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All the latest news and talk about the Cincinnati Bengals

You’re Not Mad at Zac Taylor’s Playcalling

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You’re not mad at Zac Taylor’s playcalling. At least, you probably shouldn’t be. What a preposterous thing to say, right? An offense of Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, and Joe Mixon, among others, is averaging just 21.6 points per game. They rank 22nd in the league in yards per game. They have 12 drives that were three-and-outs through their first five games. The offense has not been good in 2022, at least not consistently. And as the fanbase reacts to another close loss to a divisional opponent in Week 5, the cries for Coach to relinquish his playcalling duties grow even louder. But you’re wrong.

The Progress

While the offense has fallen short of expectations so far, that does not mean there have not been meaningful changes and progress from last year. For a team that converted just 26.0% of their short yardage situations last year (0-3 yards to go), they have seen a substantial improvement in that area, now converting at a 34.5% clip which is good for 2nd in the league. 

Additionally, we have seen Ja’Marr taking more snaps from the slot this year. Chase saw 26 targets from the slot across 17 regular season games in 2021. That number is already up to 17 slot targets through five games this year, according to SIS. We have also seen Ja’Marr motion into the backfield and receive both targets and carries from that alignment. These efforts to get Chase moved around the formation and get space are not always successful plays, but the process is there.

Even in-season, we have seen Zac Taylor’s playcalling evolve. In Week 2, 72% of the snaps from under center were run plays, including an astounding 15/17 in the second half. In Week 5, Joe Burrow only took 7 snaps from under center, with four runs (including a sneak) and three pass attempts. The predictability of going under center on every first down and running wide zone has dissipated and given way to more shotgun handoffs. 

Beyond just the shift to more shotgun snaps, even for running plays, we have seen Zac Taylor attempt more gadget plays to ignite the offense. In Week 4, Tyler Boyd’s 23-yard completion to Ja’Marr Chase converted a key third down on a drive that ultimately ended in three points and gave Cincinnati the lead. In Week 5, the ‘Philly Special’ had an unspectacular result, but it DID display some outside the box thinking from Taylor. 

Week 5 also showed a change in playcalling to quick passes to get the ball into the hands of your playmakers and let them run after the catch. After totaling eight screen passes in Weeks 1-4, Coach Taylor dialed up six screens in Week 5 alone. And again, while the results were not explosive, they showed a willingness to try new ways to get the ball out and stay ahead of the chains.

The Player Execution

While Zac Taylor hasn’t been perfect by any means, the player execution has left a lot to be desired as well. Let’s start with the running game. To kick off the season, Joe Mixon was one of seven running backs in NFL history to have at least 80 carries and average fewer than 2.7 YPC in his team’s first 4 games. While the volume was there, the efficiency clearly was not. Mixon has struggled getting consistent yardage, ranking fourth-worst in the league in Rushing Yards Over Expectation. Not only has he not gained the yardage blocked for him, he rarely makes defenders miss to get the extra yards. Mixon ranks dead last in PFF’s Elusive Rating among running backs with at least 50 carries, meaning he rarely forces any missed tackles. While playcalling can certainly impact a running back, Mixon hasn’t done much to help himself.

Joe Burrow also has started a bit slow out of the gates. In addition to the five turnovers in Week 1, Joe has at times held the ball far too long, resulting in sacks. At other times he has rushed to his checkdown and missed open receivers. And in Week 5, he had three passes batted down at the line of scrimmage. Burrow should only become more comfortable as the season progresses and the offensive line continues to gel, but thus far we have seen some uncharacteristic mistakes from Joe that have contributed to the offensive woes.

Here’s Your Problem

A Head Coach bears the brunt of the responsibility when the team underachieves, and usually doesn’t receive enough praise when the team overachieves. That comes with the territory. But the outcry over Taylor’s playcalling after Week 5 are simply overblown. You are upset with the results, but blaming the process. If you separate the two, you can see how the process is improving. Improving season over season, week to week. The results are inconsistent and until the offense clicks more often than not, it will remain a pain point for fans. Does Zac Taylor lack situational awareness at times? Certainly. But situational awareness is also separate from playcalling. If we trust the process is moving in the right direction and believe in the players to clean up their execution, we should expect the results to follow shortly thereafter.

Preseason Week 2: The Good, Bad, and Nothing Too Ugly

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As the second of three preseason games concludes, the roster begins to take shape just a bit more. After the loss to the Giants in New York, here are some takeaways as the season grows closer:

The Good

Daxton Hill

You cannot begin to discuss Week 2 of the preseason without mentioning the play of Daxton Hill. Last week, we saw his versatility on display, and he nearly came down with an interception in the end zone. This week, he was able to make a diving play on a tip-drill interception that ended a Giants drive that had entered Bengals territory.

That wasn’t even the most impressive play from Dax in this game, in my opinion. On the very first drive, quarterback Daniel Jones made a throw into the flat on 3rd&5. We saw Dax Hill quickly process what was happening, then FLY to the ball, closing ground quickly and making an impressive open field tackle to stop the receiver short of the sticks. The drive resulted in a turnover on downs and showed yet again the athleticism Hill possesses. It certainly appears the first round pick is ready to make an impact for the Bengals defense sooner rather than later.

Cordell Volson

By all accounts, Volson had an up and down performance working as the Left Guard for the entirety of the game. However, save for one rough sequence in the first half, Volson was solid enough. Coupled with Jackson Carman’s struggles last week and absence from the entire week past of practice, Volson appears to now have the inside track for the starting LG job. Assuming Carman gets healthy enough to return to practice this week, he will likely get another crack at the starting role. The third and final preseason game could be the last opportunity for these two to duke it out and see who wins the job outright.

CB and WR Depth

For the second week in a row, Trent Taylor made some plays at receiver, and an undrafted free agent splashed. One week after Kendric Pryor put up a 4/89/1 line, it was Kwamie Lassiter’s turn to impress with a 7/91 performance. It remains to be seen how many receivers the Bengals hold on their active roster this season, but the early returns on these depth guys is promising.

At cornerback, both Allen George and Jalen Davis were impressive again, albeit largely against backups. George had three pass breakups, and Davis was second on the team with eight tackles. Chidobe Awuzie and Eli Apple are the unquestioned starters, but adding George, Davis, and rookie Cam Taylor-Britt to the mix helps provide depth at a key defensive position.

Clay Johnston

I don’t think Johnston was really on the roster bubble regardless, but his showing against the Giants was impressive nonetheless. In addition to 20(!) tackles (16 of which were of the solo variety), Johnston played nearly half of the special teams snaps, adding to his versatility. While we may not see much of Johnston at linebacker this season, there is something to be said about the confidence that backups can perform if thrust into action.

The Bad

Penalties, Penalties, Penalties

I refuse to overreact to the number of penalties the Bengals have committed thus far in the preseason as we are playing less experienced guys with the purpose of getting valuable game reps. But after committing 11 penalties for 104 yards last week, the Bengals again shot themselves in the foot with eight more mishaps in Week 2. D’Ante Smith in particular struggled, committing multiple holding infractions, however, that is not too worrisome considering he is just working his way back from injury. I fully expect the starters to be more disciplined once the regular season begins and return to being one of the least penalized teams in the league, but for now we have to potentially endure another week of penalties that kill drives.

The biggest storylines to come between now and September 11th will likely be 1) the results from the Rams-Bengals joint practices this week, and 2) the perhaps surprising cuts still to be made. I for one cannot wait for the reports of Ja’Marr Chase carving up Jalen Ramsey once again.

Preseason Week 1: The Good, Bad, and Ugly

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Week 1 of the preseason is in the books for the Bengals, and as evidenced by the 60,000+ fans in attendance at Paycor Stadium, football has been missed. So what can we glean from the first organized, glorified practice in mid-August?

The Good

Joe Burrow is Back! (kinda)

After doing very little physical activity while recovering from an appendectomy, Joey B was on the field running sprints pre-game. While any preseason action is unnecessary, if Burrow can return to practice in the next week or so, he should have plenty of time to get back into tip-top condition prior to Week 1 on September 11th.

Jessie Bates is Back! (kinda)

No, Jessie has not signed his franchise tender. He was, however, in the stadium rooting on his teammates from a suite. Does it mean anything? Maybe, or maybe not. But for anyone debating Bates’ leadership and desire to play for this team in 2022, it was a resounding message. It seems his return to the team could be imminent. 

The Young Bulls on Defense

Multiple times, rookies Zach Carter, Jeff Gunter, and Dax Hill flashed impressive playmaking ability. Gunter finished the day with a sack as well as a pass deflection on a screen pass. Carter also had a pass deflection to go along with his four tackles, and Dax Hill narrowly missed making an insanely athletic interception in the end zone. The future is bright for this team, and the defense is no exception.

The Bad

Brandon Allen Suffers an Injury

Allen was knocked out of the game after just three pass attempts and was later diagnosed with a concussion. With Burrow missing practices the past couple of weeks, Allen has been an integral part in keeping the offense on track throughout training camp. If Allen is to miss time, and Burrow is not yet ready to return, the Bengals would be relying on their QB3 to keep things moving throughout camp.

The Ugly

The (Backup) Offensive Line is Offensive

Granted, the Bengals were playing just one “starter” along the line in Jackson Carman, but the backups struggled mightily. Isaiah Prince allowed a strip sack, Hakeem Adeniji was regularly beat at multiple positions along the line, and Carman himself played poorly. Bengals fans are hopeful the new additions along the line, along with Jonah Williams’ continued development are able to mask whatever deficiencies exist at the Left Guard position. However, the depth is a very real concern, as one injury could force any of these reserves into action and Burrow back into survival mode.

The Bengals will be back at it again Sunday, August 21st against the New York Giants for preseason game #2.

Is Tyler Linderbaum the Pick to Make at 31?

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For the first time in three seasons, the Cincinnati Bengals’ first round selection is not set in stone as the NFL Draft approaches. In 2020, Joe Burrow was the sure-fire number one pick, and while there was some lively debate around the fifth overall selection last season, Ja’Marr Chase became the betting favorite as draft day grew closer. Thanks to a Super Bowl run in 2021 followed by a busy offseason of key free agent signings, there are a few different directions the team could go at pick 31. In this series, we will make a case for the Bengals attacking specific position groups with their first round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Protect the Franchise

One hundred and two. 1-0-2. That’s how many sacks Joe Burrow has taken in just 30 career games in Cincinnati. After the horrendous knee injury in 2020, and the obvious impact a poor offensive line had on the entire offense in 2021, upgrading that position group is a no brainer. Thankfully, the Bengals addressed a few of those questions via free agency, signing Alex Cappa, Ted Karras, and La’el Collins. All three of those players represent significant improvements over the incumbents, and immediately make the 2022 version of the offensive line much more serviceable. Is it enough, however?

First, you have to define ‘enough.’ Will the line be better as currently constructed? Of course. Both Joe Burrow and Joe Mixon should benefit greatly from those improvements with Burrow showing just how lethal he can be when given a clean pocket.

But let’s not overlook that additional work could be needed to shore up the line long term. At left tackle, Jonah Williams has a team option for 2023 and would need a new deal if the Bengals hope to keep him locked into protecting Burrow’s blind side. Left guard remains a major question mark, with Quinton Spain unsigned and Jackson Carman set to compete for the starting role. Karras is slated to start at center, where he played predominantly in 2019 and 2020 before sliding over to LG last season. Cappa and Collins anchor the right side for the next few seasons, with both signed to multi-year deals.

With LG being the only obvious question mark entering 2022, the Bengals could choose to give their second round pick from last season an entire year to earn a long term role in that spot. Drafting for depth then becomes the other glaring need at that time, with current backups Isaiah Prince, Hakeem Adeneniji, D’Ante Smith, and Lamont Gaillard all being unproven as dependable options. While drafting for ‘depth’ at pick 31 isn’t necessarily ideal, there are some intriguing options that could immediately push for a starter role. What Bengals fans should avoid though is assuming offensive line is no longer a need simply because of the moves made this offseason.

The Possible Options

One popular pick amongst fans is the center from Iowa, Tyler Linderbaum. Linderbaum is the consensus top center in the draft, and his play at Iowa was elite. Additionally, his testing numbers from his pro day were absurd.

Linderbaum profiles as a ‘can’t miss’ prospect with a very high floor and Pro Bowl ceiling. Selecting him at 31 would slide Karras to LG and guarantee that the offensive line would be improved at 4/5 positions (Jonah Williams notwithstanding). So then why is Linderbaum starting to fall into the 2nd round of some mock drafts? For one, the center position is not a premier position in football. Generally speaking, the tackle position is the most important, and guards are likely of greater value than centers. Secondly, Linderbaum lacks versatility. The beauty of players like Ted Karras is their ability to move around the offensive line as needs emerge or other situations dictate. Linderbaum is a center now, and likely solely a center going forward. 

If the Bengals still want to address the offensive line and Linderbaum is not an option, Kenyon Green is a possibility. Green provides versatility, having played at multiple positions along the offensive line at Texas A&M, as well as stellar performance. While Green is usually off the board by pick 31, if he were to slide just a bit, the Bengals would have to strongly consider selecting the former Aggie.

If you missed the previous installments of the series, check out the arguments to be made for the Bengals drafting a defensive back or defensive lineman at pick 31. You can follow Taylor on Twitter, @_taylorcornell.

The Bengals Need Pass Rushers in the 2022 NFL Draft

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For the first time in three seasons, the Cincinnati Bengals’ first round selection is not set in stone as the NFL Draft approaches. In 2020, Joe Burrow was the sure-fire number one pick, and while there was some lively debate around the fifth overall selection last season, Ja’Marr Chase became the betting favorite as draft day grew closer. Thanks to a Super Bowl run in 2021 followed by a busy offseason of key free agent signings, there are a few different directions the team could go at pick 31. In this series, we will make a case for the Bengals attacking specific position groups with their first round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.

The Pressure is On

Cincinnati struck gold along the defensive line last season, with newcomers making an impact week in and week out. Free agent addition Trey Hendrickson led the team in nearly every pressure metric, including 14 sacks. Larry Ogunjobi was third on the team with seven sacks, and tied for the team lead with 12 tackles for loss. Preseason addition B.J. Hill notched 5.5 sacks, and added a key interception against the Kansas Chiefs in the AFC Championship. Sam Hubbard and D.J. Reader rounded out the Bengals defensive line that for the most part showed to be a strength of the team, especially when it came to stopping the run. However, the defensive front was not the most consistent unit on a weekly basis.

Cincinnati ranked 14th in pressure rate, and were fortunate to win five of their six games last season when sacking the opposing quarterback one or fewer times. That .833 winning percentage was tops in the league, and only four other teams had a winning percentage over .500 in those scenarios. While Joseph Ossai is slated to return in 2022 coming off knee surgery which ended his rookie season before it began, expecting him to be a star in Year 1 is dangerous (even if his 2021 preseason was superb). Ogunjobi is currently not in the fold for 2022, so defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo will be looking to add playmakers to the line in the draft.

Potential Options

Edge appears to be a rather deep position group in the 2022 NFL Draft, so the Bengals may elect to wait until the middle rounds to add another pass rusher. However, pass rushers like Arnold Ebikete (Penn State) and Boye Mafe (Minnesota) could be good value at pick 31, especially since neither will likely be on the board in the second round at pick 62. If Cincinnati prefers to focus on beefing up the interior of the line, Travis Jones (Connecticut) could be in play. The real value would be in rounds two and onward, unless one of the top pass-rushers free fall into Cincinnati’s lap.

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Should the Bengals Select a Cornerback in Round 1 of the 2022 NFL Draft?

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For the first time in three seasons, the Cincinnati Bengals’ first round selection is not set in stone as the NFL Draft approaches. In 2020, Joe Burrow was the sure-fire number one pick, and while there was some lively debate around the fifth overall selection last season, Ja’Marr Chase became the betting favorite as draft day grew closer. Thanks to a Super Bowl run in 2021 followed by a busy offseason of key free agent signings, there are a few different directions the team could go at pick 31. In this series, we will make a case for the Bengals attacking specific position groups with their first round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.

The Case for Drafting a Cornerback

The Bengals defense was a strength overall last season, even if they finished middle of the pack in points allowed per game, and allowed the 7th most passing yards in the league. Chidobe Awuzie was exceptional replacing William Jackson, scoring the third-highest coverage grade according to PFF (among cornerbacks that played at least 300 snaps). Eli Apple was a lightning rod for criticism throughout the season, but was solid starting opposite Awuzie. Mike Hilton was steady in the slot, per usual, and contributed some exciting moments throughout the season. 

With all three starting corners returning in 2022, why is cornerback a potential option at pick 31? For one, Eli Apple signed just a one-year deal this offseason at replacement-level salary. If he plays as well as he did last season, that’s great, but it’s unlikely that the 7th year pro is a key part of the defense for years to come. Secondly, while Awuzie was excellent last year, it did represent a career-year for him from a coverage grade perspective. Chido is unlikely to further progress into a lock-down corner in his sixth season, but more likely remains a good to sometimes great defender for the remainder of his contract. Mike Hilton has never played more than 28 snaps at outside corner in his career. A need exists for another reliable outside corner to at worst challenge Apple this season, and hopefully claim the starting role sooner rather than later.

The Possible Options

With top cornerbacks Ahmad ‘Sauce’ Gardner and Derek Stingley certain to be off the board long before 31, the most likely considerations at that position are Andrew Booth Jr. (Clemson), Kaiir Elam (Florida), Roger McCreary (Auburn), and Kyler Gordon (Washington) among others. Snagging one of those players would set up the defense nicely for a CB2 camp battle with the hopes of a long-term solution emerging.

Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert face off for the first time in the NFL

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The Cincinnati Bengals host the Los Angeles Chargers Sunday in a critical AFC matchup with many playoff implications riding on the outcome.

This will be the first time former first pick in the 2020 NFL Draft takes on Justin Herbert, who was the 6th pick in that same draft. Last season, When Joe Burrow made his NFL debut in Week 1, it was against the Chargers although, Tyrod Taylor was the starter. Not Herbert yet.

This Sunday will be their first head-to-head matchup in the NFL, and with both teams playing meaningful football in the first week of December, this has the chance to be the biggest game of each team’s season up to this point.

Herbert and Burrow have set themselves apart from all the other quarterbacks. They were each selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft and not only have they had remarkably consistent and astounding play, but they have turned around two franchises who each were bottom ten teams in a year and a half and have led each team into playoff contention with a few more victories this season.

In 11 games this season, Burrow has 22 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 2,835 passing yards, 69.3 competition percentage, and 76.8 quarterback rating. 

Herbert has 24 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 3,230 passing yards, a 66.0 competition percentage, and a 65.8 quarterback rating.

Regardless, if there is a rivalry between these two, they will always be compared to each other, coming out of the same class. With their early success, it is easy to pick these two out of a hat and judge them against each other even though they are both off to incredible starts to their careers.

If the Bengals lose, they could switch places with the Chargers and fall to the 7th seed while Los Angeles moves into the 5th seed. However, if the Bengals can escape with a victory, they could create a sizable lead for the top wild-card spot or sit atop the AFC North if the Ravens lose to the Steelers.

With a Chargers loss, they would fall to 6-6 and could potentially fall out of the top seven if the Denver Broncos can get a Sunday night win over the Chiefs. The fact of the matter is that the importance of who wins is vital.

For each of these young quarterbacks to be playing in important games this late in the season is eye-opening considering where these teams were last season and considering Burrow’s coming off a severe knee injury. But here we are and this has the potential to be an extremely competitive game with a lot of people tuning in.

The Cincinnati Bengals Path To The Playoffs

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This question could be answered simply with “win football games,” and that’s true; the Bengals will have to turn this next stretch of games into wins, but what is the process in doing that? How can the Cincinnati Bengals put themselves in the best position possible as a team to make a playoff run in one of the tightest and most challenging divisions in football.

The Bengals have one of the toughest schedules coming up through the second half of the season, but that is no excuse because the Steelers, Ravens, and Browns have extremely tough schedules as well. Luckily, the Bengals are already 2-1 within the division, which gives them an upper hand in tiebreakers. But with division games still to play against all three teams, it only goes a long way if they can pull out wins again against these opponents.

This past week, the Bengals defeated the Las Vegas Raiders to improve to 6-4 in a very critical conference matchup. The Raiders, a lot like the Bengals, have been a very inconsistent team this year. Some weeks they look as if they can hang with and beat anybody in the NFL, and other weeks, they look like an average team who isn’t ready to compete yet. Both teams were on two-game skids, which means the motivation from each side was high. Down the course of the year, the Bengals winning this game could play a profound role in how the wild card and playoff race shake out if records remain as close as they are right now.

The Bengals stretch of games to end the season now include

– Pittsburgh Steelers (5-4-1) 

– Los Angeles Chargers (6-4) 

– San Francisco 49ers (5-5)

– at Denver Broncos (5-5)

– Baltimore Ravens (7-3) 

– Kansas City Chiefs (7-4)

– at Cleveland Browns (6-5)

Every team on the Bengals upcoming schedule currently has a .500 or better record and still presents a lot of talent on both sides of the ball.

The Bengals need to get back to some of what they were doing through the first seven weeks. Forget about Week 8 and Week 9. Instead, do the little things, play for one another, wrap up and tackle, make intelligent decisions, stay disciplined, and most importantly, stay level-headed. No win is more significant than the next one.

As a young football team, that will be the biggest key for the team to remember. A big win against a good team or a win against a lousy team results in the same outcome. It puts a W in the win column and helps the team get closer to reaching their goals. And as we’ve seen countless times this year, any team can be beaten on any given day or night regardless of record.

The Bengals have seen it first hand losing to the lowly Jets. The Titans, Bills, Ravens, and other teams have also experienced it. Cincinnati will need to show up each week and put on a stellar performance and find ways to win games even when adversity puts its back up against the wall. Good teams find ways to win. If the Bengals want to be considered a top team in the AFC, they will need to beat other top teams in the AFC.

Currently standing at 6-4 overall and 2nd in the AFC North, the Bengals will be in critical battles with the rest of the division and the rest of the conference through the final eight games. Bengals currently are only one game back to the Baltimore Ravens for 1st in the AFC North. The Ravens still have to play the Browns and the Steelers twice, leaving them with a critical division matchup this week and more in the future as well.

If the Bengals can find a way to get themselves into the postseason, it would be the first time since 2015. The Bengals have not won a playoff game since 1990. Over 30 years. This team has a chance to end that streak but first will have to play the best football of their season to have the opportunity.

The Cincinnati Bengals Have Put The League On Notice

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The Cincinnati Bengals (5-2) defeated the Baltimore Ravens last Sunday 41-17 in a blowout road win to take 1st place in the AFC North and secure the current #1 seed in the AFC. Little to nobody had picked the Bengals to beat the Ravens, but many still knew its importance for Cincinnati to show that they can hang with the top teams in the division and the conference, and the Bengals did more than that.

They proved they are one of the best teams in the conference and the league this season. Joe Burrow threw for 416 yards and three touchdowns. He made throw after throw. Ja’Marr Chase continued his historic rookie campaign, hauling in over 200 receiving yards and added another long touchdown that went for 82 yards in the third quarter. Chase now has 754 receiving yards on the season, which is currently 2nd in the entire NFL behind only Cooper Kupp.

One thing the team has that they haven’t had in the past is consistent play on both sides of the ball. Yes, the offense is firing on all cylinders led by Burrow, Chase, Higgins, Boyd, Mixon, Uzomah, and an offensive line that is exceeding expectations.

But the defense has been one of the best in the NFL this year, specifically the defensive line and the front seven. Against Baltimore, they sacked Lamar Jackson five times which is the most in Jackson’s career. The high spending this off-season is paying off. The additions of Trey Hendrickson, Larry Ogunjobi, D.J. Reader, and players like Vonn Bell and Mike Hilton have added a great deal of success to Lou Anarumo’s defense. Logan Wilson has progressed in year two into one of the best linebackers in football. Chidobe Awuzie has come in and been exactly what the Bengals needed in a CB1 for the secondary that Jessie Bates leads.

There’s a lot of football left, and you don’t want to get ahead of yourself, which Zac Taylor stressed. Just take it week by week and try and beat the opponent in front of you. But the Bengals proved a lot of people wrong this Sunday. They showed the media and the rest of the NFL that this team has arrived, and they aren’t going anywhere. They’re not coming for a wild card spot. They are out to gun for the division and the conference.

The next few weeks will show a lot more about what this team’s about, especially after their bye week in Week 10. The Bengals play the Jets this week and then the Browns the following week. Cincinnati has a great chance to put themselves in the driver’s seat going into their bye week if they can handle their business this week and get another division win against Cleveland. The Cincinnati Bengals are exactly who Bengals nation thought they were and who the media didn’t.

How good can this Cincinnati Bengals team be?

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The Cincinnati Bengals are currently 3-2, 1-0 in division play and sit as the #5 seed in the AFC through five regular-season games. As we head into Week 6 against the Detroit Lions, I think it is essential to set some expectations of the capability of this team finally.

Bringing the Green Bay Packers into overtime and having multiple opportunities to win speaks volumes to the ability of this squad. Still, I took away that was more appealing because when the Bengals trailed and the momentum wasn’t on their side, they always found a way to stay in the game, remain competitive and make plays to keep it close. First, the Bengals trailed 16-7 and connected on a 70-yard touchdown, then they trailed 22-14 in the 4th quarter and responded with an 8 point drive to tie it. In the past, most Bengals’ teams would have folded and let the game get out of hand, this team doesn’t do that.

The same thing happened on Thursday night two weeks ago against Jacksonville after trailing 14-0 at the half. That shows the culture has changed in the Queen City; they are playing with pride, they are playing team-driven football, which could be a key reason this team could still be hanging around towards the end of the season.

The defense has drastically improved, led by 2nd-year linebacker Logan Wilson who is 2nd in the NFL in interceptions and ranks in the top ten in tackles. The front seven has been elite in stopping the run this season, with Larry Ogunjobi and D.J. Reader setting the tone in the middle and Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard around the edge. The Bengals recently acquired cornerback Tre Flowers off waivers from the Seahawks, adding another depth piece to the cornerback room, which is currently beaten up. I’d expect him to split snaps with Eli Apple as the cornerback number two while Chidobe Awuzie continues to take the reigns as the number one corner.

If the offense can reach its full potential, I can see this team competing for a playoff spot at the end of the season. Currently, the Bengals have only scored 7 points in the first quarter through five games, so consistently starting slow is a trend they need to change. You could say it’s a lack of aggression in the play calling from the start. Zac Taylor will play a vital role in the Bengals reaching their peak.

And the obvious one. The consistency of the offensive line throughout the rest of the season will more than likely be the biggest and most important piece to the puzzle. They need to keep Joe Burrow upright and give him time in the pocket to throw the football because when he gets those opportunities, he has had plenty of success finding his receivers and making the right decisions that move the offense down the field. Burrow and former LSU teammate Ja’Marr Chase have put that on display as Chase leads all rookie receivers in touchdowns and yards. He is the only rookie to catch 5 touchdowns this early in his rookie season since Randy Moss and that is excellent company to sit with.

The game Sunday against Detroit will prove a lot because if this Bengals team is as legit as some claim, they should handle their business against an 0-5 Lions team. Detroit is no pushover and doesn’t play like an 0-5 team, but this is a game Cincinnati needs to win. They head into Baltimore next week with a huge division matchup against the Ravens, and in three weeks, they have a division matchup with the Browns. Every win is essential when you play in the AFC North, and Burrow and company will need to show that starting this week. This is the most talented team since the 2015 squad, which went 12-4. There’s a lot of football left, but seeing how consistent this team stays will speak volumes about what they can do moving forward.

Logan Wilson’s Impact In Year Two

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Linebacker Logan Wilson has been nothing short of impressive so far in his second year after being drafted in the 3rd round out of Wyoming in the 2020 NFL Draft. 

Wilson has been given the keys to the defense, which speaks volumes about how much he has grown in just one season. He is the QB of the defense. He wears the helmet piece, which communicates with the coaches to call the plays and set up schemes and disguises for the defense, which has been highly successful so far through four games.

More than that, though, let’s look at Logan Wilson’s performance this season. Not only does he lead the entire NFL in interceptions currently. He is also 2nd in tackles in the AFC. Wilson has been putting up numbers we haven’t seen from a Bengals defensive player since Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap in their prime, and even then, Wilson could be on track to surpass those years.

Let’s break down what Logan Wilson has done in each of his first four games this season, so you have a better understanding of why he’s being raved about so much yet still flying under the radar.

Week 1 vs Vikings: 7 tackles, 4 Solo, 1 QB Hit.

Week 2 @ Bears: 9 tackles, 2 Solo, 1 INT

Week 3 @ Steelers: 14 tackles, 6 Solo, 2 INT’s

Week 4 vs Jaguars: 10 tackles, 4 Solo, 1 sack

Total: 40 tackles, 16 Solo, 3 INT, 1 sack, 1 QB hit through four regular-season games.

Wilson is flying under the radar, he was a third-round pick from Wyoming, which doesn’t usually create much conversation. He plays for the Bengals, who are not yet on the map as a popular media coverage team regardless of their 3-1 start.

If Wilson keeps playing like this and setting the tone for this Cincinnati defense, he will only see his name come up more and more. But when trying to look for early season sleepers for Defensive Player of the Year, make sure you include Logan Wilson.

5 Key Players For The Bengals vs. Jacksonville

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5. Joe Mixon 

This will be a game where I anticipate that Mixon sees a heavy amount of carries and touches against a Jaguars’ front seven that has been struggling so far this season in stopping the run. Expect the Bengals to set the tone early by giving Joe the ball around the edges and through the gaps upfront. 

The Jaguars allowed well over 100 rushing yards against the Texans in Week 1 and have allowed right near 100 yards in each of the last two weeks. It is safe to say, that their run defense is still more competent than their pass defense which could be a reason to attack them more through the air. But Mixon will see his fair share of touches throughout this game.

Joe Mixon is currently 2nd among all running backs in the NFL in rushing yards behind only Derrick Henry. The Bengals will likely increase rookie Chris Evans touches with Higgins out as they have slowly done over the last few games, but I still see Mixon touching the ball 25-30 times on the ground alone.

4. Trey Hendrickson

The Bengals front seven has been one of the best in the entire league so far through three weeks, and Hendrickson has been one of the leading catalysts of that.

He has done a great job securing the edge and goes against Jacksonville’s struggling offensive line. Expect Hendrickson to have opportunities to get into the backfield and make an impact.

Hendrickson had 13.5 sacks last season, and so far this year, he already has 2.5. Expect the Jags to have a scheme to protecting Lawerence in this one to limit the times he gets pressured and give him more time in the pocket, but if anyone on the defensive line is going to make an impact around that, Hendrickson would be a good bet.

3. Trae Waynes  

Trevor Lawerence currently leads the league in interceptions with seven, and the Jaguars have thrown 51 times in Week 1 and then 30+ times in Week 2 and 3, so don’t expect them to let up too much throwing through the air. Waynes making his debut with the Cincinnati Bengals will be a crucial cornerback for the secondary, especially with injuries to Bates and Philips, even if they do play.

Wayne’s will be key to guarding their best receiver, which will probably be D.J. Chark or Marvin Jones Jr, who both get targeted a lot by Lawerence. Takeaways will be significant in this game, and against Pittsburgh, Cincinnati had two and almost had a 3rd after Bell forced a fumble, but the defense and offense fed off of those turnovers, resulting in a 24-10 win and a stout performance on both sides of the ball.

Creating turnovers sets the tone, and I think this is a game where it being Waynes’ first start, he will see a lot of balls thrown in his direction, which will give him opportunities to make plays for the defense.

2. Ja’Marr Chase

With Tee Higgins out in this game, it’s an opportunity for Tyler Boyd and Ja’Marr Chase to see increased targets and have more of a chance to have big games. Chase hauled in 2 touchdowns against the Steelers and took the top off the defense just like he did against Minneosta and Chicago. Chase was the offensive rookie of the month for September and could be in line for his 2nd rookie of the week award already.

Considering the Jaguars’ secondary is worse than the Steelers, Chase shouldn’t have many struggles finding his spots. He is expected to be covered by Shaquill Griffin which may be a tough task because Griffin is a highly talented corner, but it’s nothing Chase hasn’t seen before after being covered by Joe Haden and at times Minkah Fitzpatrick last week and then Patrick Peterson and Jaylon Johnson in Week’s one and two.

Chase is breaking rookie records each week and is tied for 2nd currently in touchdown receptions and has a chance to surpass Cooper Kupp for 1st on Thursday night if he can find the end zone twice. I’d expect Burrow to look his way a bunch in this game and the same with Tyler Boyd. 

1. Brandon Wilson 

Brandon Wilson may have the most demanding task to fill all night. With Jessie Bates being ruled out, Wilson is the expected starter to step into his safety role alongside Vonn Bell. Trying to make up Bates’s impact on the Bengals is like asking Wilson just to flat out be the best player on that side of the ball.

That is not expected, but if Wilson can keep the coverage in front of him, make open-field tackles, play smart and clean football and know his assignments, he should be just fine back there playing a lot of snaps. Wilson has had success before in the secondary for the Bengals, and I’m not opposed to thinking he can do it again.

It will be interesting to see if the Bengals still have him return kickoffs in this game and the same goes for Darius Phillips on punt returns considering Phillips will more than likely have an expanded role on the defense this Thursday as well with Chidobe Awuzie doubtful.

Seeing how the Jaguars decide to attack the defense after knowing Bates and Awuzie won’t be on the field. The pass rush for Cincinnati is going to have to lead the way in this one. 

3 Ways The Bengals Can Have Success vs Pittsburgh

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3. Take advantage of the Steelers’ depleted defensive front.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the best overall defenses in the entire NFL, but going into Sunday, many of those pieces won’t be on the field. Alex Highsmith, Carl Davis, Stephon Tuitt, and T.J. Watt will all be inactive against the Bengals.

So what can Cincinnati do to exploit those holes? First, get Joe Mixon the ball in between the tackles and be aggressive throwing the ball down the field. As long as the offensive line can hold up and stay stout throughout the game, Joe Burrow should have success finding his receivers down the field.

Keeping the Steelers off-balance and staying unpredictable will be vital. If Pittsburgh can’t determine if we are giving the ball to Mixon or airing it out, it will open more great looks for our offense through the run and the pass.

2. Get Tyler Boyd involved.

Getting Tyler Boyd involved in this one will be very important, especially if Tee Higgins doesn’t play. As of now, Higgins is labeled as doubtful, and we should find out more pre-game. Nonetheless, if he plays or doesn’t, he will be limited and playing through an injury that kept him out multiple days this week in practice.

The Higgins injury will likely make Boyd’s targets increase in this matchup. So far this season, he has yet to find his standard groove; although he did lead the team in receptions last week, it was only 7 receptions for 73 yards. But with a reunion game in Pittsburgh where he played college ball, expect to see a motivated and aggressive version of himself. In addition, Ja’Marr Chase will probably draw the number one corner for Pittsburgh so that Boyd may see a more favorable matchup.

Expect the Bengals not to waste any time attacking the secondary trying to catch the Steelers off guard. Getting Boyd a few catches early on in the game wouldn’t be the worst approach either.

  1. Win in the trenches

This could be the most important aspect for a Bengals win tomorrow on both sides of the ball. Winning the game inside and in the trenches could be the deciding factor of who steals this one. Being a division game with two rival teams, there will be a lot of energy and challenging, hard-hitting plays. Winning the battles up front will lead to success in the run game and the passing game and disrupt the Steelers’ offense.

Najee Harris will be key to stop for the defensive line. Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard will have to secure the edge and not let Harris get to that second level because his speed and agility are nothing to joke about. And with recent rumors of Ben Roethlisberger playing with a hurt pec, they will probably give the ball to Harris plenty. 

Also, taking advantage of Ben being limited should be a key for the defense. Getting after him and trying to force sacks and push them behind the chains will help.

At the end of the day, the offensive line will be the biggest question. Jackson Carman is expected to make his NFL debut tomorrow at right guard, and the Steelers have a depleted front seven, but Devin Bush and Melvin Ingram will still be able to create issues with their ability to blitz and react to the ball. So keying in on those guys, especially Ingram, will be significant for the offensive lines approach in this one.

3 ways the Bengals can have success vs. Chicago

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3. Apply a clean, multidimensional pass rush against Andy Dalton and the Bears.

What I mean by this is that the Bengals are very familiar with Andy Dalton’s tendencies as a QB as he was in Cincinnati for nine seasons. So the Bengals need to use that as a strength in how they attack gaps when blitzing. Dalton struggles when pressure is applied, so giving the Bears offensive line different looks and rushing the passer from different angles and aspects will be vital in the defense’s success.

If Cincinnati lets Dalton sit in the pocket and throw the ball, he will be successful more than not. He is not a bad QB by any means, which means the defense needs to be as aggressive as they were with Kirk Cousins and Dalvin Cook as they are with Andy Dalton and David Montgomery. If Montgomery gets going early and finds his rhythm, this game will be close and will play into the 4th quarter a lot like the Minnesota game. But if we can limit chunk plays on the ground, push the Bears behind the chains and force Dalton to make rugged, uncomfortable passes, then Cincinnati should have a lot of success as a unit.

Also, being ready for Justin Fields when he shows up is essential because he will play at times, and being caught off guard as a defense will let the rookie have his way. Fields is very talented, not only through the air but using his feet as well. Keeping a spy on him when he plays may be the way to limit anything he may try to do scrambling. He doesn’t have Lamar Jackson’s speed or agility, but he is knowledgeable and knows how to hit holes, find gaps and recognize when a defense isn’t picking up on his signals.

2. Get the ball out quickly

This one will be crucial to the Bengals success Sunday. The Bears’ most significant strength is their front seven and their ability to rush the passer from all sorts of schemes and disguises. Khalil Mack is the leader of the defense, and he is also one of the best defensive players in the entire league, so knowing where he is at all times will be essential for the offensive line and the running backs who are blocking in the backfield.

Joe Burrow was sacked 5 times last week. The good news is that of those 5 sacks, 4 of them were against either Trey Hopkins the center, Drew Sample the tight end, and the running back. Jonah Williams and Riley Reiff were one of only three tackle tandems that didn’t allow a single sack, which is something you want to hear as a Bengals fan. But what does this mean?

First off, Trey Hopkins will need to be better, but it also was his first game back coming off a torn ACL like Burrow, so there will be bumps in the road as he progresses. But, the help side blocking will need to improve. Often Giovani Bernard was the key guy in this role. He was great laying down a block once rushers got to the second level with their blitz, but not having him anymore means other guys need to step up. Drew Sample is one of those guys considering the main reason the team drafted him was because of his blocking abilities.

Regardless, the Bengals will need to be stout in both pass blocking and run blocking for them to have the success they want to have as an offense, and an early-season test against the Chicago Bears front will be the perfect match for that challenge.

  1. Get Tyler Boyd involved and be agressive in the passing game.

The Chicago Bears’ biggest weakness is their secondary. They ranked as the 4th worst secondary in the league last week against the LA Rams, whose tandem consists of Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods, and Van Jefferson. But, of course, you could easily make the case that the Bengals are even more dynamic than the Rams, so if they had success, the Bengals don’t have much of an excuse not to exploit the struggling cornerbacks and safties.

Jaylon Johnson is probably one of the more talented corners on the team, and his assignment will more than likely be on Ja’Marr Chase or Tee Higgins, which gives Tyler Boyd a favorable matchup as he is one of the best slot corners in the league. Boyd had a slow week in Week 1, only hauling in 3 catches for 32 yards, so this would be a prime matchup for him to have his first breakout game of the season.

Higgins and Chase both could have success as well. A lot will be determined on how much time the offensive line gives Joe Burrow because passes down the field would be the ideal way to beat this secondary. Keeping the linebackers involved in short passes will be a way for the Bears to hang around in this one because of their ability to tackle in the open field and attack the football off the snap and the throw. Keeping them on their toes by mixing in Joe Mixon will be necessary, and if Mixon can get going in this game, that could change the approach for the offense. Being able to complete longer passes down the field of at least 15-20 yards will be vital. I expect Tyler Boyd to lead the team in receptions in this game.

Game predictions:

(Before Week 1 – Bengals: 17 – Bears: 14)

Now – Bengals: 28 – Bears: 17

Weekly Offensive MVP: Tyler Boyd

Weekly Defensive MVP: Trey Hendrickson

2021-22 Cincinnati Bengals season predictions

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* W = win * L = Loss

Week 1: vs Minnesota Vikings – W

Most of this game will be on how our defense fairs against Dalvin Cook, Justin Jefferson, and Adam Thielen. The offense will have to succeed. The Vikings’ defense will be a test, and the Bengals will have their issues, but Mixon should see a lot of touches. Cincinnati’s trio of receivers should be able to create separation against Minnesota’s corners, which could lead to success through the passing game.
Bengals: 24 – Vikings: 17

Week 2: at Chicago Bears – W

I’m going to say we start the season 2-0. Could I be wrong, absolutely. But considering Andy Dalton is expected to start the early part of the season, I don’t see Chicago playing their best football until Justin Fields gets his opportunity which could give make playing them early easier. I could see this being a very defensive game. And this will be a substantial early test for Joe Burrow and the offense. Bengals: 17 – Bears: 14

Week 3: at Pittsburgh Steelers – L

Pittsburgh early on in the season will be a challenging task to deal with. I believe we’ll keep this competitive but ultimately will be a game we drop early on in the season.
Bengals: 21 – Steelers: 31

Week 4: vs Jacksonville Jaguars – W

Thursday night in Cincinnati against the rookie Trevor Lawerence will be a fun one to watch. I see this game being one of the best games for the offense and defense. The Jaguars have a very questionable offensive line which should give the Bengals plenty of opportunities to rush the passer. Bengals: 34 – Jaguars: 20

Week 5: vs Green Bay Packers – L

We could steal this one, but I believe the Packers will be firing on all cylinders by Week 5. I think we will keep this close, but it will be our first home loss of the season.
Bengals: 20 – Packers 28

Week 6: at Detroit Lions – W

The Bengals offense shouldn’t have trouble scoring on the Lions’ defense this year, in my opinion. The wideouts should be able to exploit the Lions’ secondary outside of Jeffery Okudah. But the Bengals will have their fair of guys to look out for—especially the D’Andre Swift/Jamaal Williams tandem. Jared Goff will be a new look for the Bengals defense that they will have to adjust to.
Bengals 38 – Lions 17

Week 7: at Baltimore Ravens – L

On the road, at Baltimore, I can see this being one of the worst games we play this season. I hope I’m wrong, but on the road against a loaded defense will be tough. The Bengals have struggled vs. Lamar Jackson over the last two seasons.
Bengals: 17 – Ravens: 34

Week 8: at New York Jets – W

This one will be interesting on the road because we don’t know what to expect from Zach Wilson at this point in the season, being Week 8 right around the mid-waypoint. The Jets defense isn’t anything to rave about, but with one of the best young offensive lines in the league, a talented rookie QB in Zach Wilson, and the additions of Corey Davis, rookie Elijah Moore, Tevin Coleman, and rookie Michael Carter this team could be better than expected. I think it will be close, but the Bengals pull it out after losing a bad one to Baltimore.
Bengals: 27 – Jets: 21

Week 9: vs Cleveland Browns – L

This will be a fun one in Cincinnati against the opposing Ohio team. I believe the Browns will and should be very good this season. They won’t be a pushover by any means, and they are stout on both sides of the ball. I think the Bengals are capable of beating them, but I don’t see it happening here. Bengals drop a competitive one to Cleveland.
Bengals: 23 – Browns: 32

Week 11: at Las Vegas Raiders – W

This one is a toss-up. The Raiders tend to play good late in the season. But with Derek Carr and with a young team, they could be excellent. On the road in Las Vegas will be another test. I do think the Bengals can win this game and will do it so by a field goal.
Bengals: 23 – Raiders: 20

Week 12: vs Pittsburgh Steelers – W

Meaningful football in Cincinnati in November against the Pittsburgh Steelers would be something all of the Bengals nation would love to hear come this game in Week 11. This should be a dog fight if both teams are in favorable positions. I predict the Bengals win this game and in a close one.
Bengals: 27 – Steelers: 24

Week 13: vs Los Angeles Chargers – W

Hebert vs. Burrow will be a showdown, and this game should be a shootout. It could go either way, but the Bengals steal a close one against the Chargers in Cincinnati. As I said, the Chargers could pull this one out. They do have an excellent team, but the Bengals will have to make the correct adjustments to win this game.
Bengals: 35 – Chargers: 32

Week 14: vs San Francisco 49ers – L

I think the Bengals have trouble against the 49ers defense in this one and drop a close one against San Francisco.
Bengals: 14 – 49ers: 17

Week 145: at Denver Broncos – W

I believe the Bengals win this one before the most extensive stretch and most challenging stretch of the season arrives in a close game.
Bengals: 20 – Broncos: 17

Week 16: vs Baltimore Ravens – L

I think the Bengals stay more competitive in this one than their first meeting, but I still feel like the struggles against Jackson will translate, and they lose this one in the 4th.
Bengals: 28 – Ravens: 34

Week 17: vs Kansas City Chiefs – L

This one will be tough if Kansas City is fully healthy. I have us dropping this one. Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense is just too much to handle.
Bengals: 21 – Chiefs: 34

Week 18: at Cleveland Browns – L

At Cleveland, this one should be a shootout especially if both teams are playing meaningful football at this point in the season.
Bengals: 27 – Browns: 28

53-man roster breakdown

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The Cincinnati Bengals recently cleared the way to reach the 53-man player limit on their roster. Some expected and obvious cuts were made, then some questionable ones were. Here is a breakdown of the roster and what moves were smart and what moves were not.

The Bengals’ biggest question revolved around the offensive line and their moves to find the best possible players. They traded Billy Price to the New York Giants in exchange for defensive lineman B.J. Hill and a conditional 7th round pick. They also ended up releasing Michael Jordan, who was claimed by the Carolina Panthers shortly after. This one was one of the more shocking moves. Not that it was a bad move or anything; it just didn’t seem expected because Jordan started at guard the first two preseason games and was often taking 1st team reps in training camp. But in Week 3, after seeing him not play with the starters or even the 2nd unit, it raised a few red flags, which eventually led to his release. Rookies Jackson Carman, D’Ante Smith, and Trey Hill all made the roster.

The next position that was an exciting race was the running backs. The Bengals started camp considering multiple backs to take the reigns behind Joe Mixon. Samaje Perine, Chris Evans, Jacques Patrick, Trayveon Williams, and Pooka Williams all got their opportunity to show why they deserved to be on the roster. With Perine’s ability to play special teams along with playing well last season when called upon, he was locked into one of the three roster spots. The 3rd and final spot was eventually a race between Evans and Patrick. Still, with Evans looking excellent in Week 3 and honestly all of the preseason, it created enough separation to make it a no-brainer. Patrick and Trayveon Williams later got added to the practice squad.

The tight ends were a growing conversation as well. It was mainly knowing whether Thaddeus Moss would make the roster or not. Moss showed glimpses of skill with his ability to use his size and strength to catch passes and create separation, but he lacked blocking ability. The Bengals are in a position where blocking will be essential; it is hard putting him over a tight end that can bring that to the table. C.J. Uzomah and Drew Sample had roster spots locked up, so it came down to Mitchell Wilcox and Moss, and Wilcox got the 3rd and final spot in the tight end room. Luckily Moss was signed to the practice squad, which will still get him his opportunity at some point.

Lastly, wide receiver was an intriguing position to keep an eye on as training camp and preseason rolled along. Chase, Higgins, Boyd, and Tate had the first four spots sealed up, so the fight for the final two spots was exciting how it played out. Trenton Irwin impressed greatly throughout the offseason, which led me to believe he would get one of the final roster spots. Trent Taylor was also a guy I thought could land a spot, but he didn’t come along with any eye-opening plays until the final week of preseason. Stanley Morgan Jr ended up with one of the spots due to his ability to thrive on special teams. That was a big part of what earned him a spot. Mike Thomas was the last receiver gunning for a spot. At first, it was announced that he was being released, but after Trent Taylor and Trenton Irwin got added to the practice squad. The Bengals ended up resigning Thomas and giving him that 6th and final receiver spot. I would expect Irwin and Taylor to see plenty of time, though, this season for the Bengals, and Thomas is on a very short leash performance-wise. He will have to make the most of his playing time for Cincinnati.

Ultimately the Bengals didn’t make any eye-opening moves. Some were expected, and some were possibilities. But overall, most of the right moves were made. I would have liked to see Thad Moss get a rooster spot over Wilcox, Irwin over Thomas, and Mike Daniels on the defensive line, but he also got signed to the practice squad. Besides that, though, we made some very solid moves, and it will be fun seeing what this roster does to start the season.

3 Things To Look For In The Bengals Final Preseason Game

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  1. Who does Zac Taylor start for the first unit offensive line?

This will be something significant to look out for in this game. Especially now that Joe Burrow has been announced active. He is on a snap count, but regardless of the unit Taylor puts out, there will most likely be the same line we see in Week 1 against the Vikings. It just wouldn’t make sense that they would throw an offensive line out there in front of Joe Burrow if it weren’t going to be the first team.

The guard play is what to look out for most, though. Jonah Williams and Riley Reiff have the tackle spots on lock, and it seems that Quinton Spain may be narrowing down one of the guard positions, but Zac Taylor has made it very clear Week 1 starter haven’t been set yet. As of right now, Xavier Su’a-Filo is expected to get the nod alongside Spain in this final week three matchup against Miami. And Trey Hopkins is scheduled to make his debut at center behind Burrow.

The race through training camp and preseason has consisted of Quinton Spain, Michael Jordan, Xavier Su’a-Filo, D’Ante Smith, Jackson Carman, and Billy Price. Jordan and Spain have been taking most of the first-team reps, but it looks like Jordan may be losing that spot to Su’a-Filo as long as he performs well against a starting defense this Sunday.

Rookie D’Ante Smith is a name to monitor. He probably won’t win the starting job, but he wasn’t even expected to be in the conversation after being selected in the 4th round of the NFL Draft. But slowly, as training camp has developed, he has shown himself as a competitor for the starting job. So if Su’a-Filo or Spain don’t live up to the expectations, don’t be shocked if Smith gets his opportunity early in the season.

2. How does Ja’Marr Chase respond after a poor performance in Week 2 of the preseason.

Now I’m not worried about Chase. And other Bengals fans shouldn’t be either. He’s a rookie, there will be bumps in the road, and there will be good days and bad days. That is expected from a young player. I don’t anticipate too many snaps and field time in this game, but expect him to be out there with Joe Burrow returning. Still, being the last preseason game before the season opener against the Vikings, I’d only expect maybe a few possessions.

Even if Chase on sees a few targets, it will still be essential to see how he responds from last week after he had multiple drops. With Burrow throwing the ball, seeing how he does in a game-like situation will be even more critical.

So far, through training camp, he has only gotten better; his route running has never been an issue and has been something that has earned him a lot of praise. His ability to create separation right when he needs to is what makes his game partially so appealing. However, it seemed like his frustration got to him last game, which led to his focus not being all there. Nevertheless, even if Chase catches a few passes or one nice ball, it will ease the mind of many Bengals fans.

Do not be worried about Ja’Marr Chase. He will have a terrific rookie season and make a serious impact on the Bengals’ offense. Panic mode was never necessary. Especially since it is preseason, and he had a backup QB throwing him passes which he rarely took reps with.

3. What role does Noah Spence play after being signed earlier this week?

Noah Spence was signed earlier this week after the news that rookie edge rusher Joseph Ossai was done for the season due to a knee injury. Ossai was expected to have a key role on the defense this season after having an impressive training camp and Week 1 of the preseason. On the very first possession, he sacked Tom Brady after blowing by highly talented offensive lineman Tristian Wirfs.

This game will be vital for Spence to show his worth. Being signed earlier this week, he hasn’t had the chance to play in the first two preseason games, so if he doesn’t impress, he puts himself at risk of being cut from the 53-man roster. When watching Spence play, what stands out is his athleticism and ability to play all around the defense. He has been shown working out with Darrin Simmons and the special teams unit and as an edge rusher across the front seven. 

Spence’s best season was in 2016 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he managed to have 22 combined tackles, 16 solo tackles, 12 QB hits, 5.5 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles. Although unfortunately, he has yet to get back into form as he has jumped from team to team trying to find that same success. 

Cincinnati hopes to be that team where he finds that fit. But a lot will ride on his play against the Miami Dolphins Sunday evening.

Who should the starting guards be for the Cincinnati Bengals?

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The Cincinnati Bengals biggest question mark so far this offseason and into preseason has been if the offensive line is good enough to protect Joe Burrow and stay consistent enough not to be a weak spot that other teams expose. The addition of veteran Riley Reiff has made it easier to fill out the line, but many questions remain as preseason winds down.

The guard position right now seems like the biggest question mark. Currently, head coach Zac Taylor has moved several players around to find the right fit at those two spots. Quinton Spain looks as if he could be one of the top candidates for the job, while Michael Jordan has started there over the first two preseason games and seems like the favorite to win the starting right guard spot.

Second-round pick Jackson Carman has slowly progressed in the right direction, but do not expect him to be one of the starting guards in Week 1. It also seems like another rookie offensive lineman D’Ante Smith has the upper hand on Carman for the job after his recent success in training camp and Week 1 of the preseason. He was out against the Washington Football Team due to dehydration but was rumored to be getting the start alongside Jordan with the first-unit offense.

Xavier Su’a-Filo is another candidate to evaluate when determining who should start at one the guard spots. Su’a-Filo was brought in last offseason, where the expectation was that he would come in and be a difference-maker on the line. Unfortunately, having his season be cut short due to injuries and underperforming when active has made him more of a longshot to win one of these jobs.

With only one week of preseason remaining, the starters for Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins will most likely be the starting unit you see against the Vikings if, in fact, everybody is healthy and active. Ultimately, Zac Taylor’s decision for these two starting guard spots will be crucial due to the dying concerns everyone is waiting to find out about. Most of the criticism the Bengals have faced this offseason revolves around the lack of moves on the line in free agency besides adding Riley Reiff. Expect Taylor to reveal the starting line within the next week or so.

My projected starting offensive line depth chart entering Week 1

RT- Riley Reiff / Fred Johnson

RG – Michael Jordan / Xavier Su’a-Filo / Jackson Carman

C – Trey Hopkins / Billy Price / Trey Hill

LG – Quinton Spain / D’Ante Smith

LT – Jonah Williams / Isaiah Prince

How good can the Bengals wide receiver trio be?

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After the Cincinnati Bengals selected Ja’Marr Chase with the 5th overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft, it created a trio in the wide receiver room alongside Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd that some are already marking as one of the best and most talented in the NFL. But until they prove it, it will be farfetched.

Tyler Boyd is currently one of the best slot receivers in the league. He has been the Bengals’ most reliable receiver in terms of durability and consistent performance over the last two seasons. Boyd has two 1,000+ yard seasons in the previous three years and has secured 16 total touchdowns with a career average of 11.7 yards per catch. He remains underrated and could have another great season ahead with two other talented, dynamic wideouts lining up beside him, forcing defenses to single cover him.

Tee Higgins was selected in the 2nd round of the 2020 NFL Draft setting the stage alongside Joe Burrow. The two instantly put their connection and chemistry on display as the season unwinded last year. Higgins had 67 catches (tying the franchise record), 908 yards, and 6 touchdowns, averaging 13.6 yards per reception. Higgins has been extremely impressive so far in camp this year and has a lot of breakout potential in year two. And a lot like Boyd, with single coverage across the board, it will give Higgins a lot more opportunities to win one-on-one battles against the opposing secondary.

I believe this trio can be great together because as much as they will take receptions away from each other, they will also open up opportunities for each other. Any of the three could be the number one option on any given day. It provides Joe Burrow several outlets across the field, which is what you want as a QB. In addition, having a talented running back in the backfield in Joe Mixon will also clear pathways for the trio to succeed.

My 2021-22 regular season projections for each wideout:

Tyler Boyd – 76 catches, 1,098 yards, 6 touchdowns

Tee Higgins – 72 catches, 1,126 yards, 7 touchdowns

Ja’Marr Chase – 58 catches, 856 yards, 6 touchdowns

What to expect from Joe Mixon this season?

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An injury-plagued season limited Joe Mixon to only six games last year. However, before the 2020 season, Mixon and the Bengals agreed to a four-year, $48 Million deal through 2024. This is a critical year for the starting running back because what Joe does this season will be essential to what Cincinnati does moving forward at the position. The Enquirer’s Charlie Goldsmith broke down the most important training camp players this week, and Joe Mixon made the list.

In 2019 Mixon rushed for over 1,100 yards while adding five touchdowns. However, in 2018, he had his best season so far in his young career, rushing for 1,168 yards and eight touchdowns and averaging 4.9 yards per carry. With Giovani Bernard out of the picture after winding up in Tampa Bay, Mixon will only see his workload increase.

Offensive Coordinator Brian Callahan said via Kevin Patra of NFL.com, “I don’t want Joe to leave the field, personally, and I think he’s up to that challenge.” With training camp in full gear and preseason on the horizon, Mixon has shown significant explosiveness, strength, and leadership signs.

With all the weapons on the offensive side of the ball, Mixon will have to share the wealth. Right now however, he has little competition in the backfield to steal touches away from him. It is safe to say Joe controls his own destiny. The only issue with Mixon being on the field every down is that you don’t want to see what happened to Todd Gurley with the Rams during their Super Bowl run happen to Mixon. 25 to 30 touches every single game. Come playoff time, Gurley was barely used due to injuries and lingering knee problems.

It is imperative to have a second option. Even if that is Samaje Perine, Trayveon Williams, or rookies Chris Evans and Pooka Williams, who both have been extremely impressive so far in camp. Pooka’s natural speed and sneaky athleticism have been raved about, which could land him a spot on the 53 man roster.

Heading into year five and being the most crucial season he’s entering so far, Joe Mixon is on a mission trying to rejuvenate himself as one of the NFL’s better running backs. There is no question the talent and capability are there. Staying healthy will be a focal point, and with a Frank Pollack widespread blocking scheme, it should only help Mixon as it’s meant to create more holes for running backs. Expect a big year from the motivated Joe Mixon.

Training Camp Observations from the Bengals “Back Together Saturday”

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1. Joe Burrow is still regaining his rhythm 

On Saturday it was great to see QB1 back on the field. He was moving around the pocket, throwing on the run, and more importantly, smiling as he made throws with his knee brace on. But make no mistake, there are going to be some hiccups come week one against the Vikings. Burrow is still out there regaining the magic he had last time we saw him in a real game situation. These are some of the first throws he has made rolling around the pocket and it was clear on Saturday. He overthrew a couple of guys, made some bad reads, but still flashed some of that pinpoint accuracy he had as a rookie. Burrow is going to return to elite form, but don’t be shocked if it takes a week or two for him to find.

2. Tee Higgins is still the WR1

I am just as excited for Ja’Marr Chase as the next guy, and rightfully so, as he made an amazing sideline catch from Burrow on Saturday. That being said, Tee Higgins is still this team’s WR1. Higgins was fantastic on Saturday, his highlight being a touchdown catch in the back corner of the endzone during the red zone scrimmage portion of the practice. Higgins was constantly getting open all day and securing all his catches. He should also see some favorable matchups too with teams also having to take Ja’Marr Chase, Tyler Boyd, and Joe Mixon into account. Higgins should easily eclipse 1,000 yards this year and should see close to double-digit touchdowns if healthy. 

3. The Linebackers may still be a liability

The Bengals have put a lot of effort in the last few years to improve the linebacker core, and it will no doubt be better, but there is still work to be done. Drafting three linebackers in last year’s draft to pair with Germaine Pratt, the Bengals are attacking the position, but Saturday’s practice may have shown why they need to invest more highly in the draft rather than going for quantity. There were multiple occasions where a running back or tight end slipped free in drills and made an easy wide-open catch. While it was only practice, we may once again have a season where we bite our tongues and pray that the linebackers aren’t a total liability. It will be a big prove it year for both Germaine Pratt and Logan Wilson, who will be wearing the radio on defense in 2021.

4. The Defensive Backs are scrappy

The loss of Williams Jackson III was a big one, but the team brought in multiple free agents in Chidobe Awuzie and Mike Hilton to pair with last year’s big free-agent Trae Waynes. Even newly acquired free agent Eli Apple was making an impact in Saturday’s practice. While this team may not have a true CB1, one thing was obvious, this is a tough and scrappy cornerback room that isn’t going to let anything come easy. They broke up multiple passes and forced several coverage sacks in drills. This secondary, with Vonn Bell and Jessie Bates III at safety, may be one of the strengths of the defense this fall. The revamped cornerback room is hungry to prove doubters wrong!

5. This team gels well together 

After the drama last year of guys either not buying into Coach Taylor, or guys being locker room cancer, it appears that is all behind us. One thing stood out more than anything Saturday and that is this team gets along! Joe Mixon was hyping up defenders, defenders were swarming each other after good plays, heck, we already had Ja’Marr Chase dancing! This team is having fun and they are working together well. There is no drama, no locker room cancers, just a well-bonded team that has each other’s backs and works together, and I think it’s all because of QB1. The Bengals have handed this franchise to Burrow and let him take the wheel and it’s showing! Ladies and gentlemen, the Cincinnati Bengals have never been in better hands! 

Be sure to follow me on Twitter @PiersonNFL and let’s talk about some Bengals Football! Until next time, Who Dey!

Why the Bengals Could Exceed Expectations This Season

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Finishing 4-11-1 in 2020, the Bengals suffered through another tough season especially after the prosperous Joe Burrow went down with a traumatizing knee injury.

Many remain that do not see the potential in this young team. However, adding Burrow’s former teammate at LSU, Ja’Marr Chase, with the fifth overall pick to the plethora of talented receivers the Bengals already have in Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, and Auden Tate could make for one of the more dynamic offenses in the league. Not to mention a healthy Joe Mixon in the backfield who is a capable 1,000+ yard rusher. 

The big concern that the NFL world still continues to question is the quality of the offensive line and there could be backlash still in passing on Oregon tackle Penei Sewell in the draft. But, hiring offensive line coach Frank Pollack, who has an excellent track record, plus the additions of veteran Riley Reiff and the second round pick and Fairfield, Ohio product Jackson Carman out of Clemson could be game-changing moves. During his collegiate career at Clemson, Carman played 1,934 snaps throughout 40 career games. He was stout for the Tigers, playing against the best of the best. Carman played against Ohio State and Alabama each twice over his three-years at Clemson. Cincinnati also added other lineman later in the draft in D’Ante Smith from East Carolina and center Trey Hill from Georgia while also re-signing guard Quinton Spain. If Jonah Williams continues to take strides in the right direction, he could also become a centerpiece for the Bengals line after they selected him in the first round in the 2019 NFL Draft. 

Additionally, the Bengals went all out on the defensive side of the ball through the draft and free agency this off-season to boost the pass rush, which ranked 29th in the league, and limit chunk plays that the defense often gave up. 

Notable moves include: 

  • DE – Trey Hendrickson (Four years, $60 Million) 
  • Edge – Joseph Ossai (3rd Round, Texas) 
  • CB – Chidobe Awuzie (3 years, $21.75 Million)
  • CB – Mike Hilton (4 years, $24 million)
  • DT – Larry Ogunjobi (1 year, $6.2 Million) 
  • S – Ricardo Allen (1 year, $1.5 Million) 
  • CB – Eli Apple (1 year, $1.2 Million) 
  • DE – Cameron Sample (4th Round, Tulane) 
  • DT – Tyler Shelvin (4th Round, LSU) 

Ultimately, Cincinnati will have its ups and downs throughout this season. With high-level talent on the offense however, critical replacements to the offensive line, and the new key additions to the defense, the Bengals have the potential to shock many if they can remain healthy. Cincinnati may be a dark horse come January.

3 Reasons Bengals Fans Should Be Excited About The Future

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Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) reacts after running for a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Aaron Doster)

2020 is an exciting time to be a Bengals fan for three main reasons.

Reason number one, quarterback of the future, Joe Burrow.

The former LSU national champion has elevated himself into the NFL and into the Cincinnati offense.

The 23-year-old is breaking records weekly. Despite not seeing his performances result in wins, (apart from Jacksonville) the future of the Bengals franchise is bright with Joe Burrow at the center.

Burrow looks like he’s been in the league for years. His link up with fellow rookie, wide receiver, Tee Higgins is another reason things are looking brighter for Cincy.

Second round pick Tee Higgins is looking to be a great draft selection and a great help as a weapon for Burrow. Scoring three touchdowns in seven games, the new number 85 is showing up.

Speaking of the link up between Burrow and Higgins, it was a similar story with the old number nine and eighty-five, quarterback Carson Palmer and former wide receiver, Chad Johnson. It feels meant to be that the new quarterback and wide out would have the same numbers as the duo from 2004-2010.

Reason number three it is an exciting time to be a Bengal, is Zac Taylor. While it is true that the second year head coach and former Nebraska quarterback has a record of 3-19-1 since arriving in Ohio, and that is not to be over looked, he is only in his second season, with a rookie quarterback.

People need to see what Taylor is trying to do and give him time. I’ll admit, the defensive line isn’t the greatest and neither is the offensive line so it has been tough to see major strides of improvement from the team.

Taylor has already won half the amount of games he won last season and the offense is more than capable of winning games. Pass coverage is a significant issue for Cincinnati at the moment which is a result of the teams inability to generate any pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

If the Bengals can win at least four games out of the remaining ten, that won’t be a bad return.

There are exciting times ahead for the Cincinnati franchise, fans have to see that. With color rush week on Sunday the Bengals will face the 5-1 Tennessee Titans who provide another test for this young and hungry, Bengals team.

My 2020 Bengals Game By Game Win-Loss Predictions

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Here we go. The Bengals begin the 2020 regular season on Sunday with a late afternoon home opener at Paul Brown Stadium in front of cardboard cutouts instead of real fans. It’s Joe Burrows first test after a successful first training camp but not having any preseason games to grow through. To say “I am excited” would be an understatement.

Below are are my game-by-game predictions for 2020.

9/13/2020 vs Los Angeles Chargers – WIN

9/17/2020 at Cleveland Browns (TNF) – LOSS

9/27/2020 at Philadelphia Eagles – LOSS

10/4/2020 vs Jacksonville Jaguars – WIN

10/11/2020 at Baltimore Ravens – LOSS

10/18/2020 at Indianapolis Colts – LOSS

10/25/2020 vs Cleveland Browns – WIN

11/1/2020 vs Tennessee Titans – LOSS

11/8/2020 – BYE WEEK

11/15/2020 at Pittsburgh Steelers – LOSS

11/22/2020 at Washington Football Team – WIN

11/29/2020 vs New York Giants – WIN

12/6/2020 at Miami Dolphins – WIN

12/13/2020 vs Dallas Cowboys – LOSS

12/21/2020 vs Pittsburgh Steelers (MNF) – LOSS

12/27/20 at Houston Texans – LOSS

1/3/2020 vs Baltimore Ravens – WIN

Final Record Prediction: 7-9

Division Finish: 3rd

“Playoffs?! I Just Hope We Can Win a Game!” – Part 3

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Last week, I wrote an article that was intended to provide some hope for Bengals fans, that the tunnel with the light at the end of it may not be as long as some may think.  While I am hopeful, I am also realistic, and I realize that it takes a lot of things going right for the Bengals to make a quick, one-year turnaround.  However, some responded to the article with resistance to even entertaining the idea that the Bengals could be playoff contenders in 2020.  Most of the concerns revolved around the bad offensive line, the lack of trust in the front office to make free agent acquisitions, and the lack of a ‘plan.’  While all of these concerns are legitimate, I think there are some signs that show that the franchise COULD be headed in the right direction in each of these areas. In this three part series, we will look at these in greater detail, one at a time.

In the third and final installment of this series, let’s address the lack of a ‘plan’ by the front office that has some fans feeling like a turnaround is impossible.  I would agree, that the Bengals have missed some prime opportunities thus far.  They could have, and arguably should have, traded both Cordy Glenn and Andy Dalton at the trade deadline in late-October.  Instead, they completely botched both of those situations in benching Dalton for Ryan Finley, and then the drama surrounding Cordy before finally making his debut in November.  However, all is not lost (yet).  The Bengals can still move on from both players and receive some cap relief with no dead money, whether they release or trade either player.  Rumors have been swirling around Dalton and perhaps New England, but no matter the team, there should be interest in the veteran signal-caller from a number of teams before the draft.  If the team can swap Dalton for a mid-round pick, that would be a major win compared to losing him for ‘nothing.’  Also, you cannot convince me that this team was not tanking this year for the top-pick.  Fourth-rounder Ryan Finley received three starts and completed just 47% of his passes, A.J. Green was held out for the duration of the season (whether that was 100% his decision or mutual, who knows), and the team lacked the will to win close games as evidenced by their (0-8) record in games decided by eight points or less.  This led ultimately to the first overall selection, and presumably a chance to draft their franchise quarterback in LSU record-setter Joe Burrow.  Was this team good in 2019?  Absolutely not.  Were they (2-14) bad?  I also do not believe so.  In a recent Twitter poll with nearly 1,100 votes, the good fans of Bengals Talk voted Burrow as the better quarterback RIGHT NOW at a clip of 3:1.  I just mentioned their inability to win close games.  Do you think Burrow wins four of those games that were one-score losses?  Maybe more?  Obviously, there is no way to tell, but the point is that with the same talent as last year’s squad, we would expect Burrow to do better than the Dalton/Finley combo.  Add-in A.J. Green (whom I do believe resigns with Cincy), Jonah Williams, and the continued development of guys like John Ross and Auden Tate and suddenly that is one scary offense that can keep up with teams that score on our somewhat porous defense.

All of this to say, I think while Bengals fans have a right to be cynical and skeptical of this team, if you are able to put away some of that bias you can squint and see a path to a playoff berth in 2020.  Again… is it likely?  Probably not.  But it is possible.  And for those weary, tired Bengals fans that feel like they are walking in the dark when rooting for this team, the bright light at the end is shining a little brighter.

Go back to Part 1.

Go back to Part 2.

“Playoffs?! I Just Hope We Can Win a Game!” – Part 2

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Last week, I wrote an article that was intended to provide some hope for Bengals fans, that the tunnel with the light at the end of it may not be as long as some may think.  While I am hopeful, I am also realistic, and I realize that it takes a lot of things going right for the Bengals to make a quick, one-year turnaround.  However, some responded to the article with resistance to even entertaining the idea that the Bengals could be playoff contenders in 2020.  Most of the concerns revolved around the bad offensive line, the lack of trust in the front office to make free agent acquisitions, and the lack of a ‘plan.’  While all of these concerns are legitimate, I think there are some signs that show that the franchise COULD be headed in the right direction in each of these areas. In this three part series, we will look at these in greater detail, one at a time.

In the second installment in this series, we look at our problematic offensive line.  If you think about it, the Bengals really have TWO first round picks in 2020.  Presumably Joe Burrow, and then Jonah Williams.  Obviously, Williams was drafted 11th overall last season but did not play during the season due to a shoulder injury.  However, let’s not forget the kind of prospect Jonah Williams was coming into last year’s draft.  He is a versatile player that started 15 games at right tackle, and 29 at left tackle during his college career.  Some of the honors bestowed upon him include Freshman All-American, a unanimous First-Team All-American his senior year, and winner of the Jacobs Trophy (awarded to the best blocker in the SEC).  Williams allowed just 5 sacks while playing over 1,300 career pass block snaps.  NFL Analysts Bucky Brooks and Daniel Jeremiah were high on him last spring, with Brooks dubbing Jonah as a top-3 tackle and Jeremiah ranking him as a top-20 overall prospect among all positions.  Those were just two of the many experts that believed Jonah Williams could be a star.

I would hope that the Bengals would be willing to spend a little on upgrading their offensive line, which is one of their weaker position groups, and one that can have a major impact on a team’s potential to reach their ceiling.  There are top lineman available in Brandon Scherff, Bryan Bulaga, Anthony Constanzo, etc. but they will demand top dollar (most likely anywhere between $10 – 15 million per year).  However, some of the lower-tier guys would still be upgrades for an offensive line that had every starter graded below the top 50% of their position, with Tre Hopkins’ PFF grade of 62.8 leading the way.

Michael Schofield or perhaps even Andrew Whitworth (although a reunion is probably unlikely given the terms on which things ended previously) would be a couple of guys I would expect the Bengals to consider.  Cincinnati may use a 2nd or 3rd round pick on an offensive lineman but lately the Bengals have struggled to get the most out of their draft picks along the offensive line, and after Round 1 of the draft, it is hard to find an impact rookie to play tackle or guard.  Consider though, that it will only take average-level play to see an improvement for that unit.

So other than adding Jonah Williams, if we assume the front office fails to make a splash in free agency, the offensive line may look a lot like it did in 2019.  However, it is important to note that the hog-mollies up front performed much better down the stretch last season.  After Andy Dalton returned to replace the disaster that was Ryan Finley, the offensive line allowed an average of 1.6 sacks and paved the way for 121 rushing yards per game.  In addition, there have been teams able to overcome weak lines and make the playoffs.  Most recently, the Seahawks (27th), Bills (21st), Texans (20th), and Vikings (19th) all made the playoffs with below-average graded lines, according to PFF (the Bengals ranked 30th).  While no one can argue that the Bengals line is good as-is, I think having playmakers like Joe Mixon and Joe Burrow can help mitigate that weakness and prevent it from holding the team back too much in the same way we have seen with other teams.

Go back to Part 1

“Playoffs?! I Just Hope We Can Win a Game!” – Part 1

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Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor answers questions from the press after the first day of offseason workouts, Tuesday, April 9, 2019, at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati. Zac Taylor Press Conference 4 9 2019

Last week, I wrote an article that was intended to provide some hope for Bengals fans, that the tunnel with the light at the end of it may not be as long as some may think.  While I am hopeful, I am also realistic, and I realize that it takes a lot of things going right for the Bengals to make a quick, one-year turnaround.  However, some responded to the article with resistance to even entertaining the idea that the Bengals could be playoff contenders in 2020.  Most of the concerns revolved around the bad offensive line, the lack of trust in the front office to make free agent acquisitions, and the lack of a ‘plan.’  While all of these concerns are legitimate, I think there are some signs that show that the franchise COULD be headed in the right direction in each of these areas.  In this three part series, we will look at these in greater detail, one at a time.

Let’s begin looking at free agency, and the lack of activity in signing external free agents to any significant amount of money.  Many times the Brown family has prioritized resigning their own free agents, and then spend on mostly bottom tier free agents to bring into the organization.  As it relates to the aforementioned offensive line: signing some of the top tier guys would be nice of course, but history tells us we should not expect the Bengals to shell out 12-15 mil a year for those guys.  On the current roster, there are only four players projected to make more than $10 million after 2020 (Geno Atkins, Dre Kirkpatrick, Carlos Dunlap, and Tyler Boyd).  This team doesn’t typically dole out monster contracts to their own guys, let alone outside free agents.  One has to wonder though if and when that propensity to squeeze every penny will fade a bit. 

Consider: when the Bengals FINALLY moved on from Marvin Lewis, it was a major change for the organization.  Granted, it was probably long overdue, but the front office did make that decision to move on.  After that, leadership decided that Zac Taylor was the best fit for their head coaching vacancy, choosing him over more “proven” options like Vance Joseph or Hue Jackson (gulp).  Whether you were a fan of the signing or not, the decision to pursue Zac Taylor and then allow him to bring in Brian Callahan, making them the youngest Head Coach / Offensive Coordinator duo in the league, seemed to be off-brand for a team that for so long valued continuity and experience.  With anywhere from $47 – 74 million in cap space (depending on what they do with Andy Dalton and Cordy Glenn), it will be interesting if Zac Taylor or others have any sway in getting management to pony up some cash for a top lineman to protect their franchise quarterback. 

If the Bengals do decide to invest in their future a bit more and sign some free agents (especially at the OL and LB positions), this could jumpstart the rebuild and propel this team towards contention sooner rather than later. While expecting the team to pay large sums of money to outside free agents may be somewhat unlikely, in all honesty if they pay for ‘average’ talent at those two position groups, it would spell major improvement in 2020.

Read Part 2

A Case for the Bengals Making the Playoffs Next Season

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In case you haven’t heard, the 54th Super Bowl will be taking place this Sunday in Miami, Florida. On one side you have the Kansas City Chiefs, who have made the playoffs for the past five seasons and have been a staple of consistency under Andy Reid. On the other side of the field stand the San Francisco 49ers, who not too long ago endured a (2-14) season similar to the Bengals’ 2019 season. In looking at these two teams, Bengals fans can stand to be encouraged about the prospects of a playoff berth occurring sooner rather than later.

In general, the NFL Playoffs see fairly consistent turnover season to season. Over the past five seasons, an average of five of the 12 playoff teams are newcomers from the previous season, with only the Patriots, Chiefs, Seahawks, and Texans making more than three playoff appearances during that time. Remarkably, 29 of the 32 NFL teams have made at least one playoff appearance since the 2015 – 2016 season (pour one out for the Browns, Buccaneers, and Jets). We also have seen teams make rather
quick turnarounds, which we can see in looking at team win/loss records since 2015. Since 2015, there have been 14 different instances of teams adding at least six wins to their previous season total. Just this season, we saw the NFC representatives in the Super Bowl jump from four wins to 13. While predicting win/loss records for the upcoming season is a futile effort (especially in January), it would not be unheard of to see the Bengals make a major leap in 2020 and flirt with 8-9 wins. While that is not likely enough to enter the playoff picture, it would be a gigantic step forward in the right direction and lay the foundation for a potential 2021 playoff run.


When looking at the Kansas City Chiefs, we can simplify their blueprint as such: The Chiefs win with a masterful offensive scheme that gets their plethora of playmakers into space, relying on their elite quarterback and outstanding athletes on the outside to win. Their defense is opportunistic in forcing turnovers and creating sacks, even if they yield higher yardage amounts. It would behoove the Bengals to try to mirror the Chiefs blueprint as closely as possible, and I believe just a few moves could put them
on the right track.


On the offensive side of the ball, it starts with the quarterback position. Andy Dalton is a fine quarterback but by now we know he is not the guy that will lead us to the promised land. While Joe Burrow is a complete unknown at the professional level, there is reason to believe based on his most recent body of work along with the traits he displayed in full this past college season, that he can be a franchise quarterback. A quarterback that is able to make plays (that is, making things happen when plays begin to breakdown or do not go according to plan) frees up an entire offense and helps cover some of those warts that can creep up from time to time. Add in an offensive play-caller now entering his second season with a disposal of weapons on offense (Boyd, Mixon, Tate, and potentially A.J. Green)
to accompany his rookie quarterback and Zac Taylor should be able to unleash a little more firepower than what we saw last season with the likes of Ryan Finley, Alex Erickson, and CJ Uzomah all playing meaningful snaps. A free agent signing of a solid backend defender like Justin Simmons (90.8 PFF grade, four interceptions) or Anthony Harris (90.5 PFF grade, six interceptions) and continued growth of Carl Lawson and Sam Hubbard would potentially go a long way towards helping this defense force more
turnovers.


Now, is it likely that the Bengals become major spenders in free agency? Probably not, even if they do have $49 million in cap space with the potential of having $75+ million with the trade/release of Dalton and Cordy Glenn. But you can see that in just a few moves, they could very well become a formidable foe come next season. We know some team(s) is going to see a major increase in wins next season, and most likely nearly half of the playoff field will look different than it did this season. The Bengals can make that leap and return to the playoffs for the first time in half a decade.

Remembering Chris Henry

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December 17th, 2009 is a day that stands out to a lot of Bengals fans. Today, December 17th, 2019 marks the 10th anniversary of former Bengals wide receiver Chris “Slim” Henry’s sudden death at the young age of 26.

In his sophomore season at West Virginia in 2003 Henry broke out and had 1,006 yards on 41 catches for 10 touchdowns, clearly showing how much of a deep threat he was with his speed. In his junior season in 2004, he finished with 872 yards on 52 catches and 12 touchdowns.

In the 2005 NFL Draft Henry was overlooked and avoided by many teams because of his reputation of being a headcase and getting into trouble off the field. In classic Bengals (and Marvin Lewis) fashion, they took a chance on Henry in the third round of the 2005 draft and he had an immediate impact and became a big play guy out of the slot. The Bengals offense was a juggernaut in 2005 with quarterback Carson Palmer leading the way with a supporting cast of running back Rudi Johnson, and fellow wide receivers Chad Johnson and TJ Houshmandzadeh in addition to Henry. In 2005 Henry had 422 yards receiving on 31 receptions and 6 touchdowns, including a big 66-yard catch on the first play of the 2005 AFC Wild card game against the Steelers.

After that 2005 season, Henry got into trouble several times and was suspended by the NFL for 2 games in the 2006 regular season for violating the leagues Personal Conduct and Substance Abuse Policies. Once again in 2007 Henry was suspended, this time for the first 8 games of the season. And in March of 2008 Henry punched a man in the face and threw a beer bottle through his car window, Henry was waived by the Bengals the next day.

In August of 2008 Henry was allowed back in the NFL and the Bengals resigned him and he stayed out of trouble for the entire 2008 season. According to multiple teammates, Henry was headed in the right direction. He did not get into any trouble through the first 14 weeks of the 2009 season, as the Bengals themselves seemed to turn their season around and were making a playoff push. Henry and his then-wife got into an altercation and he fell out of her truck while she was driving and suffered a severe head injury and he ended up passing away.

Rip Slim #15

Finley Finally Gets His Shot

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On the afternoon of Wednesday, October 30th, just three hours before the trade deadline, the Bengals made a big announcement. It was not a trade, but a benching of 9-year veteran quarterback Andy Dalton in favor of rookie quarterback Ryan Finley (a 4th round pick out of NC State). With the Bengals’ record at 0-8 there is seemingly nothing to lose. Starting Finley will give management the opportunity to see what they have and ultimately decide if they should draft a quarterback with their potential first-round pick.

Andy Dalton has struggled the last few weeks, especially against the Jaguars in week 7 when he threw 3 interceptions in the 4th quarter alone, one of those being a pick 6. This season Dalton has a 60% completion percentage with 9 touchdowns and 8 interceptions and 2,252 passing yards.

Ryan Finley will be making his NFL debut on Sunday against the Bengals AFC North rival the Baltimore Ravens. Finley began his college career at Boise State where he played in just three games his freshmen year (2014) and four games his sophomore year (2015).  After a 2016 transfer to North Carolina State, he finished his senior season with a 67% completion percentage, 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions for 3,298 yards. 

Finley looked impressive during the preseason when playing against backups. He had a 73% completion percentage for 3 touchdowns and 1 interception and 414 yards.


Bengals vs Rams – Week 8 Preview

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The Cincinnati Bengals are headed to London, England to play the Los Angeles Rams in their Week 8 matchup on Sunday, October 27th at Wembley Stadium.

The Bengals are coming into this game 0-7 after a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars by a final score of 27-17. The stories of the game were the four turnovers by the Bengals and the offense’s inability to get the run game going with Joe Mixon. Mixon only had 2 yards on 10 carries and Giovani Bernard had 0 yards on 4 carries. You know your run game is bad when quarterback Andy Dalton leads your team in rushing, he had 33 yards on the ground on 4 rushes. Dalton finished the game with 22 completions on 43 attempts for 276 yards, 1 touchdown and 3 interceptions. The Bengals were leading 10-9 going into the 4th quarter, but three interceptions thrown by Dalton (one being a pick six by Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue) put an end to any comeback for the Bengals.

The Rams are coming into this game with a 4-3 record after a blowout win against the Atlanta Falcons by a final score of 37-10. This was a much-needed win for the Rams. Coming into last week they had lost 3 straight games after starting the season 3-0. Rams Quarterback Jared Goff had 22 completions on 37 attempts for 268 yards, 2 touchdowns, 0 interceptions and a rushing touchdown. Rams running back Todd Gurley had 41 rushing yards on 18 carries and a receiving touchdown. The Rams defense forced three turnovers and had over fourteen more minutes of time of possession than the Falcons.

You can catch this week’s game at 1:00 pm (EST) on CBS. 

Cardinals vs Bengals – Week 5 Recap

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The Cincinnati Bengals lost yet another heartbreaker Sunday afternoon to the Arizona Cardinals by a final score of 26-23. This loss pushes the Bengals to 0-5 for the season.

After the first half, the Bengals were only down 13-6 as neither teams’ offense could get anything going. Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton had only 4 completions on 10 attempts for 42 yards. Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray had 12 completions on 18 attempts for 129 yards and a rushing touchdown. The Bengals added a short field goal in the third quarter to pull within 4 points at 13-9 but on their next possession while driving, they went for it on 4th and 1 and Andy Dalton was tackled short on a questionable quarterback run out of shot gun. Arizona gained momentum adding 10 points to go up 23-9 in the forth quarter. The Bengals did not quit though as late in the fourth quarter they went on a surprising 10 play, 79-yard drive that ended in an Auden Tate touchdown to cut the deficit to 23-16. The Bengals defense got a three and out and with under three minutes to go the Bengals had a chance to tie the game. They then went on a quick 4 play 81-yard drive which resulted in a 42-yard touchdown pass from Dalton to Tyler Boyd. Even so, the Cardinals and Kyler Murray were too much in the end. The Bengals had Nick Vigil on an island against David Johnson who made a nice catch on the sideline for 24 yards resulting in a game-winning field goal from kicker Zane Gonzalez.

Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton finished the game with 27 completions on 38 attempts for 262 yards, 2 touchdowns and no interceptions. Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray finished with 20 completions on 32 attempts for 253 yards, no passing touchdowns and no interceptions in addition to 93 yards rushing on 10 attempts with a rushing touchdown. The Bengals rushing leader was Joe Mixon with 93 yards on 19 attempts. The Bengals leading receiver was Tyler Boyd with 123 yards on 10 receptions with 1 touchdown.

The Bengals and Cardinals played a clean game without a single turnover. The Bengals leading tacklers were Nick Vigil with 13 tackles (6 solo) and Shawn Williams with 12 tackles (10 solo). The Cardinals leading tacklers were Byron Murphy with 9 tackles (8 solo) and Jalen Thompson with 8 tackles (5 solo). The kickers played a big part in this game, Bengals kicker Randy Bullock was 3 for 3 on field goal attempts and Cardinals kicker Zane Gonzalez was 4 for 5.

Next for the Bengals is a divisional game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, October 13th at 1:00pm EST. 


Cardinals vs Bengals – Week 5 Preview

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The Cincinnati Bengals are headed back home for a Week 5 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, October 6th at 1:00 pm EST. 

The Bengals are 0-4 after getting blown out on the road by the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-3. Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton had 21 completions out of 37 attempts for 171 yards and 1 interception while getting sacked a career-high 8 times. Running back Joe Mixon had 62 yards on 15 attempts and the leading receiver was Auden Tate who had 50 yards on 4 receptions. The Bengals defense played relatively well in the first half, only allowing 10 points and even forced a fumble. However, in the second half they looked overwhelmed and tired, giving up 17 points. 

The Cardinals are also coming into this game winless at 0-3-1 record after losing at home to the Seattle Seahawks 27-10. Quarterback Kyler Murray had 22 completions on 32 attempts for 241 yards with 1 interception. Running back David Johnson had only 40 yards on 11 attempts but was the Cardinals’ leading receiver with 99 yards on 8 receptions. Seahawks tight end Will Dissly fumbled once and quarterback Russel Wilson twice, yet the Cardinals did not recover any of those fumbles.

If the Bengals want to get head coach Zac Taylor his first win, they have to be able to set the tone upfront. The Bengals offensive line had the worst performance of any team in Pro Football Focus history last week. Joe Mixon and Giovani Bernard need to be more involved now that wide receiver John Ross has been placed on injured reserve. Mixon and Bernard should see the ball more in both the passing and running games. 

If the Cardinals want to get head coach Kliff Kingsbury his first win, Kyler Murray has to stay clean and not turn the ball over. The Cardinals will have to take advantage of the Bengals slow linebackers, run the ball to the outside with David Johnson or do more read options with Kyler Murray. If utilize their tight ends, it will cause matchup advantages for the Cardinals since the Bengals linebackers continue to struggle in coverage. The defense will need to be opportunistic and force turnovers whenever they can against the struggling Bengals offense.

Bengals vs Steelers – Week 4 Recap

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The Cincinnati Bengals got embarrassed by their AFC North rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers, on Monday Night losing by a score of 27-3.

The Bengals defense allowed 2nd year quarterback Mason Rudolph to complete 24 passes on 28 attempts for 229 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Steelers did a great job simplifying the playbook for Rudolph which included a few wildcat plays. Running back Jaylen Samuels took part in those wildcat calls and he was credited with 3 completions for 31 yards as well as having 26 rushing yards on 10 attempts. As putrid as the Bengals looked one positive from the game was their run defense, the Steelers leading rusher, James Connor, had only 42 yards on 10 attempts. Conner was also the Steelers leading receiver with 8 receptions for 83 yards and a receiving touchdown.

The Bengals offense was once again non-existent. Quarterback Andy Dalton had 21 completions on 37 attempts for 171 yards, no touchdowns with 1 interception. In the 2nd quarter down 10-3 the Bengals were driving down the field but when they were deep in Steeler territory Andy Dalton had the ball stripped by Bud Dupree. The offensive line had by far their worst performance of the season allowing Andy Dalton to get sacked 8 times. Running back Joe Mixon had a decent game with 62 yards rushing on 15 attempts and the Bengals leading receiver was Auden Tate who had 4 receptions for 50 yards.

The Bengals come back home on Sunday, October 6th to play the 0-3-1 Arizona Cardinals.

Mindset Is Key For Bengals To Knock Out The Steelers On Monday Night

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The Bengals (0-3) play against their first AFC North opponent of the 2019 season this coming Monday night in prime time when they take on the 0-3 Steelers in Pittsburgh.

The Steelers have been the Bengals most hated nemesis over the past 15-20 years as most matchups during that span have been bloodbaths with the Steelers coming out on the winning end in most cases. This year both teams face each other still looking for their first win after three games but everyone in the media still seem to be picking the Steelers to win despite not having quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. It all makes sense given that the Steelers are the more successful and more talked about franchise with 6 Super Bowl championships. They also boast an all-time record of 64-35 against the Bengals and a 24-7 win-loss advantage since 2004. ESPN’s panel of 10 NFL experts are leaning towards the Steelers in this next matchup as 8 out of 10 are predicting the Steelers to win on Monday night.

Over the years Bengals fans have seen Cincinnati go toe-to-toe with Pittsburgh but they have also witnessed the Bengals flounder in most of those games due to a lack of mental toughness or lack of composure in response to dirty play from the team in yellow and black. In 2018 the Bengals were within a score of beating the Steelers in both matchups but couldn’t finish them.

This season the Bengals have a new head coach and coaching staff and we’ve all seen the “New Dey” marketing slogan around the team. While there have been many refreshing aspects of this new regime of coaches leading the team it has not translated to wins on the field yet. One way to show that it is truly a “New Dey” would be for the Bengals to go into Pittsburgh in a prime time game and win on the road, even against a bad Steelers team without their starting quarterback.

In my mind the key to coming out with a win is for the Bengals to have the right mindset heading into the game. Yes, emotions will run high, there will be nerves, there may even be some dirty play or cheap shots during the game. But with the majority of expectations from the media, and those outside of this Bengals team, being that the Steelers will come out with a win, the Bengals should come into it thinking: “we’ve got nothing to lose”. When one has this kind of mindset they often perform looser and with more confidence. I believe head coach Zac Taylor has the team believing in each other and holding themselves accountable for the areas where they have struggled so far this season. If the Bengals can keep believing in each other, holding each other accountable, learning from past mistakes and combine all of that with a “we’ve got nothing to lose” mindset, then I think they will play well enough to win on Monday night in Pittsburgh. If the Bengals come into the game feeling that the weight of the world is on them, letting their emotions get the best of them and putting too much pressure on themselves, then simply put, they will not win this game.

The Bengals have the talent to beat the Steelers. The coaches seem to have the players buying in. But the talent and belief in each other has yet to fully translate the way they want during games. It is also yet to be seen if we will see the same issues that have plagued past Bengals teams when they play the Pittsburgh Steelers under this new coaching staff. In watching this game on Monday night my focus will be on these 3 things that are all by-products of having the right mindset:

  • 1) how loose and confident players appear (do they appear to be playing tight or afraid of making a mistake)
  • 2) how they respond to adversity when they give up a big play or make a mistake (do they appear to be fighting back in a good way)
  • 3) how they respond to dirty plays or cheap shots by the Steelers (are they taking cheap shots back or getting called for stupid penalties, are the Steelers in their head)

Bengals vs Steelers – Week 4 Preview

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The Cincinnati Bengals are going on the road to face their AFC North rival the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday Night Football on September 30th.

The Bengals are coming into this game 0-3 after losing a nail biter to the Buffalo Bills 21-17. The Bengals looked a lot better in the second half of last Sunday’s game and it looked like Zac Taylor actually made second half adjustments as it appeared the Bengals were making a 2nd half comeback. Andy Dalton had 20 completions on 36 attempts for 294 yards with 1 passing touchdown, 1 rushing touchdown and 2 interceptions. The Bengals were marching down the field with a shot to score with 15 seconds left but Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White picked off a Dalton pass that was intended for Auden Tate to seal the win for Buffalo.

The Steelers are also coming into this game with an 0-3 record after losing to the San Fransico 49ers 24-20 this past Sunday. Mason Rudolf got his first start out of the way and finished with 14 completions on 27 attempts for 174 yards and 2 touchdowns and he also threw an interception. The biggest play he made was a 76-yard touchdown pass to JuJu Smith-Schuster. The 49ers had 5 turnovers but the Steelers could not take advantage, with 5:49 to go in the game Steelers running back James Connor got stripped which ended up leading to the game-winning touchdown, a Garoppolo TD pass to receiver Dante Pettis.

If the Bengals want to get that 1 in the win column, their defense has to keep playing well and the offense has to keep giving Joe Mixon the ball. They simply can’t become one-dimensional on offense like they were in Seattle and against San Francisco.

If the Steelers want to get a 1 in the win column, they have to give Mason Rudolph time to let plays develop and they have to deliver the ball to JuJu Smith-Schuster a lot. The Steelers have to cut down on turnovers and take advantage of the opportunities they are given.

If the Bengals come out and play flat as they did against the 49ers and in the first half against the Bills, then I predict the Steelers will win 28-10. If the Bengals come out and play as they did in the second half against the Bills, the Bengals will win 28-17.




Bengals vs Bills – Week 3 Recap

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The Cincinnati Bengals are now 0-3 after losing yet another nail biter to the Buffalo Bills in Buffalo.

The Bengals offense was non-existent in the first half after not getting a first down until 1:57 left in the second quarter when quarterback Andy Dalton hit Auden Tate for 24 yards to move the sticks. Andy Dalton finished the game with 20 completions on 36 attempts for 249 yards, 1 passing touchdown, 1 rushing touchdown and 2 interceptions. Joe Mixon finally looked like his old self as he rushed for 61 yards on 15 carries and 2 receptions for 34 yards and a touchdown. Wide receiver Tyler Boyd had a quiet first half, like everyone on offense, but in the second half he came up big with a couple of 3rd and long receptions for first downs in the 4th quarter. Wide receiver Auden Tate got the start as well and had a great game with 6 catches for 88 yards.

Unlike last week, the Bengals defense played pretty well considering how much they were on the field. For how much they had to play and how bad the offense was, going into the half only down 14-0 was a win. They forced a turnover when defensive lineman Sam Hubbard stripped Bills running back T.J. Yeldon deep in Bengals territory in the 2nd quarter. The Bengals should have had another fumble recovery when Josh Allen got stripped by Bengals defensive back Brandon Wilson, linebacker Nick Vigil fell on the ball while inbounds then he rolled out of bounds after recovering the ball but the refs said he was out of bounds.

The Bengals looked liked the same team that the 49ers blew out last week in the first half, but in the second half they looked like a completely different team as they fought back and showed heart. Darius Phillips took a kick return 92 yards to the house when the Bengals were down 8-0 but it was called back on a soft holding call on Auden Tate and I believe if that would have stood they would have a 1 in the win column. The Bengals look ahead to Pittsburgh next week as they play the 0-3 Steelers on Monday Night Football.



Bengals vs Bills – Week 3 Preview

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The Cincinnati Bengals will be on the road to face the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, September 22nd at 1pm EST.

The Bengals are coming into this game with an 0-2 record after receiving a beatdown at the hands of the 49ers this past week as they lost 41-17. The Bengals defense was nonexistent as they gave up 572 yards and the offensive line gave quarterback Andy Dalton very little time to do anything or let plays develop. Also, for the 2nd straight week, Joe Mixon was limited in the run game and was only able to gain 17 yards on 11 carries. A few bright spots were wide receivers Tyler Boyd and John Ross, Boyd had 10 catches for 122 yards and Ross had 4 catches for 112 yards and a late garbage-time touchdown in the 4th quarter.

The Bills are coming into this game 2-0 after beating the New York Giants by a final score of 28-14. The Bills defense came up with 2 interceptions against Eli Manning and the Giants while Josh Allen did not turn the ball over and had both a touchdown pass and a rushing touchdown. Frank Gore also had 68 yards rushing for the Bills on 19 carries and had a touchdown and Isaiah McKenzie had a receiving touchdown. Some of the bright spots for Buffalo on the offensive side were wide receivers Cole Beasley and John Brown, Beasley had 4 catches for 82 yards and Brown had 7 catches for 72 yards.

If the Bengals want to get their first win of the season, they have to get better offensive line play especially with regards to run blocking. They have been too one-dimensional offensively due to not having much of a run game. Defensively they need to rebound from last weeks poor showing by not giving up the boundaries and simply tackling better.

49ers vs Bengals – Week 2 Preview

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  • Cincinnati Bengals running back Giovani Bernard (25) runs against San Francisco 49ers nose tackle Ian Williams (93) during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

The Cincinnati Bengals will be playing the San Francisco 49ers in their first home game of the year this Sunday, September 15th at 1:00pm EST on FOX.

For the 49ers, the story of their Week 1 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was their defense. The 49ers D forced 4 turnovers while sacking Jameis Winston 3 times. Three of the four turnovers were interceptions thrown by Winston and 2 of those interceptions were returned for touchdowns. 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo on the other hand went 18 of 27 for 166 yards passing with 1 touchdown and 1 interception.

The 49ers running game was not very strong with Raheem Mostert rushing for 40 yards on 9 attempts and Matt Breida added 37 yards on the ground on 15 attempts. The 49ers are going to have to be more efficient if they want to win Sunday.

Even though the Bengals lost their first game in Week 1 they should be very confident given how they played the Seahawks this past Sunday. The Bengals offense looked good, even great at times but just could not get that score they needed in the second half despite being in Seattle territory 3 times in the 3rd quarter. The Bengals defense looked even better only allowing 233 total yards and getting 4 sacks of Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson. Andy Dalton was 35 of 51 for 418 yards and 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. The Bengals offense ranks 10th in the league after 1 week and their defense ranks 5th in the NFL heading into Week 2.

Just like the 49ers, the Bengals running game was not strong. Joe Mixon had 6 carries for only 10 yards before hurting his ankle last Sunday and Giovani Bernard had 7 carries for only 21 yards. The Bengals run game has to better and they must get their running backs more involved if they want to win on Sunday.

Bengals Lose Week 1 Nail Biter

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The Cincinnati Bengals lost to the Seattle Seahawks 21-20 Sunday afternoon in Seattle. 

The Bengals had many bright spots in this game. They showed heart and fought and if the Bengals could have scored even a field goal when they were in Seattle territory in the 2nd half, they would already have a 1 in the win column. They were deep in Seattle territory 3 times in the 3rd quarter alone and came away with no points.

The defense had several bright spots. Sam Hubbard played like a mad man finishing with 10 total tackles (6 solo) and 2 sacks. Nick Vigil and Carlos Dunlap were both active as each had 7 tackles (Dunlap also had a sack). The Bengals defense looks completely different now compared to this time last year.

Offensively quarterback Andy Dalton shined. Dalton stepped back to pass 51 times, which was a career high, and completed 35 passes (68.6% completion percentage) with 2 TDs and 0 interceptions. He did have a fluke fumble in Seattle territory as rain began to fall early in the 3rd quarter.

John Ross had a big day and was probably the biggest surprise of the game as he finished with 7 receptions, 158 yards and 2 touchdowns. He had an awful drop late in the 2nd quarter but made up for it when he caught a 55 yard touchdown on the next play with 7 seconds left in the half. He had a few drops on Sunday, but made up for them in big ways. C.J. Uzomah also had a solid game with 4 receptions for 66 yards, and Tyler Boyd also was reliable with 8 receptions going for 60 yards as well.

The running game struggled. Joe Mixon left the game early with an ankle injury and finished with just 6 carries for 10 yards and Giovani Bernard had 7 carries for only 21 yards on the ground. If the Bengals want to beat the 49ers next week, they need to improve on the ground. The Bengals could really use Cordy Glenn who they hope will be out of concussion protocol and able to play next week.

The Bengals host the 49ers next Sunday in their home opener at 1:00pm EST.