Cincinnati @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 20, 2015 ) San Diego 19, Cincinnati 24

The Los Angeles Chargers attempt to move closer to securing an AFC playoff berth when they host the struggling Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. The Chargers have registered eight wins in their last nine games while Cincinnati has dropped four straight contests.

Los Angeles is one game behind first-place Kansas City in the AFC West and has a showdown with the Chiefs waiting four days after the matchup against the Bengals. "We can't look forward because that is how you lose games," Chargers cornerback Casey Hayward told reporters. "We have to make sure we are disciplined because those guys are pros, and if we sleep on them, they will beat us. We will focus on K.C. next week." Cincinnati is alive in the playoff race but has been fading in the wrong direction as it has lost by an average of 17.3 points during its skid. "We've got to play harder. From offense to defense, special teams, we've got to play harder," Bengals running back Joe Mixon told reporters. "We can't just let people come in and try to do whatever they want."

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Chargers -14. O/U: 47.5

ABOUT THE BENGALS (5-7): Cincinnati already was without Andy Dalton (thumb) for the season but now has lost standout receiver A.J. Green (toe) for the rest of the campaign, and that rates as a huge blow for fill-in quarterback Jeff Driskel. "Losing A.J. is a big deal," Driskel told reporters. "At the end of the day, we have other good players out there, and the coaches are going to do a good job of getting those guys in position to make plays. ... We're going to have to overcome and make some plays out there in his absence." A shaky defense has been a major problem as the Bengals rank last in the NFL in scoring defense (30.9 points) and total defense (433.1 yards).

ABOUT THE CHARGERS (9-3): Philip Rivers has passed for two or more touchdowns every game this season and is clicking well with wideout Keenan Allen (83 catches, 996 yards), who had 14 receptions for 148 yards in last Sunday's 33-30 win over Pittsburgh to fall one catch shy of matching the franchise mark he shares with Hall-of-Famer Kellen Winslow (1984). Running back Melvin Gordon (knee) likely will miss his second straight game and rookie Justin Jackson (eight carries, 63 yards versus Pittsburgh) is expected to receive more of the workload after Austin Ekeler struggled with just 21 yards on 13 carries. Safety Derwin James (three interceptions, 3.5 sacks) has been one of the top defensive rookies in the league while standout defensive end Joey Bosa has recorded three sacks in as many games since returning from a foot injury.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Bengals have won the last four meetings.

2. Los Angeles NT Brandon Mebane is back with the team after a two-game absence due to complications stemming from the premature birth of his daughter.

3. Cincinnati WR Tyler Boyd needs 62 yards for his first career 1,000-yard receiving season.

PREDICTION: Chargers 45, Bengals 23