To get you ready for Week 15, FanHouse is previewing all 16 NFL games. Here is your Cincinnati Bengals/San Francisco 49ers preview.2007 Records:
Cincinnati Bengals: 5-8 (3rd in AFC North)
San Francisco 49ers: 3-10 (3rd in NFC West)
Last Week
Bengals 19, Rams 10
Vikings 27, 49ers 7
Why We Care: Let me put it this way: if I really cared about this game, I'd be trekking through what promises to be a hectic New Jersey snowstorm to see this game at the local sports bar. I'm not. That being said, we're looking at 2008 here. Will Marvin Lewis do enough to keep his job? Will Shaun Hill show enough to get a chance to start next year? And we're also looking at the past, when these two teams played in meaningful games and Super Bowls together. Remember The Catch? Oh, how the mighty have fallen.
When the Bengals have the ball: It's been a disappointing year for the Bengals offense, although looking at the numbers it's kinda hard to tell why. They're seventh in points, seventh in total offense, and fifth in passing offense and have a +4 turnover differential. They're going to have two 1,000-yard receivers again. Rudi Johnson's been off the mark, but the Bengals' offense as a whole hasn't really missed a beat. But it doesn't matter what reason is keeping the Bengals offense down; the 49ers are not going to be able to exploit it.
When the 49ers have the ball: Hill is getting his first chance to start in six years, and who knows if he's going to want to give it up. He seemed pretty willful last week, throwing for over 180 yards and a touchdown in less than a game of action. Granted, that was against Minnesota's 32nd-ranked pass defense, but it's not as if the Bengals go five (or even one) deep with shutdown corners. They've also let up seven more touchdowns through the air than the Vikings, so Hill might show us a little sum'in sum'in. I'm not sure if Frank Gore's still playing, but if he is, he might be able to finally do something too.
The Edge: Here's what we know -- the Bengals occasionally play inspired, the 49ers don't. Neither team has anything to play for (although if the Bengals close their eyes and try real hard maybe they can start to believe they play in the NFC, where 8-8 might give them a chance). I think this game comes down to who likes their coach more.
