Seattle Seahawks vs. Cincinnati Bengals Preview

The Seattle Seahawks will travel to Paycor Stadium and face a Cincinnati Bengals team that may have refound their stride after a 1-3 start.

The Seattle Seahawks have found their stride through the early part of the season, winning their last three games after an embarrassing Week 1 performance. They will look to make it four as they travel to face the Cincinnati Bengals inside Paycor Stadium on Sunday. 

Like the Seahawks, the Bengals didn't start their season as many expected. The return of star quarterback Joe Burrow, who was sidelined with a calf injury for much of training camp, led to a disorientated Bengals offense taking the field in the first four games. 

It was only after a 1-3 start, where Burrow and the Bengals passing game struggled for consistency, finally hit their stride in last week's 34-20 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Burrow, the former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback in college, completed 36 of his 46 passes for a season-high 317 yards and three touchdowns with just one interception.

Not only did Burrow look like himself again, as the previously injured calf looked to be a problem of the past, but he refound his connection with star receiver Ja'Marr Chase. A week following Chase's public comments about "always" being "open," the third-year receiver exploded for a season-best 192 yards and three touchdowns on 15 receptions versus the Cardinals. 

Now sitting at 2-3, the Bengals need a win over the Seahawks to get back to .500 and potentially put themselves back in the race for the AFC North. 

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (left) and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (right) / FanStreamSports.com

However, that will be easier said than done, as the Seahawks have become one of the hottest teams in the NFL since their opening season loss to the Rams and will be coming off a bye week.

But last time out for Seattle, the Seahawks walked into MetLife Stadium looking to take advantage of a struggling New York Giants team and did exactly that, pulling out a 24-3 win. 

It was the type of game where they didn't need to lean on quarterback Geno Smith much, especially after losing him briefly to a knee injury. Smith threw just 20 passes, and while he completed 13 of those, he only recorded 110 yards and a touchdown through the air.

Following up Smith's six-yard touchdown pass to D.K. Metcalf to give Seattle a 7-0 lead, running back Kenneth Walker found the endzone to take a 14-3 lead before a 97-yard pick-six from Devon Witherspoon essentially sealed the deal before a field goal from Jason Meyers for added insurance in the fourth quarter.

---

WHAT: Seattle Seahawks (3-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (2-3)

WHERE: Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio (65,515)

WHEN: Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023, 10 a.m. PT

TELEVISION: CBS / FuboTV (try it free)

RADIO: Seattle Sports 710AM | KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM

Tickets via SI TICKETS

Betting via SI SportsBook

SPREAD: Seahawks +2.5

TOTAL: 44.5

MONEY LINE: Seahawks +130, Bengals -154