CINCINNATI -- There's still about three months until the start of the regular season.
Still, it isn't too early to start previewing the Cincinnati Bengals' year by looking at the past and seeing how they fared against the teams they will be facing. Whether they last saw their upcoming opponents one year ago or four, and whether they faced them in the regular season or playoffs, there could be something to learn from those meetings.
We began with the first team on the Bengals' 2015 schedule, the Oakland Raiders. Next came the San Diego Chargers. Next came the Baltimore Ravens. Next came the Kansas City Chiefs. Now, we continue with team No. 5, the Seattle Seahawks.
In their most recent outing against the Seahawks, the Bengals showcased the definition of bend-but-don't-break defense, and got touchdowns from all three phases of the game in a Halloween-eve rout on the road:
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Date of 2015 meeting: Oct. 11, in Cincinnati
Seahawks' 2014 record: 12-4
All-time series: Bengals lead 10-9
Last time Bengals faced Seahawks: Cincinnati won, 34-12, on Oct. 30, 2011
How the game was won: Most times when a team gives up 411 yards on defense in a game in which its own offense collects just 252 yards, you would expect it to come out on the losing end -- by a pretty wide margin. That didn't happen the last time the Bengals faced the Seahawks. As poor as their defense played at times in this game, and as mediocre a showing as quarterback Andy Dalton had in only his seventh career start, the Bengals still came out on top by 22 points.
Although Dalton had tow interceptions, he still connected for a pair of touchdown passes -- to receivers A.J. Green and Jerome Simpson, respectively. Brandon Tate also had the only punt return for a touchdown of his career in the win, and safety Reggie Nelson closed out the game's final minute with a 75-yard interception return for a touchdown. The pass was practically thrown right to Nelson. All he needed was one block along the right sideline from defensive end Michael Johnson to give him enough space to take back the touchdown that gave the Bengals the three-possession win.
What was so amazing about the lopsided final score was the fact that the Bengals actually didn't play all that well defensively. They gave up 375 passing yards to Tavaris Jackson, who was playing quarterback one year before Russell Wilson was drafted. The Seahawks also moved the ball fairly well, compiling drives of 50, 64, 79 and 84 yards. Three of those led to scores -- two field goals and a touchdown. What helped the Bengals' defense avoid breaking was a series of turnovers and sacks. Along with Nelson's interception, Cincinnati forced and recovered a fumble, and also recorded four sacks.
This year's key storyline: The Seattle team the Bengals will be facing this time around will be much different than the one they saw in 2011 that went 7-9 for a second consecutive year. Since 2012, the Seahawks have been to the Super Bowl twice, winning one, and losing another on a late-game decision to pass on the goal line instead of handing it to running back Marshawn Lynch. With Wilson behind center, the Seahawks are a much better team. The Bengals can't afford to bend much defensively in this meeting.
One thing they can replicate from the 2011 game, though, is the way they played against Lynch. The running back was held to just 24 yards on 16 carries the last time out. If the Bengals can similarly stop him this time around, they could win big again.