Packers vs. Bengals Isn’t Just Another Game—Here Are the Three Matchups That Could Flip the Outcome.QQ
The Green Bay Packers will welcome the Cincinnati Bengals into Lambeau Field on Sunday. Here are three players to watch from both teams, a look at the three phases, and three keys to a Packers win, along with TV information and weather.
Green Bay Packers cornerback Eric Stokes (21) breaks up a pass intended for Cincinnati Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase in 2021. / Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Green Bay Packers (2-1-1) will come off the bye week to face the Cincinnati Bengals (2-3) at Lambeau Field on Sunday. Here’s everything you need to know for this out-of-conference matchup.
Time, TV, Weather for Packers-Bengals
Date and Time: Sunday, Oct. 12, at 3:25 p.m.
Matchup History: The series is tied 7-7. The Packers have won the last two games, both in overtime, one at home in 2017 and one in Cincinnati in 2021. The Packers are 5-3 when playing at home against the Bengals, including 5-1 at Lambeau Field.
Packers-Bengals: Three Players to Watch for Cincinnati
1. DE Trey Hendrickson
Trey Hendrickson was the 2024 sacks leader in the NFL with 17.5, which was 3.5 more than second-place finisher Myles Garrett.
Hendrickson is off to a hot start this season, as well. He has four sacks in five games, tying him for ninth in the NFL. He is arguably the best pass rusher in the league over the past three seasons. Since the start of the 2023 season, he is leading the NFL in sacks with 39, which is 5.5 more than any other player.
The Packers’ offensive line started the season hot, allowing just two sacks in their first two games. Due to injuries and poor play, they struggled against the Browns, allowing five sacks. While they only allowed one sack against the Cowboys, they struggled with penalties and allowing pressure. They will have their hands full with Hendrickson, but they had the bye week to get healthy and focus on their issues.
2. WR Ja’Marr Chase
After winning the receiving triple crown last season with his league-high totals in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, Ja’Marr Chase got off to a slow start, at least by his standards.
After averaging more than 100 yards and a touchdown per game last year, Chase is averaging less than 75 yards per game this year and has only scored three times. Of course, the dip in production has a lot more to do with star quarterback Joe Burrow’s absence than anything Chase is doing wrong. He is coming off a breakout game in which he brought in six receptions for 110 yards and two touchdowns against the Lions.
Chase could be primed for another big game. Not only is he coming off a great performance, the Bengals acquired quarterback Joe Flacco from the Browns and the Packers’ secondary struggled in the 40-40 tie against the Cowboys, allowing 319 yards and three touchdowns through the air.
3. QB Joe Flacco
After trading for 40-year-old Joe Flacco on Tuesday, Bengals coach Zac Taylor confirmed that he will start on Sunday against the Packers.
Flacco will be starting after three days of practice with his new team after coming from the 1-4 Browns, where the team’s only win came against the Packers in Week 3. Flacco lost the starting job to rookie Dillon Gabriel ahead of their Week 5 matchup against the Vikings. As the starter, Flacco averaged 163 yards per game, throwing just two touchdowns and six interceptions.
Not only will Flacco have a short week to learn his new playbook, he’ll be playing behind one of the worst offensive lines in football against the Packers’ strong pass rush. But he has the benefit of having seen them just a few weeks ago and inheriting premier receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
