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Top 5 Bengals vs. Colts Matchups To Watch In Week 7

Top 5 Bengals vs. Colts Matchups to Watch in Week 7

Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts, Marvin Lewis
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Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis must've thought his team had a charmed season in store after a 3-0 start, but two consecutive weeks of porous defense have to force Lewis to assert his presence more directly. That is especially relevant to the top five matchups between the Bengals and their Week 7 opponent in the Indianapolis Colts.

5. D'Qwell Jackson vs. Cincinnati Bengals' Running Backs

Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts, D'Qwell Jackson
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5. D'Qwell Jackson vs. Cincinnati Bengals' Running Backs

Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts, D'Qwell Jackson
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Indianapolis Colts linebacker D'Qwell Jackson is no stranger to the Cincinnati Bengals from his time with the Cleveland Browns, but Jackson has yet to face Bengals running back Jeremy Hill as the complement to Giovani Bernard. How Jackson handles the Bengals' running game will be one of the key matchups of the Week 7 clash between the two AFC powerhouses.

4. Vontaze Burfict vs. the Indianapolis Colts' Running Backs

Cincinnati Bengals, Vontaze Burfict, Indianapolis Colts
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4. Vontaze Burfict vs. the Indianapolis Colts' Running Backs

Cincinnati Bengals, Vontaze Burfict, Indianapolis Colts
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Vontaze Burfict may be drawing heat for twisting ankles after tackles, but make no mistake; the Cincinnati Bengals' linebacker kamikaze won't let up in the key Week 7 matchup between him and the Indianapolis Colts' running back tandem of Ahmad Bradshaw and Trent Richardson.

3. Mohamed Sanu vs. Indianapolis Colts' Secondary

Cincinnati Bengals, Mohamed Sanu, Indianapolis Colts
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3. Mohamed Sanu vs. Indianapolis Colts' Secondary

Cincinnati Bengals, Mohamed Sanu, Indianapolis Colts
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The Indianapolis Colts would prefer to have cornerback Vontae Davis paired up against Cincinnati Bengals' No. 1 receiver Mohamed Sanu, but how the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Sanu fares against the mismatches he gets from the Colts' secondary could go a long way in determining the outcome of the potential AFC championship game preview.

2. T.Y. Hilton vs. Cincinnati Bengals' Secondary

Indianaoplis Colts, T.Y. Hilton, Cincinnati Bengals
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2. T.Y. Hilton vs. Cincinnati Bengals' Secondary

Indianaoplis Colts, T.Y. Hilton, Cincinnati Bengals
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T.Y. Hilton is on the cusp of a truly spectacular season, and there's no reason to believe that his 2014 success won't continue against Cincinnati Bengals' bracket coverage or man-on-man defense by a trio of Bengals' cornerbacks in Adam Jones, Leon Hall and the 36-year-old Terence Newman.

1. Andy Dalton vs. Andrew Luck

Cincinnati Bengals, Andy Dalton, Indianapolis Colts
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1. Andy Dalton vs. Andrew Luck

Cincinnati Bengals, Andy Dalton, Indianapolis Colts
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The key matchup in the Week 7 AFC clash between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Indianapolis Colts will most likely come down to the individual performances of Bengals QB Andy Dalton and Colts' superstar Andrew Luck. How Dalton handles the pressure of another big game without A.J. Green will determine how the Bengals fare against the stampeding Colts.

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