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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: 5 Biggest Question Marks Heading into 2018

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The Cincinnati Bengals, like all other NFL teams, have some question marks they need to answer this year. Unlike many other teams, answering those questions gives them a great shot to make the playoffs.

In 2017, the Cincinnati Bengals lost four games by one possession. Their record was 7-9, and last year’s wild-card teams (the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans) make it in with 9-7 records. A touchdown here or there and the team is back in the postseason.

Here are our calls for the four biggest issues the team must address to go playoff-ing.

Four Questions That the Cincinnati Bengals Need to Answer This Year

Will the offensive line improve enough? We’ve been beating this drum more than Andrew Neiman in the movie Whiplash. Many times over the last few years, the Bengals’ O-Line performances has left their fans sounding like … well, Terence Fletcher in the movie Whiplash (Editor’s Note: Look it up on YouTube, but NSFW).  We talked a few weeks ago about the team’s recent offensive struggles. Frank Pollack taking over as line coach is definitely a breath of fresh air. Acquiring Cordy Glenn and losing Russell Bodine are steps in the right direction. And each year, the Bengals have drafted or traded for more move-the-ball talent, so you’d think that would provide extra motivation for the big uglies. It’s not like their efforts at improvement would be in vain. As soon as the line gets going, so will the fireworks. This is the year for that to happen … right?

Will John Ross and Tyler Eifert stay healthy? These two have been bitten (well, chomped) by the health bug the last couple of years. The last time Eifert played close to a full year was 2015. That season, in 13 games, he caught 52 passes for 615 yards and 13 TDs. Ross is only in his second year, but his NFL-Combine-record 4.22 speed should keep DBs playing catch-up. Since they both represent different elements of the passing game, having them healthy and on the field gives the defense a lot more ground to cover. It also means those defenses can’t focus on shutting down the running game – which isn’t running on full batteries to begin with.

Who’s after Dalton if he gets hurt? While we’re on the topic of health, let’s address Andy Dalton’s. If he’s injured, the Cincinnati Bengals will be turning to journeyman Matt Barkley, Jeff Driskel (who spent last year on injured reserve), or rookie Logan Woodside. For his career, Barkley has completed almost 60% of his passes, but holds a TD-to-INT ratio of 8-18. Driskel and Woodside have as many pro passing attempts as noted German physicist Hermann Ludwig Ferdinand von Helmholtz (1821-1894). Hopefully, the offensive line can keep Dalton vertical.

Will the Bengals D generate more turnovers? Cincinnati only had 14 takeaways last year, including a measly 3 fumble recoveries. New DC Teryl Austin should change that. Last year with the Detroit Lions, his defensive squads tied for fourth in the NFL in interceptions (19) and forced fumbles (19).

4 Reasons Why The Cincinnati Bengals Offense Improves in 2018

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What does the Cincinnati Bengals offense have in common with a human buttocks?

They’re both at the bottom, and they both stink. (thanks, folks … we’ll be here all week!)

The Cincinnati Bengals logged 4,488 yards of offense in 2017, which was dead last in the National Football League. Seriously … Tom Brady and Phillip Rivers had more passing yards last year. Forget commercials – the best time to get a beer or use the john was when Cincinnati had the ball. Better move quick, though – you’ve only got 3 downs.

Despite all that, there’s reason for optimism in 2018. Actually, there are four reasons. Here is why we’re excited about how the Bengals’ O will look in 2018.

Why The Cincinnati Bengals Offense Will Be Better

1. Lazor focused. Bill Lazor took over the offensive coordinator duties last year after two games when Ken Zampese’ offense failed to produce a touchdown. It provided a spark. The Cincinnati Bengals won two of the next three games, with the only loss being in overtime to Green Bay. The offense exceeded 350 yards in those two victories. That’s a start. Head coach Marvin Lewis cleaned house after the season was over and brought in a good staff, including offensive line coach Frank Pollack, QB coach Alex Van Pelt, and Bob Bicknell to coach the wide receivers. Our hope is that Lazor’s presence will make Cincy’s offense potent. Very potent. Kramer-after-the-botched-vasectomy-“I’m-even-more-potent-now”-potent.

2. The return of Ross. We’ll be the first to admit that we had doubts about John Ross after his rookie year. Then we took another look at the injury report. Ross was recovering from shoulder surgery and sprained a knee before the season even began which caused him to miss Week 1 and he received minimal playing time after that. A tear in his labrum cause him to go on season ending IR following Week 13. This off-season has gone much better. A healthy Ross and his 4.22 speed will do wonders to take the top off a defense and free up A.J. Green on the other side and Tyler Eifert down the middle.

3. O-line improvements. We’ve talked about this before, at length. The big reason we’re high(er) on the offensive line is the nabbing of tackle Cordy Glenn from Buffalo. The trade deal attached to Glenn also enabled the Cincinnati Bengals to draft All-American center Billy Price from Ohio State. It will take some time for him to get used to the speed of the NFL, but the potential is there. Plus, the line is Russell Bodine-less now, so there’s that.

4. Mixon it up. Joe Mixon gained more than 900 yards from scrimmage in his rookie year. He also scored four rushing TDs. With his first pro year under his belt, it’s not unreasonable to think he could become a 1,000-yard runner in 2018. He will also be working with a good depth chart that features Giovani Bernard and rookie Mark Walton. Bernard totaled more than 800 yards of offense in 2017, and Walton averaged 7.6 yards per carry at Miami before a November injury.