The Bengals will give the ball to Rudi Johnson early and often. The Colts are allowing 176.5 yards rushing per game and 5.4 yards per carry. Johnson (1,054 yards rushing) should get 25+ carries and the Bengals are 17-0 when Johnson totes the rock at least 25 times in a game. Don’t think for a minute that Carson Palmer won’t be coming after the Colts secondary too. Chad Johnson (77 rec, 1,247 yards) and TJ Houshmandzadeh (73 rec, 894 yards) should have big games on Monday Night. Chris Henry will be the secret weapon for Palmer as he has caught 7 TDs this season.

The Colts would love to try to pound Joseph Addai (867 yards rushing) and Dominic Rhodes (532 yards rushing) at the interior of the Bengals defense which has allowed 109.0 yards rushing per game and 4.2 yards per carry. The Colts would be smart to run the ball to keep the Bengals offense on the sideline, because the Bengals might score every time they get the ball. The Bengals are giving up 238.5 net yards passing per game, so Peyton Manning (3,628 yards passing) should get his yards as long as the Colts line keeps him clean. Marvin Harrison (74 rec, 1,094 yards) and Reggie Wayne (70 rec, 1,129 yards) should have big games.

This should be a shoot-out similar to last seasons contest won by the Colts 45-37. I have a feeling that the Bengals are going to turn the tables on them this time and win the game.

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