tight.

The Chargers are expected to incorporate more man coverage and blitz more often, looking to avoid being near the bottom in turnovers, like they did in 2019.

Los Angeles will be without star safety Derwin James, who is out with a knee injury. But the team has the reinforcements to still get the job done.

Bradley said they are planning to roll out multiple looks and packages on Sunday, adding that they are going to be cognizant of the players’ level of conditioning, and expects a lot of players to get on the field.

4 Bengals the Chargers need to game plan for in Week 1

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez lays out the four players on the Bengals that the Chargers must be prepared for.

The Chargers are traveling to take on the Bengals this Sunday for the 2020 season opener.

Cincinnati is coming off a year that resulted in finishing with the worst record in the NFL. But after a handful of additions, they’re eager to turn things around.

With that being said, there are a few notable players that Los Angeles will really have to make sure they’re game planned for in order to come out victorious.

Here are four players on the Bengals that the Bolts should hone in on:

RB Joe Mixon

On the offensive side of the ball, all eyes will be on rookie Joe Burrow, who takes over under center. But like any first-year player, Burrow will likely experience some rough patches. That is why he will have a security blanket, with that being Mixon.

Mixon rushed for 1,136 yards and five touchdowns last season, his second straight season with more than 1,000 rushing yards. He is one of four running backs in the NFL with at least 1,400 yards from scrimmage in each of the past two seasons.

Last season, the Chargers allowed 112.8 yards per game, which ranked No. 18 in the league. The team added some players this offseason, which include Linval Joseph, Kenneth Murray and Chris Harris Jr. to aide in the department, but they will be without star safety Derwin James.

Look for Cincinnati to use Mixon to test Los Angeles’ front seven early and often.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4

Takeaways from Chargers first depth chart of 2020

The Los Angeles Chargers released their first initial depth chart ahead of the season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Chargers are days away from the start of the regular season against the Bengals.

Los Angeles released their first initial depth chart on Tuesday. Even though it’s subject to change at any given time, it’s unlikely it changes much before the opener on Sunday.

  • Jalen Guyton is listed as the No. 3 receiver, opposite of Mike Williams. If Williams can’t go on Sunday, I could see the team rolling with Jason Moore to fill the void. Moore has live game experience and he fits the mold from a physical standpoint.
  • Joshua Kelley is the No. 3 running back, even after he shined during training camp, and Justin Jackson missed a good chunk of time. While the team covets experience and familiarity, I expect Kelley to still get a decent amount of carries, given the change to a run-heavy offense. The back that produces more will get the bulk of carries as the season goes on.
  • On paper, Drue Tranquill is listed as the backup SAM linebacker to Kyzir White. But Tranquill worked as the starting WILL linebacker throughout camp. Meanwhile, rookie Kenneth Murray is penciled in as the starting WILL. This will likely change on the field, and we can expect to see a tandem of Murray and Tranquill the majority of the time with Denzel Perryman on obvious running plays.
  • Nasir Adderley and Rayshawn Jenkins are listed as the starting safeties, which means Jenkins could be slated to slide down to strong safety while Adderley plays the single-high role.
  • Desmond King is listed as both a cornerback and safety. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him get the bulk of the snaps as the team’s dimebacker.
  • Joe Reed is the starting kick returner, which is to be expected after the team released Darius Jennings. Meanwhile, King will resume his duties as the punt returner. If he struggles, rookie K.J. Hill will be next in line.

Chargers open up as 3-point favorites over Bengals in Week 1

Vegas is confident that the Los Angeles Chargers will come out victorious over the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Chargers are preparing to open up the 2020 season with a matchup on the road against the Bengals, and are seen as favorites to win the contest.

Despite being on the road, Los Angeles is opening the week as three-point favorites over Cincinnati, per BetMGM.

The Chargers won’t have Phillip Rivers for the first time in years, which makes journeyman Tyrod Taylor the Week 1 starter.

While there’s some reason to be skeptical of the quarterback play, Taylor will have playmakers to distribute to wealth to with running back Austin Ekeler and receivers Keenan Allen, (possibly) Mike Williams and Hunter Henry.

Defensively, Los Angeles is stacked at all three levels, despite not having Derwin James, who was placed on the injured reserve.

For the Bengals, they begin a new era with rookie Joe Burrow under center. Burrow has the weapons to thrive, led by A.J. Green and Joe Mixon.

On the other side of the ball, Cincinnati went out and grabbed D.J. Reader, Mackensie Alexander, Trae Wayne, Josh Bynes and Vonn Bell in hopes of improving what was a brutal defense last year.

Sunday’s matchup begins at 1:00 p.m. PT and will be televised on CBS.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

Chargers WR Mike Williams a game-time decision for season opener vs. Bengals

The Los Angeles Chargers may or may not have their No. 2 wide receiver for the season opener.

There’s a possibility that Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams will be on the field for the season opener against the Bengals.

According to coach Anthony Lynn, Williams will be a game-time decision for Week 1, per Orange County Register’s Gilbert Manzano.

This comes a couple weeks after Lynn said that the Williams would be “out for awhile” after he sustained a shoulder sprain.

Williams’ final status will likely depend on how he looks this week during practice.

If he is unable to go, Los Angeles will have to figure out their wide receiver alignment alongside Keenan Allen when they take on Cincinnati.

They will have to decide between a group that consists of Jalen Guyton, Jason Moore and rookies Joe Reed and K.J. Hill, all of whom made the 53-man roster.

Chargers name Sam Tevi as starting left tackle

Chargers coach Anthony Lynn named who will be protecting quarterback Tyrod Taylor’s blindside.

One the Chargers’ most compelling position battles was for the starting left tackle job.

We officially know who will be protecting quarterback Tyrod Taylor’s blindside after a few weeks of auditioning.

Coach Anthony Lynn confirmed that Sam Tevi is the starting left tackle to begin the 2020 regular season, adding that he felt Tevi improved a lot in the offseason and loved the way he performed in training camp.

Tevi was in a competition with second-year Trey Pipkins, but the team chose to roll with the more experienced player.

Lynn did say that he felt like Pipkins strung together a good camp.

Familiarity with the offense and experience is key to the coaching staff, and Tevi possesses that. A sixth-round pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, Tevi has started 30 games in his career, with 29 of those coming at right tackle.

Even though Tevi has had his highs and lows throughout his career, the team is hoping that a shift in their offensive scheme and mentorship from one of the best offensive line coaches in the league will help optimize his play.

Chargers RB Justin Jackson will be ‘fine’ for season opener vs. Bengals

The Los Angeles Chargers will have their entire backfield intact for the season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Chargers running back Justin Jackson missed more than a week of practice because of a toe injury, but it appears he will be ready for the season opener against the Bengals.

According to coach Anthony Lynn, Jackson has been running and will be “fine” for Sunday’s game, per The Athletic’s Daniel Popper.

Based of Lynn’s comment, we should expect to see Jackson on the practice when Los Angeles begins their preparation on Wednesday.

Jackson had been battling for the No. 2 running back spot with rookie Joshua Kelley prior to getting banged up.

It remains to be seen who will be RB2 behind Austin Ekeler because the Chargers have yet to release the initial depth chart, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Jackson in that spot solely based on experience.

Kelley is coming off a great training camp, and will be sure to get his share of carries, too. The backfield will likely be a committee to start off the season, but whoever is producing more, will get the bulk of the load.