The Bengals and Chargers clash in a major Sunday Night Football showdown.
The Cincinnati Bengals have a massive matchup on primetime TV this Sunday night as they head out west to take on the surging Chargers. The game has so much excitement that it was flexed into the night spot, pitting two star quarterbacks against one another.
We tapped the knowledge of Michael Peterson over at SB Nation’s Bolts from the Blue to get a peek over the other side of the fence before the big matchup.
1.) Talk to me about the “Harbaugh difference”. The Chargers aren’t a perfect team, but they’re largely playing well and in the thick of things at 6-3. What has Jim Harbaugh brought to the table this year?
The biggest thing I always point to is the culture change that occurred following his hire. He’s got a very uncanny way of bonding with his players in a way that you wouldn’t necessarily expect to work. He’s quirky and marches to the beat of his own drum most of the time, but that seems to connect to everyone in some way, shape, or form. Even when he tells stories during meetings, some players say they can’t follow it for the life of them, but it still finds a way to resonate in the end. Communication has also been stepped up across the franchise. Players have all echoed the same thing: The message remains the same from the players, to the coaching staff, to the front office, to the equipment team, to the custodial staff. That’s how you build a lasting culture that transcends regimes.
2.) Justin Herbert has been highly accurate this year, posting just one interception all season. What different things are they asking him to do this year to put him in a better position to succeed?
The biggest thing has honestly been taking less off of his plate on a week-to-week basis. In the first four seasons of Herbert’s professional career, the offense has always gone the way of his arm. The running game has mostly been anemic since 2020, and it’s a big reason why Herbert just set the record for the most completions through a player’s first five seasons. This year though, Harbaugh and Greg Roman want to run the rock which has drastically cut back Herbert’s workload through the air. He’s been more like a “Game Manager+.” Basically the traditional game manager role but with the ability to turn it up to 11 when it’s needed. And, of course, we can’t forget the defense. He gets to play football knowing that if his unit can’t get the job done on every single drive, the other side of the ball will have his back. That’s got to be such a refreshing change of pace for him after the past few seasons.
3.) What’s one underrated facet of this Chargers team and what’s the area in which they need the most improvement?
I think one area I’d consider underrated is the success of the secondary despite playing half the season without the original starters at outside cornerback. They’ve been holding together on the back end with two rookies (Cam Hart and Tarheeb Still), both of whom were picked in the fifth round of this year’s draft. They’ve been playing so well that I’ve truly forgotten that Asante Samuel Jr. has been on injured reserve for over a month now. They’ve also played multiple games without Kristian Fulton (the starter opposite Samuel Jr.) and Deane Leonard, the team’s CB4 prior to the season. Even with the No. 1 scoring defense, I’d still say the job defensive coordinator Jesse Minter has done with the players he has had is still underrated.
As far as improvements, the Chargers must find a way to get better play out of the interior offensive line. Center Bradley Bozeman has been the weakest link of the front five. Guards Zion Johnson and Trey Pipkins haven’t been much better. Most of the pressure on Herbert has come from up the middle and the lack of movement in the run game is also the quickest way the offense ends up behind the sticks. Finding a way to improve this group would go a long way in pushing the Chargers into the postseason.
4.) Who’s an under-the-radar player for Los Angeles on offense and defense?
On offense, it’s hard not to point to tight end Will Dissly. He was brought in as a free agent to help as a run blocker, but the former Seahawk is now just two catches away from setting a new season high for receptions with eight games remaining in the schedule. He’s not a dynamic threat by any means, but he’s always good for some small chunk gains that certainly help keep drives moving and the clock ticking. The Chargers mainly use him on screens, which have been surprisingly effective this season.
On defense, I feel like I need to give defensive tackle Poona Ford. He’s been playing at a Pro Bowl level as both a run defender and getting after quarterbacks. He has two sacks and four tackles for loss this year and has widely been the best interior defender for the Chargers. Even without making plays that show up in the box score, Ford makes his presence felt. He runs like hell to keep quarterbacks from scrambling and his natural leverage as a shorter tackle helps in getting up and under blockers. He’s definitely been one of the best free agent adds from this offseason
5.) What’s your prediction for this one?
I am walking into this game with a lot of cautious optimism. They’ve played nine games in 2024, and the defense is still No. 1 in points allowed. It feels like a fever dream after the Brandon Staley years, and I can’t help but feel like each week will be the week the dam finally breaks. This week against the Bengals feels like the perfect week for them to take some lumps against a really, really good quarterback-wide receiver duo. With Khalil Mack still rehabbing a groin injury, the Chargers’ pass rush won’t be at full power. If that’s the case, Burrow will be a bit too comfortable in the pocket for my liking.
In the end, I think the Chargers will keep it close, but Chase has another big day and just pushes the Bengals over the top. I have the Bengals winning this one 24-20.