Arizona Sports predicts Cardinals vs. Bengals

Dec 23, 2011, 9:43 PM | Updated: Dec 24, 2011, 3:35 am

BY ADAM GREEN
Arizona Sports

It’s Week 16 in the NFL (where did time go, by the
way?) and the Cardinals travel to Cincinnati to take on
the Bengals.

While once a matchup of two of the NFL’s worst teams, both
squads are fighting to keep slim playoff hopes alive. Can
the Cardinals get a big win on the road?

Give us your predictions in the comments below.

Adam Green	The Cardinals need a win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, and they’ll have to do it on the road against the team in a similar spot. The Bengals are solid, but nothing special. Rookie QB Andy Dalton has done a good job finding fellow rookie A.J. Green for big plays, but Patrick Peterson could be just the guy to slow down his former SEC opponent. And here’s the kicker: I think this is the game John Skelton looks good for four quarters. No fourth quarter heroics necessary, the Cardinals cruise in this one. Final Score: Cardinals 24, Bengals 10
John Gambadoro	Nice turnaround for Cardinals, so you give them all the credit in the world for rebounding from a disastrous start. And, while I did pick Arizona to beat Dallas, the run comes to an end on the road in Cincinnati against a mediocre Bengals team. Good matchup between A.J. Green and Patrick Peterson, two stud rookies, but I expect a big game from Green and he will be the difference, along with a solid Bengals ground attack. Cincy at home — even with a lot of empty seats and even though the weather will not be as cold as usual this time of year — will be a factor. Bengals season did not turn out the way they expected but they have talent and should be able to squeak out the win. Final Score: Bengals 23, Cardinals 17
Tyler Bassett	The nice run by the Cardinals comes to an end this week in Cincinnati. The offense struggles to get anything going while the Bengals take control on two Andy Dalton to A.J. Green touchdowns. Green finishes the day with over 100 yards receiving. Final Score: Bengals 20, Cardinals 10
Mark Asher	The run by the Cardinals has been fun to watch and gives me hope for the future, but unfortunately I think the wild ride ends this week against the Bengals. Final Score: Bengals 27, Cardinals 17
Joe Huizenga	The Cardinals must keep doing what they’ve been doing… continue to limit scoring chances. Keep Cincinnati out of the redzone. Run the offense through Beanie Wells…run to set up the pass. At some point Arizona won’t be able to cover up for poor QB play…playing on the road doesn’t help… Final Score: Bengals 20, Cardinals 17
Carter Nacke	The Cardinals vs. the Bengals is an important game — never thought I would say that. Assuming Skelton gets the start, he’ll, once again, need to ride defense and special teams to get the win. If those two squads come through and the offense puts in a few TDs, the Cards win this one, but it’s close. Final Score: Cardinals 24, Bengals 21
Vince Marotta	Six weeks ago, I never would have thought that the Bengals-Cardinals game in Week 16 would mean so much, but there’s playoff implications for both teams–it’s a Christmas miracle. I really like the way the Cardinals have been playing to their strengths. The defense continues to grasp Ray Horton’s system and just keeps opponents out of the end zone. And let’s face it, the Bengals haven’t been a good home team this season, going just 3-3 at Paul Brown Stadium. I think the Cardinals’ magical streak continues in ugly, low-scoring fashion. Final Score: Cardinals 13, Bengals 10