STADIUM: Paycor Stadium
REFEREE: Bill Vinovich
DATE: Saturday, December 16, 2023
GAME TIME: 1:00 PM ET
NFLN: Chris Rose, Jason McCourty, Steve Wyche
Westwood One: John Sadak, Ross Tucker
SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) MIN: 82 or 226 CIN: 83 or 225 National: 88
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY REG. SEASON: Series tied, 7-7 (CIN won 2 of past 3). THE LAST TIME: REG. SEASON: 9/12/21: MIN 24 at CIN 27.
HEAD COACHES NOTES: Kevin O’Connell vs. Opponent (incl. postseason): 0-0 Reg. Season: 20-10 (.667) Postseason: 0-1 (.000). Zac Taylor vs. Opponent (incl. postseason): 1-0 Reg. Season: 35-42-1 (.455) Postseason: 5-2 (.714).
MINNESOTA VIKINGS NOTES:
• QB NICK MULLENS completed 9 of 13 atts. (69.2 pct.) for 83 yards in Week 14. Has 4,552 pass yards (267.8 per game) & 24 TD passes in 17 career starts. Can make 1st start of 2023.
• RB ALEXANDER MATTISON rushed for 66 yards last week & aims for his 4th in row with 50+ rush yards. Has career highs in scrimmage yards (834) & rush yards (660) in 2023.
• WR JUSTIN JEFFERSON has 5,423 rec. yards & can surpass Michael Thomas (5,512) for most rec. yards by player in 1st 4 seasons in NFL history. Had 5 catches for 71 yards in last meeting.
• TE T.J. HOCKENSON has 50+ rec. yards in 9 straight games, tied 2nd-longest active streak in NFL. Leads TEs in receptions (85) & ranks 2nd in rec. yards (839) this season & can surpass career highs set in 2022 (86 receptions & 839 rec. yards). Had 8 catches for 74 yards in his only career game vs. Cin. (10/17/21 w/ Det.).
• WR JORDAN ADDISON ranks tied-1st among rookies with 7 rec. TDs & 2nd among rookies with 713 rec. yards.
• LB DANIELLE HUNTER ranks tied-1st in TFL (18) & tied-3rd in sacks (13.5) this season. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Cin. with sack.
• LB IVAN PACE in Week 14 became 2nd rookie since 2000 (DeMeco Ryans – Week 13, 2006) with 13 tackles, sack & INT in game. Aims for his 3rd in row with sack & 4th in row with 9+ tackles.
• LB D.J. WONNUM had 7th sack of season last week. Has sack in 5 of his past 6 on road & aims for his 3rd in row on road with sack.
• S CAMRYN BYNUM leads all DBs with career-high 103 tackles in 2023. Has PD in 3 of his past 4 on road.
• S HARRISON SMITH is only DB with 75+ tackles in each of past 8 seasons. Had sack in last meeting.
• S JOSH METELLUS had 4th FF of season last week. Has 13 games with 5+ tackles this season, most among DBs.
CINCINNATI BENGALS NOTES:
• QB JAKE BROWNING completed 18 of 24 atts. (75 pct.) for 275 yards & career-high 2 pass TDs with 122.7 rating & rushed for TD last week. Has highest comp. pct. (79.3 pct.) by QB in 1st 3 career starts since 1950 & is 1 of 2 QBs since 1950 (Chad Pennington) with 70+ comp. pct. & 95+ rating in each of 1st 3 starts. Aims for 3rd in row with 275+ pass yards, 115+ rating & rush TD.
• RB JOE MIXON led team with season-high 125 scrimmage yards (79 rush, 46 rec.) & rush TD last week, 14th-career game with 125+ scrimmage yards & TD. Aims for 3rd in row with 115+ scrimmage yards & rush TD. Has rush TD in 3 of past 4 at home. Had 150 scrimmage yards (127 rush, 23 rec.) & rush TD in last meeting. Is 1 of 2 (Derrick Henry) with 1,000+ scrimmage yards & 7+ rush TDs in each of past 3 seasons.
• RB CHASE BROWN (rookie) had career-high 105 scrimmage yards (80 rec., 25 rush) & 1st-career TD catch last week.
• WR JA’MARR CHASE has 80+ rec. yards in 2 of past 3. Had 5 catches for 101 yards & TD in last meeting. Is 4th player ever with 80+ catches & 1,000+ rec. yards in each of 1st 3 seasons.
• WR TEE HIGGINS had 72 rec. yards last week & has 65+ rec. yards in 3 of past 4. Had 58 rec. yards & TD catch in last meeting.
• TE TANNER HUDSON had 1st-career TD catch in Week 14.
• DE TREY HENDRICKSON had 2 sacks & PD last week, 3rd game this season with 2+ sacks & 5th-straight game with 0.5+ sacks. Has 13.5 sacks in 2023 & needs sack for new career high (14 in 2021).
• DT B.J. HILL had 1st-career INT in Week 14. Aims for 3rd in row with PD. Had 2 sacks in last meeting.
• LB LOGAN WILSON had 10 tackles & PD last week, 5th game this season with 10+ tackles. Had 7 tackles in last meeting.
• LB GERMAINE PRATT had 10 tackles & half sack in Week 14.
