2026
Week 16 · Sunday 1:00 PM ET · Lucas Oil Stadium
vs
Colts offensevsBengals defense
Season numbers through Week 8: 8 games for Colts, 7 for Bengals. Ranks are out of 32; #1 is the best offense or the stingiest defense.
Tight ends feast
Bengals give up 9.6 targets a game to tight ends (30th), against a league average of 7.6. Colts' tight ends produce 8.4 (9th).
Deep middle is open
Bengals are worst against deep middle throws, allowing +0.84 EPA per attempt. Colts send 4% of their throws there. That is a small part of their offense so far.
Pressure problem
Colts take a sack on 8% of dropbacks (23rd). Bengals get home on 9% (3rd). League average is 7%.
Success rate
Call this one even. Colts succeed on 42% of plays (21st) against a defense that allows 44% (17th).
Players to watch
Bengals
Joe BurrowQB · 195/267 · 2115 yds · 20 TD · 6 INTEPA per dropback +0.24 · 7th
Chase BrownRB · 94 car · 340 yds · 1 TD · 36 recEPA per touch -0.21
Ja'Marr ChaseWR · 43 rec · 492 yds · 6 TD · 61 tgtEPA per target +0.46 · 24th
Tee HigginsWR · 43 rec · 726 yds · 4 TD · 61 tgtEPA per target +0.85 · 3rdBoye MafeLeft Defensive End · 18 tackles · 5.5 sacks · 1 PD5.5 sacks · T-9th in the NFLJordan BattleStrong Safety · 49 tackles · 3 INT · 6 PD3 INT · T-2nd in the NFL
Colts
Daniel JonesQB · 162/268 · 1542 yds · 5 TD · 9 INTEPA per dropback -0.18
Jonathan TaylorRB · 148 car · 610 yds · 8 TD · 21 recEPA per touch -0.07
Josh DownsWR · 30 rec · 330 yds · 1 TD · 51 tgtEPA per target +0.29
Keenan AllenWR · 36 rec · 325 yds · 1 TD · 50 tgtEPA per target +0.22Adetomiwa AdebaworeRight Defensive Tackle · 18 tackles · 4 sacks · 2 PD4 sacks · T-22nd in the NFLJaylahn TuimoloauLeft Defensive End · 18 tackles · 1 sack · 4 PD1 sackThe Colts lead the series 9–5 since 1999. Dec 10, 2023, at Paycor Stadium: the Bengals won 34–14. Jake Browning started at quarterback for the Bengals and Gardner Minshew for the Colts; Zac Taylor and Shane Steichen coached.
The last 5
| 2023 · Wk 14 | IND 14 at CIN 34 |
| 2020 · Wk 6 | CIN 27 at IND 31 |
| 2018 · Wk 1 | CIN 34 at IND 23 |
| 2017 · Wk 8 | IND 23 at CIN 24 |
| 2014 · Wk 18 · playoffs | CIN 10 at IND 26 |
2026 records
| Bengals | Colts | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 5–2 | 2–6 |
| Division | 1–1 | 1–2 |
| Conference | 4–2 | 1–5 |
| Other conference | 1–0 | 1–1 |
| Home | 2–1 | 1–2 |
| Away | 3–1 | 1–4 |
| Last 5 | LLWWW | WLLLL |
| Streak | Won 3 | Lost 4 |
| Points a game | 29.4 – 22.6 | 20.1 – 27.8 |
Every meeting since 1999, regular season and playoffs, from nflverse's game list, which starts in 1999; the all-time series goes back further. Franchises that moved count as one team (the Raiders, Chargers and Rams). Home and away are from the Bengals' side. Records are this regular season.
Colts offense · 3WR 1TE
- QBDaniel Jones#17 · 162/268 · 1542 yds · 5 TD · 9 INT
- RBJonathan Taylor#28 · 148 car · 610 yds · 8 TD · 21 rec
- WRJosh Downs#2 · 30 rec · 330 yds · 1 TD · 51 tgt
- WRKeenan Allen#10 · 36 rec · 325 yds · 1 TD · 50 tgt
- WRLaquon Treadwell#13 · 16 rec · 215 yds · 0 TD · 28 tgt
- TETyler Warren#84 · 34 rec · 231 yds · 2 TD · 46 tgt
- LTBernhard Raimann#79
- LGJalen Farmer#62
- CTanor Bortolini#60
- RGMatt Goncalves#71
- RTJalen Travis#75
Bengals defense · Base 4-3 D
- RDEMyles Murphy#99 · 14 tackles · 1.5 sacks
- RDTJonathan Allen#93 · 17 tackles · 3 sacks · 1 PD
- LDTDexter Lawrence II#97 · 23 tackles · 5 sacks · 1 PD
- LDEBoye Mafe#53 · 18 tackles · 5.5 sacks · 1 PD
- WLBDemetrius Knight Jr.#44 · 54 tackles · 1 INT · 1 PD
- MLBBarrett Carter#49 · 57 tackles · 1.5 sacks · 3 PD
- SLBOren Burks#42 · 13 tackles
- RCBDJ Turner II#0 · 17 tackles · 5 PD
- LCBTacario Davis#20 · 13 tackles · 1 PD
- NBDax Hill#23 · 35 tackles · 5 PD
- SSJordan Battle#27 · 49 tackles · 3 INT · 6 PD
- FSBryan Cook#6 · 31 tackles · 0.5 sacks
Starters from each team's current depth chart (nflverse, from ESPN), drawn in the offense's base three-receiver set against the defense's base front. The nickel back, the extra defensive back most teams use against three receivers, is drawn lighter. Left and right are as the offense sees the field. The toggle at the top flips which offense is drawn.
| Stat | IND off | Favors IND · Favors CIN | CIN def allows | NFL avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | ||||
| EPA per play | -0.12#30 | -0.01#14 | +0.00 | |
| Success rate | 42%#21 | 44%#17 | 44% | |
| Yards per play | 4.5#31 | 5.8#25 | 5.4 | |
| Explosive play rate | 9%#22 | 11%#29 | 9% | |
| Passing | ||||
| Pass EPA per dropback | -0.22#30 | -0.01#11 | +0.03 | |
| Sack rate | 8%#23 | 9%#3 | 7% | |
| Running | ||||
| Run EPA per carry | +0.02#5 | -0.08#18 | -0.08 | |
| Yards per carry | 4.2#15 | 4.4#23 | 4.1 | |
| Money downs | ||||
| 3rd down conversion | 40%#18 | 48%#29 | 41% | |
| Red zone TD rate | 64%#13 | 42%#3 | 61% | |
| Targets by position | ||||
| WR yards per game | 129#24 | 142#15 | 147 | |
| TE yards per game | 38#25 | 89#31 | 55 | |
| TE targets per game | 8.4#9 | 9.6#30 | 7.6 | |
| RB receiving yards per game | 27#22 | 30#12 | 32 | |
Colts: EPA per throw
Bengals: EPA allowed per throw
Green gains more than expected, red loses value. Cells with fewer than 5 throws are grayed out.