Game Preview: Eagles vs. Bengals

1. Limit the Bengals' big-play offense

Chase is averaging 16 yards per pass reception and Higgins – who is listed as questionable due to a quadriceps injury he suffered in Friday's practice – is averaging 12. Mike Gesicki is a good catch-and-run tight end. Andrei Iosivas has 14 receptions and 3 touchdowns, averaging 14 yards per pop. Burrow, in his prime and one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, likes to get the ball out and down the field quickly. Cincinnati averages 25.4 points per game. The Bengals can score quickly.

The Eagles' defense, which hasn't allowed a touchdown in the last two weeks because it did a good job against the run, because it had sticky downfield coverage and because it attacked the quarterback so effectively, has its target all hands on full. Philadelphia must win in the trenches and the coverage players must rise to the challenge. It should be fun to see Vic Fangio's defense take the next step.

2. The Philly offense: Be balanced and limit mistakes

As the Eagles offense continues to improve, they want to create favorable matchups. Brown and Smith will win against any defense. Saquon Barkley is as good as anyone in the league. The offense has done a good job of overcoming injuries and different starting combinations. Hurts hasn't had a giveaway in the last two weeks and it's no coincidence that the Eagles won both games. How to attack Cincinnati? Win on early downs and have options on third down. Don't let pass rush star Trey Hendrickson (7 quarterback sacks) get away. Look for very active linebacker Logan Wilson, a tackling machine. Look out for linebacker Germaine Pratt, who recorded 13 tackles in last week's win over Cleveland and has had at least 7 tackles in every game this season.

3. Continue the great play in the red zone

In case you haven't noticed, the Eagles have been absolutely great in the red zone – they rank second defensively in red zone touchdown efficiency, allowing just 39 percent. The offense has had a touchdown efficiency of 71.4 percent over the last three weeks. This is a statistic that always matters, and against a team that can score in bulk like the Bengals, touchdowns win games.