TODAY’S GAME
Raiders at Bengals, 1 p.m., 102.7, 104.7, 700
Series Stats
— The Raiders lead the all-time series 20-8, including 2-0 in the postseason
— The 20 wins are the most by any team that has never been a division opponent of the Bengals
— The .714 winning percentage is the third highest against the Bengals (49ers .786; Dolphins .750).
— The most recent meeting came in 2009 when the Raiders won 20-17 in Oakland to snap a five-game Bengals winning streak
— The Bengals are 7-6 against the Raiders in games played in Cincinnati
— Four of the last seven games in the series have been decided by exactly three points, while another was settled by six
The Cincinnati Bengals have spent the better part of the past week dedicating themselves to getting their hands on No. 3.
But it’s not the No. 3 stitched on the jersey of Oakland Raiders quarterback Carson Palmer that they’ll be after as much as the number three, as in wins in a row.
Although it’s doubtful any Bengals would mind if there happens to be a few up-close, high-impact rendezvous along the way with their former teammate who demanded a trade last year and said he would rather retire than play for the Bengals again.
“Sure it’s a neat experience for the city, and for Carson it’s unique,” said Bengals offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth, who spent the first five years of his career protecting Palmer’s back.
“But we still have a long way to go to dig ourselves out of the hole we got ourselves in, and our focus is beating the Oakland Raiders,” Whitworth continued. “It’s not just talk. It’s really the truth. Nobody has talked about (Palmer).”
Sitting at 5-5 after a 3-5 start, the Bengals are one game behind Indianapolis and Pittsburgh in the wildcard race. So losing at home to a 3-7 Raiders team would be devastating regardless of who is playing quarterback.
“We moved on past the Carson situation a while back,” said safety Chris Crocker, who played with Palmer for three seasons.
“It’s not really about that,” Crocker added. “If they were coming in here and they were 7-3, it would be a different story. But we feel that we’re a better team, on paper and on the football field. So we’ve got to go out there and prove it.”
While the Bengals are adamant about not making it personal, the fact remains that stopping Palmer is the key to beating the Raiders.
Palmer entered the week with the most passing yards (3,035) and attempts (415) among AFC quarterbacks, numbers that put him on pace for careers highs.
He’s recorded three consecutive 300-yard games for the first time in his career, but the Raiders have lost all three games.
“He’s definitely letting the ball go,” cornerback Nate Clements said. “He’s slinging it a lot. I know the defense, and especially the secondary, the guys are anxious for the challenge. That gives us more chances to make plays.”
The 32-year-old Palmer still has a strong arm and still takes a lot of shots down the field. But he has thrown 11 interceptions this season, including at least one in each of the last six games after only throwing two through the first four.
“He’s the same great quarterback as he was when he played with the Bengals,” Cincinnati linebacker Rey Maualuga said. “He’s going to do whatever he can to make sure he gets this win. We have to make sure we get around his feet and get him to throw the ball and cause some turnovers.”
Earlier this week Oakland ruled out running back Darren McFadden for a third consecutive game, but that doesn’t mean the Raiders will rely solely on Palmer’s right arm.
Marcel Reese, a former wide receiver turned tight end turned fullback turned tailback, has emerged a threat out of the Oakland backfield after rushing for 103 yards last week to go along with 90 receiving yards.
Even with that performance, the Raiders still rank 31st of 32 NFL teams in rushing this season, averaging only 81 yards per game, which is why Palmer has been forced to throw the ball more than ever in his career.
Oakland also has struggled on defense, allowing a league-worst 32.2 points per game, including 45 per contest during the current three-game losing streak. The Raiders have just 11 sacks this season, and their pass rush will be further hampered today by the absence of injured defensive lineman Richard Seymour.
“Teams have hit some big plays on them,” Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton said. “They have given up a lot of points. When we get our chances, we’ve got to hit them. That’s going to be the emphasis.”
Dalton said he has never spoken with Palmer, even though the two officially were teammates for a few months last year. Most of the Bengals said they like Palmer as a person and plan to say hello in pregame warmups.
But after that, No. 3 is going to be standing in the way of number three.
“I don’t think it’s more personal,” Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said. “Every game we play is personal to us. We put ourselves in the situation where there are playoff opportunities involved and implications for us over the next six weeks, and the last two after the loss to the Broncos. In order to win the division, we have to win each game, and then whatever happens after that happens. Our guys realize that, and this is the next week coming.”
Giving thanks
All three home teams lost on Thursday, and since 2009 the road teams actually hold a 20-15 edge against the home teams during Thanksgiving week.
There are challenges and distractions presented by the players having a bunch of family in town while trying to prepare for a game, but Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said he prefers to have home games during the holiday week.
“I think it’s good for our players, knock on wood,” he said. “It keeps them centered and focused right where they need to be. It makes it a comfortable week for them, much more than it would be if they were home alone.”
Under Lewis, the Bengals are 5-1 in Thanksgiving week home games.
One up, one down
Wide receiver Andrew Hawkins is listed as doubtful with a knee injury that likely will keep out of a second consecutive game. But rookie wide receiver Marvin Jones was a full participant in practice this week for the first time since injuring his knee Oct. 21 against Pittsburgh and is likely to play a significant role against the Raiders.
Fellow rookie Mohamed Sanu has emerged as the primarly threat opposite A.J. Green with receiving touchdowns in each of the last two games, while tight end Jermaine Gresham also has come up big in the three games since the bye. Jones adds a deep threat to the mix, which is an area where the Raiders have struggled of late.
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