Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green recently called Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson the best in the NFL.
Now Green won’t have to worry about him in Week 5 next season.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Peterson is suspended for the first six games of the season for a violation of the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy. The star cornerback dropped his appeal.
Green and the Bengals host the Cardinals in Week 5. It looked like a winnable matchup before the Peterson news, but teams with rookie passers have given the Bengals problems in recent years.
Keep in mind this Week 5 matchup comes after the Bengals start the season on the road in three of four. They open in Seattle and starting in Week 3 make road trips for games against the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers.
In other words, Week 5 has always looked like something akin to a breaking point for Zac Taylor’s first season. If they aren’t winning road games, a game against the Cardinals at home is a chance to get back on track before again hitting the road to play Baltimore.
That pivotal Week 5 matchup, just the second home game of the year, just got a whole lot easier.
