The Bengals host the Philadelphia Eagles in this season's "White Bengal" game on Sunday at Paycor Stadium. The game kicks off at 1 p.m. ET on CBS/Paramount+. Here is what to watch for:

Battle of 2019 Heisman Finalists

Joe Burrow and Jalen Hurts quarterbacked LSU and Oklahoma, respectively, to the College Football Playoff in 2019, and culminated their breakout season with invitations to New York as finalists for the Heisman Trophy. They each were picked in the following April's NFL Draft, with Burrow going No. 1 overall to Cincinnati and Hurts selected in the second round (No. 53) by Philadelphia.

Now, they prepare to start a game against one another for the first time in their pro careers.

Since the start of the 2021 season, Burrow (106) and Hurts (110) are two of the five quarterbacks leaguewide with over 100 total touchdowns (passing and rushing). Both have carved out successful careers leaning on their different strengths, as Burrow since 2021 leads the NFL in completion percentage (68.9) and passer rating (102.2; minimum 1,000 attempts), while Hurts leads all quarterbacks in rushing touchdowns (42).

In the 2019 national semifinal, their lone collegiate matchup, Burrow's Tigers beat Hurts' Sooners 63-28. Burrow set College Football Playoff single-game records for passing yards (493) and touchdowns (seven).

Elite Wide Receiver Duos

The Bengals and Eagles boast two of the NFL's top receiving duos, and Cincinnati's Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins look to outduel Philadelphia's A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.

Chase and Higgins have combined for 707 receiving yards since Week 4, the most of any NFL teammates in that span. They also account for two of the five players leaguewide with 300+ receiving yards and 3+ touchdown catches during that stretch.

Chase leads all pass catchers this season in yards (620) and is tied for the lead in touchdowns (six). This marks the third season of his career that he has posted at least 600 receiving yards and six TDs over the first seven games, putting him alongside Pro Football Hall of Famers Jerry Rice, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens and Marvin Harrison as the only players in the Super Bowl era to do that three times.

Higgins has 75+ receiving yards in each of the last three games and has received the most targets of any Bengal since he made his season debut in Week 3. He has been notably productive when having to battle through tight coverage, as his six contested catches over the past three weeks are tied for the most in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus.

Brown and Smith each posted at least 80 receptions, 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns while averaging 12.5 yards per catch in both the 2022 and 2023 seasons. They are just the second pair of teammates ever to do that in consecutive years, joining Denver's Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas in 2012 and 2013.

Brown Family Reunion

Sunday's game features the first NFL matchup between twin brothers Chase and Sydney Brown. The London, Ontario natives were teammates at Saint Stephen's Episcopal School in Bradenton, Florida, and again at the University of Illinois from 2019-23. The Eagles selected Sydney in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, 97 picks before Chase heard his name called by the Bengals in the fifth round.

Chase is taking on an expanded role in the offense during his sophomore campaign, as he enters Week 8 leading Cincinnati in with 327 rushing yards on 66 carries. He made his first two career starts in Weeks 6 and 7, and has four touchdowns (three rushing, one receiving) over his last four games.

Sydney made his season debut in the Eagles' Week 7 win over the Giants, after spending the first six weeks on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list while recovering from a knee injury. He lined up for nine defensive snaps and 26 special teams snaps, and recorded a tackle in punt coverage.

Charlie's Encore

Charlie Jones is coming off his first career AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honor in recognition of his 100-yard kickoff return to open last Sunday's game at Cleveland. It was the longest return in the NFL this season and the first return of 100+ yards in the league's new Dynamic Kickoff.

Jones started the season primarily handling punt return duties, but took over as the Bengals' kick returner in Week 5 against the Ravens and so far has run back three kicks for 158 yards. His touchdown at Cleveland was the 13th TD on a kickoff return in Bengals history, and just the second ever to open a game following Brandon Wilson's 92-yarder at Baltimore in 2019.

Combining his 100-yarder in Week 7 with an 81-yard punt return touchdown in Week 2 of last season vs. Baltimore, Jones joined Lemar Parrish as the only players in team history to score touchdowns via punt and kick return during their Bengals career.

Defense Leveling Up

The Cincinnati defense has gotten several key contributors back from injuries in recent weeks and have utilized that depth to produce back-to-back dominant performances. The Bengals held the Giants (7) and Browns (14) to a combined 21 points, marking the first time they yielded 14 or fewer in consecutive games since Weeks 11-12 of the 2021 season.

The defense has forced at least one turnover in each of the last four games, the most recent coming at Cleveland when Sam Hubbard grabbed his first career interception and Geno Stone logged his first pick as a Bengal. Up front, Trey Hendrickson is putting together yet another Pro Bowl caliber season, becoming the sixth player in team history to record multiple sacks in consecutive games. Hendrickson's seven sacks on the season are tied for fourth-most in the NFL.

The dynamic linebacker duo of Germaine Pratt and Logan Wilson are anchoring the defensive unit, as their 71 tackles apiece are tied for third-most leaguewide. Pratt is coming off a 13-tackle performance against the Browns and has contributed to three takeaways this season (two fumble recoveries, one interception).

Return of the "White Bengal"

Cincinnati will wear the fan-favorite "White Bengal" helmet on Sunday for the fifth time since it was unveiled in 2022. The Bengals are 4-0 in their previous four games when wearing the helmet, including a 2-0 mark at home.

"White Bengal" wins in 2022 included a Thursday Night Football victory over Miami that was played in front of a Paycor Stadium record attendance figure of 67,260, and a Week 11 road win at Pittsburgh in which Burrow threw for 355 yards — 148 of which went to Higgins. In 2023, the Bengals wore their white helmet for a pair of Monday Night Football victories, first against the Rams in Week 3 and then in a Week 13 overtime thriller at Jacksonville.

The Bengals will once again paint the end zones and midfield logo white for Sunday's game, and are encouraging fans to create a stadium-wide white out environment by wearing white apparel.

Check out the Bengals 2024 Schedule.