The Cincinnati Bengals (5-4) return from their bye week and travel West to take on the Las Vegas Raiders (5-4) at Allegiant Stadium.
After dropping consecutive games to the New York Jets and the Cleveland Browns, the Bengals will be looking to get back on track as they begin an eight-game stretch that will determine if they make the postseason.
More:Joe Burrow discusses importance of Bengals vs. Raiders on Sunday, scouting his first half
In a lot of ways, the Raiders and Bengals seasons have mirrored one another so far. Both teams started the season hot and are both coming off back-to-back losses.
Winning Sunday's game is important for the Raiders for many reasons but most notably because of the current playoff picture landscape and how that could shake out moving forward.
Right now, Cincinnati and Las Vegas are on the bubble and if it came down to which team gets in at the end of the season, the head-to-head matchup will come in to play.
Here's how the Bengals get back on track and beat the Raiders:
Play clean football and limit turnovers on offense
Joe Burrow leads the NFL in interceptions with 11. Not all have been his fault, but it's far too many times the Bengals and Burrow are gifting the ball to their opponent. The Bengals are a hard offense to stop when they are clicking on all cylinders. In order for Cincinnati to go on the road and win in a hostile environment, cutting down on turnovers will be key.
More:Examining what the AFC playoff picture looks like for the Bengals following the bye week
Dial the pressure up on defense
The Bengals' biggest strength through the first seven games was the play of their defensive line. Defensive end Trey Hendrickson has been quiet in terms of his ability to create havoc on opponents' quarterbacks recently, I'd expect that to change.
More:Inside what makes Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo's defense distinctive
Look for Sam Hubbard, D.J. Reader and Larry Ogunjobi to lead the charge as the Bengals try and get after Derek Carr. Cincinnati needs its swagger back on defense and the players up front who set the tone.
Make Tyler Boyd the X-Factor
Cincinnati has the advantage on offense against Las Vegas, there's no question about it. The Raiders don't have enough to cover the three-headed monster the Bengals have at wide receiver in Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd.
More:What are the Cincinnati Bengals building on the offensive line to protect Joe Burrow?
Boyd is as automatic as they come and the trio has yet to play a complete game in which they all three dominate. When Boyd gets involved and is featured often, good things happen for this offense. Boyd's also a veteran who understands how to play in front of a large, rowdy crowd. If Boyd has a big game, I like the Bengals odds to win this game.
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