The Las Vegas Raiders are set to square off against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 9 of the 2024 NFL season. For Las Vegas, this game comes two days after signing wideout Ramel Keyton to a two-year deal off of their practice squad. Cincinnati made multiple moves in preparation for their Week 9 bout as well.
Veteran defensive tackle Lawrence Guy, who signed a one-year, $1.2 million contract with the Bengals in September, was released on Saturday. Guy appeared in four games, recording two tackles on 91 defensive snaps.
In Guy’s place, Kendall Milton, an undrafted free agent from Georgia, signed to Cincinnati’s active roster. Milton will help ease the blow of being without a healthy Zack Moss, who will be a game-time decision thanks to a neck injury sustained in practice.
Additionally, the Bengals have promoted wide receiver Kendric Pryor and offensive lineman Devin Cochran as they get ready to face the Raiders.
Las Vegas Raiders set to have their hands full against Cincinnati Bengals passing attack
Although the Cincinnati Bengals sit in the bottom half of the NFL via yards per contest with 325.3, their 24.4 points per contest ranks 10th-highest. The team’s offensive success is largely due to their dynamic passing attack led by Pro Bowl quarterback Joe Burrow.
With 15 passing touchdowns on the season, only two quarterbacks league-wide have put up six more times than Burrow has. Burrow’s 1,993 passing yards ranks eighth-most in the NFL while his 70.3 completion percentage ties Derek Carr for fourth-highest this season. The 27-year-old is responsible for the fifth-highest quarterback rating with a mark of 106.5.
Three-time Pro Bowl wideout Ja’Marr Chase has played a big-time role in Burrow’s success this season.
Only three players league-wide have more catches to their name than Chase has with 48. More than that, no pass-catcher has been able to keep up with Chase’s 674 yards nor his seven touchdowns. The fourth-year receiver has accumulated these numbers while being outside of the top-13 in targets.
The Raiders will be fielding cornerbacks Jakorian Bennett and Jack Jones in an effort to slow down Cincinnati’s passing attack.
Bennett has held quarterbacks to a 43.8% completion percentage when throwing his way through eight weeks. The Maryland alum has forced seven incompletions en route to a 22% forced incompletion percentage. Add in the 58.2 quarterback rating opposing signal callers have when testing him, and we see just how dominant Bennett has been this year.
Jones has allowed a completion percentage of 68.8%, surrendering a team-high opposing quarterback rating of 122.0 when targeted. The second-year Raider has broken up five passes for a forced incompletion percentage of 15%.
*Top Photo: Getty Images
Las Vegas Raiders Week 9 Outlook Vs Ja’Marr Chase And The Cincinnati Bengals