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6 Make-or-Break Players Who Will Decide if the Bengals Can Dominate the Titans at Home
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- 6 Make-or-Break Players Who Will Decide if the Bengals Can Dominate the Titans at Home
Trading away an All-Pro like Jeffery Simmons ahead of the Bengals clash sends a pretty clear message about where Tennessee's front office thinks this season is heading. But games aren't played on trade tickers, and Robert Saleh's defense didn't just stumble into five takeaways over its last two outings. The 1-6 Titans arrive at Paycor Stadium with zero expectations and Tony Pollard running like a runaway freight train.
On the other sideline, Cincinnati is riding high after crushing Baltimore , but they have their concerns with a depleted tight end room. Sunday is going to be a classic clash between an in-form offense looking to pull away early and a wounded dog desperate to drag the game into an ugly street fight. Here are three Bengals who can make Sunday, and three Titans who can break it.
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Make Players for the Bengals
Oct 4, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (97) gestures during the third quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images
Boye Mafe, edge rusher
Mafe is the engine behind a Cincinnati pass rush that is getting in quarterbacks' faces on nearly 40% of dropbacks. He picked up his 4.5 sacks of the year against Baltimore, and his hustle on the outside opens up easy opportunities for guys like Cashius Howell.
Tennessee's young starter Cam Ward gets rattled easily. Defenses are breathing down his neck on 35.5% of his dropbacks, and he is barely throwing downfield at 5.7 yards per attempt. Mafe just has to collapse the pocket, keep Ward from scrambling, and force him to panic.
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Dexter Lawrence II, defensive tackle
Running up the middle against Cincinnati has basically become a lost cause , and Lawrence is why. He was the main reason Derrick Henry got shut down for just 45 yards (2.6 yards a pop) last week because he eats up double-teams and lets everyone else fly to the ball. Tennessee's entire offense runs through Tony Pollard, who just piled up 120 yards after contact against Cleveland. If Lawrence shuts the front door and plugs the middle, the Titans will have nowhere to turn.
Jack Endries, tight end
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Erick All Jr. is done for the year with a torn ACL and Tanner Hudson is on IR with a torn chest muscle . The tight end room is down to the bare bones. That throws rookie Jack Endries right into the spotlight alongside Drew Sample and Cam Grandy. The rookie spent the past month battling Cincinnati's starting defense on the scout team, and coaches swear he already knows the offense inside and out. He needs to hold his own as a blocker on early downs and give Joe Burrow a dependable safety valve when things get messy.
Break Players for the Titans
Tennessee Titans wide receiver Carnell Tate (14) pulls in touchdown pass Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026, during the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Tony Pollard, running back
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Pollard is the only thing keeping Tennessee afloat right now. He had a monster game against Cleveland with 129 yards and three touchdowns, breaking eight tackles and fighting for nearly five yards after contact on every carry. He ranks 10th in the league with 478 rushing yards and has broken off 11 runs of 10-plus yards. If Cincinnati misses easy tackles and lets him get rolling, Pollard can move the chains, chew up the clock, and leave Burrow watching from the sideline.
Anthony Hill Jr., linebacker
With Jeffery Simmons traded to Chicago, Hill is officially the player to watch on this defense. The rookie is already fifth in the NFL with 68 tackles, and he has made 32 stops that completely blew up an offensive play. He loves shooting into the backfield. Cincinnati's run game has been sluggish all year (ranking 30th at 81.2 yards a game). If Hill keeps stuffing runs on first down, the Bengals will be stuck in predictable third-and-longs.
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Carnell Tate, wide receiver
Wan'Dale Robinson handles the short dump-offs, but Tate is the guy who can break a game wide open deep. The rookie top-five pick already sits in the top 25 across the league with 51 targets, 34 catches, and 413 yards, averaging nearly 12 yards downfield every time he's targeted. Cincinnati's defensive backs cannot bite on play fakes or fall asleep on double moves. If the Titans give Ward just a couple of clean seconds to air it out, Tate has the wheels to take it to the house.
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This story was originally published by Athlon on Oct 30, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
