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Bengals vs Cowboys – Preseason Week 2 Preview

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Cincinnati Bengals (1-0) at Dallas Cowboys (0-1)

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LAST WEEKS RECAP

The Bengals got off to a promising start last week against the Bears, winning 30-27. Thanks in part to a late game winning touchdown by Auden Tate.

On offense we saw a near perfect outing from the first team starters. They played three offensive drives, scoring on two of them with ease. The one where they did not score was due to an interception by Andy Dalton. However it shouldn’t raise any huge red flags since it was not really his fault. John Ross slipped on the route making it an easy pick by the defense. The first team offense gave fans plenty to be happy about, including the new offensive line. Dalton spread the ball around well and moved the ball down the field smoothly.

The first team defense also showed very well. They held Mitchell Trubisky to just four yards passing. One of the most promising displays was the Bengals pass rush. With a rotation of Carlos Dunlap, Geno Atkins, Carl Lawson, Michael Johnson, and Sam Hubbard, the Bengals will be hard to keep off the quarterback. The middle of the defense still needs some work with the linebacking core as they need to figure out how to deal with the absence of Vontaze Burfict. But was an overall very solid showing against the Bears offense.

5 THINGS TO WATCH AGAINST DALLAS

1) The most important thing I will be watching for this weekend will be the linebacker play. Dallas has a very good run game with both Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott. Last week we saw the linebackers make a few mistakes against the run. If they can show improvement and hold Prescott and Elliot on the ground, it will be a very encouraging sign. The Bengals have to see better play from their linebackers without Vontaze Burfict on the field.

2) My eyes will again be on Tyler Boyd and John Ross as I continue to see if they can step up and add to this offense like people expect them too. I’m excited to see them more involved and hope they can get some confidence going against a weak Cowboys secondary.

3) The offensive line is something to watch for every week during preseason. The Bengals offensive line coach previously coached the offensive line for Dallas, so it will be interesting to see what his line can do against his former team. The line will have their hands full with Demarcus Lawrence and the rest of the Cowboys line. Both the starting right guard and right tackle spots are still up for grabs, so there should be some great battles to watch in the trenches.

4) Jeff Driskel has passed Matt Barkley on the depth chart and should be the second quarterback to see the field. Driskel should see a little tougher competition this week so be sure to keep an eye on how he handles the new competition.

5) The last thing to watch for is rookie safety Jesse Bates. Bates challenged George Iloka for playing time last week. Bates is still a rookie learning the game and did not have any highlight plays against the Bears but showed a lot of upside with his awareness and quickness. The Bengals are usually slow to give rookies playing time, so for Bates to see the field as early as he did is a very telling sign for the rookie.

Game: Bengals (1-0) at Dallas Cowboys (0-1)

Date/Time: August 18, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. EST

Location: AT&T Stadium

Last Matchup: 10/09/16 – Dallas 28 Cincinnati 14

Odds: Bengals, +3 (Odds Shark)

Thanks for reading, be sure to follow me on Twitter @Pierson242FF for your latest Bengals news. Be sure to tweet any Bengals or general football questions or comments my way.

Deepest Position Groups on the 2017 Cincinnati Bengals’ Roster

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There are certain Cincinnati Bengals position groups that we hate to see get hit by the injury bug (quarterback, linebacker, offensive line). While you never want anyone to get hurt, it is comforting as a fan to know that an injury to a position group won’t have you popping a Zantac.

So we took a look at the Bengals’ roster and found two places where the team has some serious depth. These are the groups that can survive a few dings in 2017.

Deepest Cincinnati Bengals Offensive Position Group – Wide Receiver

What a difference a year makes. At one point in 2016, the Cincinnati Bengals were just one A.J. injury away from having a Cleveland Browns-caliber passing attack.

Fast forward to this year. Green is healthy and ready to go. Tyler Boyd had a fine rookie campaign (54 catches, 603 yards) and has a high ceiling. He’s ready to take the next step in his career. Brandon LaFell averaged 13.5 yards per reception. Draft picks John Ross and Josh Malone and second-year man Cody Core are impressing so far.

Them, plus several youngsters and pass-catching tight end Tyler Eifert, means one thing. This group is deep enough that you can put diving boards over it.

Deepest Cincinnati Bengals Defensive Position Group – Defensive Tackle

A lot of good DTs on your roster means you can rotate guys frequently. Keep them fresh. Withstand the rigors of a 16-game season. Oh, and stay in the face of the other team’s offense.

The good news for Cincy is they have the personnel to improve on their 21st-ranked rushing defense from last fall. Geno Atkins and Pat Sims are the veterans who bring seven and nine years of experience, respectively. Atkins consistently attracts double teams, notched nine sacks last year and is a disrupter.

The team has high hopes this season for Andrew Billings who was projected as a 1st or 2nd round draft pick in the 2016 draft but fell into the Bengals lap in the 4th round before missing his entire rookie season due to injury. DeShawn Williams is only in his second year out of Clemson, but is a 6’1” 295-lb Geno Atkins-like bowling ball who is tough to push around. Brandon Thompson is back after missing all of 2016 with an ACL tear, further adding to the depth. Marcus Hardison has looked impressive the past 2 preseasons but hasn’t been able to stay healthy to impact the regular season, throw in 2017 fourth round draft pick Ryan Glasgow out of Michigan and you can see the wealth of young talent this team will have competing to make the roster in training camp and the preseason.

Things are looking good for these two position groups. And if they are able to do their jobs well, things will look a lot better for the rest of the team.

5 Toughest Games for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2017

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Just like any Cincinnati Bengals fans, Nate and Chris are growing more excited about the 2017 season each day. It’s a chance to atone for last year’s 6-9-1 faceplant and advance to the postseason for the seventh time in 9 years.

If Cincy is going to make it back to the playoffs though, they need to be able to win the tough games. They can’t just claim the gimme contests and then hope that someone else upsets Pittsburgh, Baltimore and whoever is leading the wild card race. The Bengals have the weapons this year to pull out wins against their best opponents. Time to make it happen.

Let’s hear the calls from the Bengal boys about which games will be toughest on the schedule.

Chris’ 5 Toughest Cincinnati Bengals Games

5. Houston Texans (9/14 @ Cincinnati): The Texans won the AFC South last year (albeit with only a 9-7 record). This game is also being played just four days after the Bengals’ opener against Baltimore. A reasonably tough opponent combined with a short turnaround is why I have this as my number five.

4. Green Bay Packers (9/24 @ Green Bay): Of all the games on my list, this one offers Cincinnati the greatest margin for error. It’s a non-con game against a tough opponent with an All-Pro quarterback. Here’s my biggest concern, though. If Cincy drops this game along with the Texans’ game from 10 days earlier, what kind of tone will that set for their season? It will do wonders for their confidence if they can put up a W against GB. But a 1-2 start is likely and could mean trouble.

3. Tennessee Titans (11/12 @ Tennessee): I was going back and forth between the Titans and Broncos for my No. 3 pick. I went with Tennessee because they are turning things around with superstars in the making in QB Marcus Mariota, first-round draft pick WR Corey Davis, and a cagey run defense that was second in the NFL last year (88.3 yards per game).

2. Pittsburgh Steelers (12/4 @ Cincinnati): Hopefully, rookies John Ross and Jake Elliott will have come into their own by early December and can make an impact on the passing and kicking games, respectively. An October win in Pittsburgh (see next entry) and this game looks more and more like a win for Cincinnati. But it will be tough either way.

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (10/22 @ Pittsburgh): The Cincinnati Bengals need to at least split the games with Pittsburgh. If they don’t win here (which is likely), that puts enormous pressure on the December 4th game. (raises glass) Here’s to the offense and defense playing great in the toughest game of the season, pulling out a victory, and giving themselves the mental and divisional edge going forward.

Nate’s 5 Toughest Cincinnati Bengals Games

5. Houston Texans (9/14 @ Cincinnati): It’s a prime-time game under the lights at home in Week 2 against an AFC division champ that the Bengals have struggled against historically, especially in big games (remember the playoffs in 2011 & 2012). Houston had an elite defense last year without J.J. Watt, add Watt back in to the mix and this won’t be an easy game. Winning this game during a short week would be a huge confidence booster for this team and provide early momentum, especially if they beat the Ravens at home in Week 1 (which I think they will).

4. Baltimore Ravens (9/10 @ Cincinnati): It’s the first game of the season and the 1st home opener in the Dalton/Green era. This will actually be the first time the Bengals have opened at home since 2009, crazy right!? I think it will be important to get off to a fast start and the Bengals will be motivated to start the season strong, there will be a lot of excitement and emotion for this game and I think Cincy will come out with a victory in this important division game.

3. Baltimore Ravens (12/31 @ Baltimore): You’ve probably heard the saying, “It’s not how you start, but how you finish that matters.” We believe that. Our hopes are high that the Bengals will be in playoff contention late in the season and if they are this division game could have playoff implications.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers (10/22 @ Pittsburgh): I’ll make no bones about it, I hate the Steelers. They are the division champs from last season and the favorite to win this division again, winning at their place would be huge as it would most likely affect the division race and it would be oh so satisfying to leave Pittsburgh with W.

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (12/4 @ Cincinnati): I agree with Chris that the Bengals need to at least split games with Pittsburgh this year, but I think this game will be the toughest since it is a December game involving the 2 teams who I think will be at the top of the division come the home stretch. You never know what may happen when these two teams play each other but one thing I do know, sparks will fly and emotions will surely run high!

Cincinnati Bengals Depth Chart Part II: Defense/Special Teams

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Last week, we looked at the depth chart for the Cincinnati Bengals’ offense. It got us excited … real excited. That tends to happen when you know that guys with names like Dalton, Green, and Ross are playing for your team.

Now, it’s the D’s turn. Here is the depth chart for the Bengals’ defense in 2017.

Defense

Left defensive end: Starter – Carlos Dunlap. Backups – Chris Smith, Ryan Brown. Dunlap played all 16 games last year for the fourth straight time. He’s an intimidating presence at 6’6″ and 280 pounds who has collected 21.5 sacks since 2015.

Nose tackle: Starter – Pat Sims. Backups – Andrew Billings, David Dean, Brandon Thompson, Josh Tupou. Sims clogs the middle like a triple-bacon cheeseburger on your arteries. If he and Geno Atkins hold up the interior of the D-line and take away the inside run, then Dunlap and Michael Johnson can focus on containing the edges.

Right defensive tackle: Starter – Geno Atkins. Backups – Marcus Hardison, Ryan Glasgow, DeShawn Williams. They don’t come much more reliable than Atkins, who has missed only seven games since he joined the Cincinnati Bengals in 2010. He collected nine sacks in 2016. Hardison is in this third year in the league, so he should be ready to spell Atkins more and more.

Right defensive end: Starter – Michael Johnson. Backups – Jordan Willis, Will Clarke, Wallace Gilberry. Having the 6’6″ Dunlap and the 6’7″ Michael Johnson (who have pterodactyl-like wingspans) bookend your defensive line kinda makes you think twice about trying to loft a screen pass to a running back. Rookie Willis was the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year last season at Kansas State.

Strongside linebacker: Starter – Nick Vigil. Backups – Carl Lawson, Marquis Flowers, Bryson Albright. Vigil looks to step up as a starter this year as his athleticism flash last season. Seems like there could be competition behind him between Flowers (who only logged seven tackles last year), second-year guy Albright, and fourth-round pick Lawson should get opportunities to rush from the edge, coaches are already raving about Lawson.

Middle linebacker: Starter – Kevin Minter. Backups – Vincent Rey, Jordan Evans, Hardy Nickerson, Jr. Minter is a new arrival from Arizona who collected 81 tackles and 3.5 sacks last season. The Cincinnati Bengals picked him up for 2017 for $4.25 million. Do it all lineback Vincent Rey is reliable and can play any if the 3 LB positions.

Weakside linebacker: Starter – Vontaze Burfict. Backups – Paul Dawson, Brandon Bell. For the third time in his career, Burfict reached triple-digits in tackles. He knows what to do. 

Left cornerback: Starter – Dre Kirkpatrick. Backups – Josh Shaw, KeiVarae Russell, Bene’ Benwikere, Tony McRae. Re-signing Kirkpatrick was huge for Cincinnati. Shaw is a capable backup who had 56 total tackles last season.

Strong safety: Starter – Shawn Williams. Backups – Clayton Fejedelem. Williams, like Kirkpatrick and free safety George Iloka, picked off three passes in 2016 – which is good for a strong safety, which is more of a run-support position.

Free safety: Starter – George Iloka. Backups – Derron Smith, Demetrious Cox. At 6’4″ and 225 pounds, Iloka has prototypical FS size and put it to good use last year, when he made 74 total tackles and defended seven passes.

Right cornerback: Starter – Adam Jones. Backups – Darqueze Dennard, William Jackson III, Brandon Wilson. Jones made 66 tackles in 2016, but he’s coming up on his 11th year in the NFL. Therefore, if/when he runs out of gas, youngsters Dennard and Jackson need to be ready.

 

Special teams

Punter: Starter – Kevin Huber. Huber was ninth in the league in 2016 with an average of 46.3 yards per punt. And if he can keep more of his eight touchbacks out of the end zone, then a dangerous weapon becomes dangerous-er.

Kicker: Starter – Randy Bullock. Backups – Jake Elliott, Jon Brown. Bullock made five of six field goals last year, but four of them were within 30 yards – which are practically gimmes. Watch for rookie Jake Elliott and his strong, accurate leg to seize the job.

Punt returner: Starter – Adam Jones. Backups – Alex Erickson, Tyler Boyd. Jones didn’t make much of an impact in the return game last year (10 returns, 51 yards, 0 TDs). Erickson and Boyd may get more opportunities to tote the rock on punts.

Kickoff returner: Starter – Alex Erickson. Backups – Adam Jones. Erickson averages 27.9 yards per kickoff return last year for the Cincinnati Bengals. Let’s hope for more of the same.

Bengals Biggest Needs – Pre-Free Agency

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The free agency season is upon us.

And free agency is a funny thing. Maybe your team gets lucky and signs the right players. The best players. The ones who will get your fans high-fiving about how these new guys are the missing pieces who are needed to bring a championship. And yet, you can lose players just as easily as get them. When the dust settles, you may have filled three holes on the team and are staring at three new ones that weren’t a problem before. Welcome to the NFL.

So in this pre-free agency period, what are the places where the Cincinnati Bengals could use some help?

Cincinnati Bengals 3 Biggest Team Needs – Pre-Free Agency

1) Wide Receiver – The Bengals certainly have a star wideout in AJ Green. Beyond him, though, they need playmakers and depth. Tight end Tyler Eifert is a passing-game weapon, but he’s injury prone. Receiver Tyler Boyd is great in the slot but lacks much experience as a second-year man. A speedy deep threat would come in handy against defenses who want to double-team Green. FA names to keep an eye on include Terrelle Pryor, DeSean Jackson, and Kenny Stills (who averaged an eye-popping 17.3 yards per catch and 9 TDs in 2016).

2) Pass Rusher – We’ve got Carlos Dunlap. We have Geno Atkins. We have ………. Dunlap and Atkins. They combined for 17 sacks last year. Outside of those two, there are no ends on Cincy’s D-line who consistently get to the QB. The market has lots of available players this year, but no can’t-miss guys. Green Bay’s Nick Perry and Datone Jones could help out (both provide versatility as DEs who also play OLB).

3) Offensive Line – This one was a toss-up to make this list, along with running back. We chose OL because Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher haven’t panned out yet, and there’s no guarantee that the Cincinnati Bengals will hold onto free agents Andrew Whitworth and Kevin Zeitler. Pass protection will be a major concern in 2017 because you can’t lose Andy Dalton, and you definitely can’t lose Andy Dalton when there’s talk going around about trading No. 2 quarterback AJ McCarron.