On Sunday afternoon, Russell Wilson and the NFC Champion Seattle Seahawks visit the Cincinnati Bengals. The Jungle will be rockin’ as the Seahawks come knockin’ at the chamber door of the AFC North leaders. The last time the Bengals and Seahawks met was 2011. That was one year before Seattle drafted Wilson.
Wilson was born at Christ Hospital in Cincinnati. On his birthday, November 28, 1988, the Bengals were 10-3 and on their way to Super Bowl XXIII. Wilson has navigated the Seahawks to the Super Bowl twice.
During a conference call with Bengals reporters, Wilson sounded as though he was more impressed by the city’s cuisine than the team.
“My hometown. The Nast ‘Natti. I used to go there all the time when I was younger. A few times a year because I had family there. Anthony Munoz played there, right? Whenever I think of Cincinnati, Ohio I think of White Castle and Skyline Chili.”
White Castle and Skyline Chili are two iconic food chains in the Cincinnati area. No trip to the city is complete without trying at least one. The natives swear their loyalty to the treats.
Sunday’s game between the Bengals and Seahawks will be more than a trip down memory lane for Wilson. The game is being hyped as the showdown between the Bengals’ second-ranked offense versus the Seahawks’ second-ranked defense.
On the scoring side, the Bengals are dangerous with their double-back attack. Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill provide a speed and power threat that is hard to tame. Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson has become masterful at knowing when to rotate his two running backs.
Through a quarter of the season, Bernard has put up strong numbers. His 297 rushing yards this year rank sixth in the NFL. Even though his numbers are better than Hill’s, none of that is what really matters to Bernard. After Sunday’s game , he told SB Nation how he felt.
“We’re 4-0, that’s all that matters right now. We’re coming to watch this film up tomorrow, get past and learn from what we did wrong. Get ready for 5-0 and get ready for Seattle.”
That confidence is contagious with the Bengals this year. It flows throughout every facet of the team. Each week, a new hero arises to help the team win. But the one constant that has been a complete surprise is Andy Dalton. The Bengals quarterback has outplayed the expectations for him this year and has his team atop the AFC North.
Dalton has been nominated for the FedEx Air Player of the Week . His stellar performance against the Chiefs has heads turning, and his numbers were unreal and totally wicked. His 127.1 passer rating was the highest of his career. It’s become a habit for The Red Rifle to burn teams weekly with a big play. The players have come to expect it.
After his 381-yard performance in the Bengals Week 3 win in Baltimore, this is the first two-game stretch in which Dalton has reached the 300-yard passing mark since October of 2013. Simply put, Dalton is playing like a man possessed.
The Seahawks are looking to move over the .500 mark and make it a race within the NFC West. Marshawn Lynch missed Monday night’s game against the Lions, nursing a hamstring injury. With the Bengals game being so huge, Pete Carroll will have reason to give Beast Mode the start.
How concerned are the Bengals about Lynch? Per Local 12 Sports , Marvin Lewis dropped former running back Corey Dillon’s name, when he mentioned the upper body strength of Lynch.
“He’s a strong guy in his upper body, let alone his lower body. He’s kind of that Corey Dillon-type of runner that you have to do a great job of wrapping up and tackling.”
Beast Mode, the Legion of Boom, and The Red Rifle are ready for battle. Let the countdown begin.
[Photos by Joe Robbins, Otto Gruele Jr./ Getty Images]
