Bengals-Talk

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Winners and Losers: Preseason Week 1

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While it was only preseason, man was it great to have football back. We saw an encouraging performance from the Bengals starters in their 30-27 victory over the Chicago Bears. Here are a few of the winners and losers from the first game of the year.

John Ross – Wide Receiver
Winner

I am listing Ross as a winner, despite him falling down on a route resulting in a pick six early in the game. Ross did not play a perfect game, however he had flashes that showed why the Bengals picked him 9th overall in 2017. Ross’s one catch for the night was a short route where he caught the ball about four to five yards from the line of scrimmage, right in front of the defender. Most wide receivers would have fought for an extra yard or two and been tackled, but this is where Ross is different. Ross juked out the defender and turned on the jets, accelerating for 20 yards and nearly scoring. It was the type of play that showed just how dangerous he can be in the open field. Ross also remained in the game and got a lot of targets even after his mistake. It was a good sign that Marvin Lewis left him in rather than benching him for the mistake. Ross got a few red zone targets later in the night, one in which he went up in the air to snag the ball and nearly drug both toes in the back of the endzone. Some will say both feet were down, but regardless he showed just enough to flash his monster upside.

Matt Barkley – Quarterback
Loser

Going into Thursday night Barkley was the second quarterback on the Bengals depth chart, but if he continues with performances like he did against the Bears, Barkley could find himself as a free agent. Barkley showed next to nothing in his time against the Bears, completing just five passes for 64 yards. He was able to lead a few drives resulting in field goals, but gave Bengals fans no confidence if something were to happen to Dalton. Barkley will need to seriously step up his game to avoid being passed up by Jeff Driskel, who played very well.

Geno Atkins – Defensive End
Winner

Geno was his usual disruptive self against Chicago, contributing to the first team defense that held Mitchell Trubisky to only four yards passing. Early on in the game versus the Bears first string offense, Geno bulldozed an offensive lineman to the ground getting right to Trubisky for the sack. It was a reminder that Geno is still one of the league’s most elite defensive tackles. A few plays later Geno rushed into the backfield drawing an offensive holding penalty after the Bears line was forced to hold him to keep him from recording his second sack of the night. A five yard penalty is as good as a sack for the defense. Geno showed us that even if you don’t let him get to the quarterback, he can still be a defensive nightmare. Geno should once again be one the key players on this Bengals defense.

Malik Jefferson – Linebacker
Loser

It is not a huge red flag as this was Jefferson’s first NFL game ever, but Jefferson didn’t flash much. Outside of his one tackle we saw Jefferson miss a tackle on a run to the outside that led to the Bears getting a big gain. As if him being a liability on the ground wasn’t enough we also saw him struggle in pass coverage, getting beat several times. It is likely Jefferson was not ready for the speed of the NFL and will be able to better prepare for their week 2 Preseason matchup, but for someone who was taken in the third round Jefferson must improve. With Vontaze Burfict out for the first few games, Malik has a huge opportunity to showcase what he can do with an expected increase of snaps. Jefferson is still raw and developing his instincts, expect him to improve in week 2.

The Cincinnati Bengals Offense
Winner

After an embarrassing 2017 filled with bad line play and no creativity, we saw a new look Bengals offense against the Bears. With a full offseason of Bill Lazor, young wideouts like Ross, Boyd, and Malone, and a new line, this Bengals offense gave fans hope. The Bengals came out firing and moved the ball very effectively. We saw AJ Green lined up in the slot against linebackers, Joe Mixon lined up wide running wide receiver routes, and we also saw Tyler Boyd shine from the slot. Bill Lazor will not be short on weapons this year, and while it was only one game it appears he knows how to utilize them. We saw one blunder by the first team offense, John Ross’s slip, but was otherwise lights out and appeared to be clicking well. Bill and his new offense bring excitement the Bengals have been missing.

Follow me on Twitter @Pierson242FF, be sure to tweet at me for any Bengals related questions or comments. Who Dey!

Bengals To Watch In Preseason Week 1

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The Bengals play the Chicago Bears in preseason game number 1. Below are key players to keep an eye on during the game.

1. Billy Price – Center – A lot of people will say that the Bengals were targeting Frank Ragnow with their first pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, but as many of you know he was taken just ahead of the Bengals pick by the Detroit Lions. The Bengals ended up with former Ohio State center, Billy Price instead. Price injured himself at the 2018 combine, hurting his draft stock, but is back healthy and expected to start right away for the Bengals offensive line. Price has been struggling with getting clean snaps to Andy Dalton all during training camp. Price is sure to be the “center” of attention on offense tonight, as he is expected to start with the first team.

2. Joe Mixon – Running Back – The Bengals 2017 second round pick is facing tall orders this year with high expectations from inside and outside the organization. Mixon struggled as a rookie, in large part to the offensive line, but showed flashes of greatness throughout the year. Now, as the unquestioned starter, and Jeremy Hill gone to New England, Mixon is expected to be the Bengals three down bell cow. Mixon is also setting big goals for himself for 2018, when asked if he has his touchdown dances ready he responded, “I have one for every game”. Bengals fans everywhere will be hoping he can showcase 16 touchdown dances this year.

3. Cedric Ogbuehi vs. Bobby Hart – Right Tackle – The Bengals spent a first round pick on Ogbuehi back in 2015, and up until now has been a bust for the Bengals. The New York Giants used a seventh round pick on Hart in the same draft. Now, in 2018, both will be battling it out for the right tackle position on the Cincy o-line. This is one of the key position battles to watch during the preseason. For now, Hart is being listed as the starter but coach Marvin Lewis eluded that there is no official first team yet, which means the right tackle spot is still up for grabs. Expect Hart to start tonight, with Ogbuehi expected to get a lot of time with the second team.

4. John Ross – Wide Receiver – It would be impossible to write this without mentioning former first round pick John Ross. After a disastrous rookie campaign, Ross is back healthy and turning heads in camp. So much in fact that the Bengals released veteran Brandon LaFell. Ross is now expected to be the Bengals WR2 and line up on the outside opposite of AJ Green, replacing LaFell. With Green pulling the safety to his side of the field, Ross could see favorable one on one matchups this year. With no lack of speed or pedigree, Ross could
be the missing piece to pull the Bengals back to the top of the NFL ranks. He will be the number one fan favorite to watch tonight.

Follow me on Twitter @Pierson242FF for fantasy football news, and all things Bengals!

Which 3 Cincinnati Bengals Players Cannot Get Injured in 2018?

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How would The Godfather have turned out if the understudies had taken over for Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, and James Caan? Answer: Unwatchable.

That’s a good word to associate with the Cincinnati Bengals if they lose these players to season-ending injuries in 2018. The stars can get the job done, but if the backups have to replace them at some point, we’ll be flipping to other channels, hoping they made Godfather IV: Corleones on Patrol and we somehow missed it in the theater.

Cincinnati Bengals Players We Pray Aren’t Lost to Injury This Year

Andy Dalton: We’ll start here because this one is the biggest and most obvious. Simply put, if we lose Dalton, we lose the season. When AJ McCarron was the backup, we might not have been so quick to make that statement. But unprovens and semi-provens are lining the bench with Matt Barkley, Jeff Driskel, and Logan Woodside (and we’ll likely lose one in the cut).

Barkley has the most experience, though he’s on his sixth stop in the NFL. Yes, he can play quarterback, but how much confidence does that thought instill in you, or the Cincinnati Bengals offense? It’s like telling your fellow 747 passengers not to worry – if the crew gets food poisoning, you’ll take over because you’ve beaten Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation on your Xbox One.

Driskel is in his third year in the league, but has been injured most of his college and pro careers. Rookie Woodside is 6’2”, 213 pounds and enjoys movies, Chinese food, and long walks on the beach at sunset.

One or more of them could very well turn out to be a quality player. But not in 2018.

AJ Green
Even though Green plays at a position with some depth, we fear an injury to him because ….. well, he’s AJ Green. Losing him would mean “Time to step up, newbies!” instead of “Oh no, what are we going to do now?!” (read: QB) – and neither of those options is good for the Cincinnati Bengals.

Tyler Boyd is a third-year guy who has 76 career catches for 828 yards. He would definitely assume an even larger role in the offense if Green was out. Let’s just hope he has a ride to the game.

John Ross is healthy and turning heads in camp. Cody Core is a third-year guy with good size (6’3”) who played in 13 games last year (though he did not record a reception). Josh Malone was having a good training camp but must rest his recently-tweaked hamstring. They can all pitch in to cover the potential loss of Green ……. we hope.

Geno Atkins
You probably know how we feel about a Geno-Atkins-less defensive line. The concern is the same as for the QB and WR positions: Young players behind them on the depth chart.

Atkins is a six-time Pro Bowl selection. Backup Ryan Glasgow is a second-year, fourth-round draft pick with 23 career tackles. That gap should tell you something.

Backup-backup Chris Baker is a journeyman who is on his fifth team in 10 years. Backup-backup-backup Chris Okoye is big on size (6’6”, 320), but small on college and experience (Ferris State, rookie).

Cincinnati Bengals – Keep Atkins and Dunlap After 2018

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Dear Cincinnati Bengals ownership,

We don’t mean the ones from Cleveland when we say this: If you don’t re-sign Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap after this year, then you can eat browns and die.

Sincerely, the fans

This could be among your thoughts this offseason. With 2018 being the contract year for these two solid defensive line players, you’d have to think (well, pray) that Mike Brown and the Cincy bigwigs will bring their checkbook and pay Dunlap and Atkins some coin to keep them around for a few more seasons.

Why the Cincinnati Bengals Must Keep Dunlap and Atkins After 2018

Atkins is a six-time Pro Bowler, including the last four years straight. Dunlap has started every game since 2013. Barring injury, he should pass Eddie Edwards’ all-time franchise sack total of 83.5 (official and unofficial) within the next two years. You don’t want to lose those kinds of players – especially when the backups are unproven.

Ryan Glasgow tallied only 23 stops in his 2017 rookie campaign. Sam Hubbard, the third-round draft pick out of Ohio State, is still learning how to carry Dunlap’s laundry. They could develop into fine football players, but they aren’t ready yet.

If that weren’t enough, we’ve already seen how losing two quality guys can affect line play. The Cincinnati Bengals’ offensive line lost Andrew Whitworth (Los Angeles Rams) and Kevin Zeitler (Cleveland Browns) after the 2016 season. You could cliff-dive off the drop in production.

From ‘16 to ‘17, the team went from 13th in the NFL in rushing (110.6 yards per game) to 31st (85.4). That put more pressure on the passing game (which you never want to be forced into), and with a lack of playmakers, the results were predictable. The Cincinnati Bengals offense couldn’t move if they hired a fleet of U-Haul vans.

Now translate that to the defense. With Dunlap and Atkins leading the way, the Bengals were tied for 11th in the league with 41 sacks. Yes, the defense ranked near the bottom in rushing yards allowed, but the point is, how much worse do those numbers get if the two best big bodies blow town? If we lose these guys, opposing running backs will be five yards downfield before Vontaze Burfict can get suspended.

That’s our two cents. So Mike Brown, make us proud. Re-sign Dunlap and don’t go on an Atkins diet. We’ve been two to three wins away from the playoff conversation over the last couple of years. The continued presence of these two could mean making it … or waiting for the next Dunlap and Atkins to come along.

4 Old Cincinnati Bengals Players Who Could Help This Year

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The Cincinnati Bengals have been pretty close to the playoffs the last couple of years. Well, maddeningly close. OK, knife-throwing-act-at-the-circus close. Not really, but it’s not far fetched to think that they are closer to being one of the Bengals teams that made the playoffs 5 straight seasons (2011-2015) than a team that is in total rebuild mode.

Since we can’t change the past, we’ll do the next best thing – we’ll go back to the past. We’re gonna make our call on which four players from Cincy’s best teams (1988 and 2005) could help get this year’s team into the postseason.

4 Cincinnati Bengals Players We Wish We Had On This Year’s Team

Carson Palmer (2005)
No offense to Andy Dalton, but we’ll take 2005 Carson Palmer any day as our signal caller. That year, he threw for 4.35 miles and had as many interceptions as he did multi-touchdown games (12). The 101.1 QB rating doesn’t hurt either.

Palmer was also sacked only 19 times in ’05. Yes, that has more to do with the offensive line’s performance, but the quarterback still has to be able to avoid the rush and deliver the ball. Palmer did that.

Chad Johnson/Ocho Cinco/Johnson/7-11/WTF
The only thing tougher than remembering Chad’s last name was trying to cover him in 2005. He posted a career-high 97 catches for 1,432 yards, and had 23 catches of at least 20 yards. On a scale of 1-10, his performance was a 16/dieciseis.

Having him as a complement to A.J. Green would keep defenses on their heels, and that’s before we insert a deep threat. Speaking of which …

Eddie Brown (1988)
Brown was the long baller (now, now) that we hope John Ross will be. He proved it by averaging 24 yards per catch in 1988 (still an NFL single-season record). The cherry on top of that sundae was how he saved his best games for Pittsburgh. In his two 1988 games against the Steelers, he totaled eight catches for 281 yards and three touchdowns.

Having Brown on this year’s Cincinnati Bengals team – with two wins against Pittsburgh under our belts – would have the Paul Brown Stadium crowd dancing like a Fortnite flash mob. Let’s hope Ross can channel his inner Eddie.

Anthony Munoz (1988)
Munoz, the best O-lineman in franchise history, missed only three games in his 13 pro seasons, and none in 1988. You couldn’t get that kind of consistency if you custom-made an offensive tackle on Madden and raised all his durability levels to 99.

Even more than his toughness was his productivity. That much is evident by his nine first-team All-Pro recognitions. And in a pinch, he could be used as a receiving option (seven catches, 18 yards, four TDs). We know we’re talking more about his career than just that season, but … c’mon, it’s Munoz.

Honorable mention

There’s no shortage of Cincinnati Bengals fans who think Marvin Lewis needs to go. If it happened (not that we’re saying anything), good ol’ Sam Wyche is the perfect replacement. He’s a proven winner who has a voice that sounds like a chainsaw revving up. Besides, anyone who does this needs to be leading the team. And he should get Valentine’s Day cards.