The 49ers look to snap 2-game skid when they face the Bengals
CINCINNATI (3-3) at SAN FRANCISCO (5-2)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT, CBS
OPENING LINE: 49ers by 5 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Bengals 2-3-1, 49ers 4-2-1.
SERIES RECORD: 49ers lead 13-4
LAST MEETING: 49ers beat Bengals 26-23 in OT on Dec. 12, 2021, in Cincinnati.
LAST WEEK: Bengals had bye, beat Seahawks 17-13 on Oct. 15; 49ers lost to Vikings 22-17.
BENGALS OFFENSE: OVERALL (32), RUSH (31), PASS (26), SCORING (28)
BENGALS DEFENSE: OVERALL (27), RUSH (29), PASS (13), SCORING (17)
49ERS OFFENSE: OVERALL (7), RUSH (7), PASS (11), SCORING (2)
49ERS DEFENSE: OVERALL (8), RUSH (3), PASS (16), SCORING (3)
TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Bengals plus-5; 49ers plus-6.
BENGALS PLAYER TO WATCH: QB Joe Burrow. After throwing only two TD passes in the first four games, Burrow had five in his past two games as he appears to be getting healthier following a training camp calf injury. Burrow completed 74.1% of his passes in those games.
49ERS PLAYER TO WATCH: RB Christian McCaffrey scored two TDs last week to move him into a tie for the league lead with 11 on the season. McCaffrey has scored a TD in his past 16 games in the regular season or playoffs, one shy of Lenny Moore’s NFL record. McCaffrey’s 13 career games with a TD catch and run are second most all time to Marshall Faulk’s 15.
KEY MATCHUP: Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase vs. 49ers CB Charvarius Ward. The Niners will look to contain Cincinnati’s big-play receiver and Ward has done a good job this season slowing down No. 1 targets. Ward had one big slipup last week when he was outmuscled for a ball by Jordan Addison that turned a potential INT into a TD but otherwise has been sharp. Chase has 40 catches for 486 yards the past four games.
KEY INJURIES: Bengals LT Orlando Brown Jr. is dealing with a groin injury but is expected to play this week. … LB Akeem Davis-Gaither (knee) could miss the game for Cincinnati. … Niners QB Brock Purdy began the week in concussion protocol and his status for the game is in doubt. Sam Darnold will start if Purdy can’t go. … WR Deebo Samuel (shoulder) will miss his second straight game for San Francisco. … Niners LT Trent Williams could return this week after missing one game with a sprained ankle.
SERIES NOTES: The Niners have won four of the past five meetings, including an OT win on the road in 2021. … San Francisco beat Cincinnati to win the Super Bowl in the 1981 and 1988 seasons. … The Bengals won the only previous meeting at Levi’s Stadium 24-14 in 2015.
STATS AND STUFF: The Bengals have won three of four games following an 0-2 start. … Cincinnati RB Joe Mixon has at least 60 yards from scrimmage in every game this season. … Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson has at least a half-sack in five of six games this season. … Cincinnati CB Cam Taylor-Britt has an INT in back-to-back games. The previous Bengals player to do it three in a row was Reggie Nelson in a five-game streak in 2015. … Cincinnati is fourth worst in the NFL converting 33.3% of third downs. … The Bengals have been outrushed by a league-worst 73 yards per game. … Cincinnati has ended 47.8% of its drives with a punt for the second-worst mark in the NFL. … The 49ers have lost consecutive games. They haven’t lost three in a row since a four-game skid early in 2021. … San Francisco has been held to 17 points in each of the past two games. The previous time the Niners failed to score more than 17 in three straight games came in coach Kyle Shanahan’s first season in 2017. … The Niners had three turnovers and one takeaway last week, ending a streak of 16 straight games without a negative turnover differential that was the fourth longest in the Super Bowl era. … San Francisco had no sacks last week for the first time this season. … The 49ers haven’t allowed a 100-yard rusher in 34 straight games for the longest active streak in the NFL. … Rookie K Jake Moody has missed three FGs the past two weeks. He has also made two from at least 55 yards this season — tied for the most in 49ers history. … The Niners lead the NFL with 11 INTs and are the only team with four players with multiple INTs on the season: Fred Warner, Charvarius Ward, Talanoa Hufanga and Deommodore Lenoir. … San Francisco has been penalized a league-high 50 times this season.
FANTASY TIP: With Samuel out again, Brandon Aiyuk should get the bulk of the downfield work in the passing game for the 49ers. Aiyuk had five catches last week but was shut out in the second half. The Niners will make it a priority to keep Aiyuk involved all game this week.
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