Bengals @ Seahawks - 4 p.m.

By Adam Kiefaber

Quarterback: The Bengals clearly have the advantage at the quarterback position. However, the scary thing is that the Seahawks have the best QB that Cincinnati has faced so far this season in Matt Hasselbeck. It is scary, because the Bengals made Derek Anderson look like Joe Montana last weekend. Unlike Cincinnati, Seattle has solid depth behind its No.1 starter - Seneca Wallace and Charlie Frye are the backups. – ADVANTAGE BENGALS

Running Back: Seattle has one of best running back/fullback duos in the NFL. RB Shaun Alexander (right) had a record-breaking season in 2005, when he rushed for 1,880 yards and had 27 rushing touchdowns. FB Mack Strong is well respected among players and the fans. He could be the league’s best FB, but you have to figure that his name makes him overrated. I like Rudi Johnson, but Alexander is a bigger playmaker. Since ‘01, Alexander has broken 59 runs for 20 or more yards, while Rudi has only done that only 23 times. Backup Kenny Watson is a smart player and fullback Jeremi Johnson is one of the best in the AFC. Seattle’s backup RB Maurice Morris, who isn’t expected to play, rushed for 604 yards while Alexander was injured last season. - ADVANTAGE SEAHAWKS

Wide Receivers: Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh are both in their primes and currently make up one of the best wide-receiver duos in the NFL. Glenn Holt emerged as a solid option as the No.3 receiver. Tab Perry won’t play, but Antonio Chatman should play for the first time this season. Seattle’s best receiver is Deion Branch. Fellow starter D.J. Hackett will not play due to an ankle injury. Backups include Nate Burleson, Bobby Engram and Ben Obomanu. The Seahawks ’secret weapon’ could be Seneca Wallace, who has coach Mike Holmgren calling him his “ace in the hole”. – ADVANTAGE BENGALS

Offensive Line: Willie Anderson’s foot injury should almost be fully healed. Levi Jones isn’t even on the injury report, but that doesn’t mean he will start over Andrew Whitworth. Jones is playing the year with braces on both knees. Cincinnati should have starting center Eric Ghiaciuc back, which can only help. Due to all these injuries, the Bengals have developed great depth on the o-line. Seattle has one of the game’s best in offensive tackle Walter Jones. Offensive guard Rob Sims and C Chris Spencer are very young and unproven. OG Chris Gray is way past his prime. OT Sean Locklear is emerging into a solid tackle, but is currently battling injuries. Floyd ‘Pork Chop’ Womack is the top backup. Cincinnati has the better starting line and the better depth. – ADVANTAGE BENGALS

Defensive Line: This offseason, Seattle went out and helped out one of the team’s weakest spots, which was at defensive end. The Seahawks got DE Patrick Kerney, who already has two sacks this season, and right as the season was starting Seattle traded for DE Jason Babin. DE Darryl Tapp has the potential to be a great pass-rushing end. DTs Chuck Darby, Rocky Bernard and Craig Terrill are solid. I’m still a firm believer in DE Robert Geathers, who disappeared in the Cleveland game. Also, DE Justin Smith is due for a huge game. DTs Domata Peko, John Thornton and Michael Myers have played well. I know RB Jamal Lewis ran all over Cincy, but I believe most of the blame of that should be on the linebackers and the secondary. We could get our first look at DE Frostee Rucker for the first time during the regular season, but he probably won’t see the field unless someone gets injured. – EVEN

Linebackers: Seattle kills Cincinnati at the linebacking spot. Leroy Hill, Lofa Tatupu (left) and Julian Peterson make up one of the most underrated bunch of backers in the NFL. Hill has been banged up this season. Tatupu leads the team in tackles with 20 and Peterson continues to be a playmaker. Peterson has 14 tackles and two sacks. The Bengals linebacking core is depleted due to injury and lack of talent. Outside linebacker Rashad Jeanty, who doubles his duty as a rush end, will miss his third straight game. Starting middle linebacker Ahmad Brooks and OLB Lemar Marshall, who has been filling in for Jeanty, are both questionable and might not play. If they do play, they won’t be 100%. Caleb Miller looked terrible in the Cleveland game, overall he is a solid player that has a bad game every once in a while. Backup Anthony Schlegel doesn’t have much NFL experience. On Wednesday, the Bengals signed LB Dhani Jones, who might be thrown in the fire due to the lack of depth at the position. The only healthy LB Landon Johnson is a solid player, who like Geathers had a great Week One and a uneventful Week Two. - ADVANTAGE SEAHAWKS

Secondary: Safety Dexter Jackson has a banged-up knee and is questionable. S Chinedum Nduke’s hamstring isn’t fully healed and he could miss this weekend’s game. S Ethan Kilmer will miss his third straight game. The secondary was terrible against Cleveland, especially Leon Hall. Hopefully he learned a lot from getting burned play after play. CBs Deltha O’Neal and Johnthan Joseph better be pumped up. Seattle’s secondary is much better, but they do face better receivers than Cincinnati has to face. CB Marcus Trufant is a good corner, but he can’t cover Ocho Cinco one-on-one. CB Kelly Jennings could have a tough time with T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Safeties Deon Grant and Brian Russell are good, but are way past their primes. Backup Jordan Babineaux can fill in at corner and at safety. Second-round pick Josh Wilson is waiting to take over Jennings’ job. – ADVANTAGE SEAHAWKS

Special Teams: Shayne Graham can’t kick it past the 20 on kickoffs and I wouldn’t trust him with a kick over 30 yards until he stops crying after every kick. KR Glenn Holt is good returner and I can’t wait for PR Skyler Green to make a huge play. Green definitely has the skills, I just hope that Marvin Lewis doesn’t put Antonio Chatman back there. Nate Burleson is a proven return man, who the Bengals should make look like Devin Hester. Kicker Josh Brown and punter Ryan Plackemeier are solid. - ADVANTAGE SEAHAWKS

OVERALL BREAKDOWN:

Despite the Seahawks having a great running game (which always kills the Bengals), a much better defense (who doesn’t) and special teams that can tackle - I think the Bengals are going to win.

On paper the Seahawks have the better team right now and the game is in Seattle. However, since it doesn’t make sense that Cincinnati would win is why I’m picking it.

It didn’t make sense that Cincinnati beat Baltimore, it didn’t make sense that Cleveland beat Cincy and it didn’t make sense that Seattle lost to Arizona last weekend. So, it makes sense that the Bengals will win this week - Wait - Now, I’m completely confused.

I know Seattle lost a heartbreaker to Arizona last weekend, but the Bengals loss to the Brownies could be a season changer - what some might call a ‘wake up game’.

Cincinnati better wake up soon - or they will be 1-3 and at the bottom of the AFC North standings heading into the bye week.

FINAL SCORE: BENGALS 31, SEAHAWKS 28
A gimpy Shayne Graham limps onto a field to make a last-second field goal - and the Bengals win the game. The event will cause a traditional crowbar beat down on Graham’s kicking leg prior to every game. Teammates will be under the impression that Graham can only make game-winning field goals when he is injured.