The Bengals, on a losing streak that saw the defensive side of their game derail from its tracks, had their next opponent also going through tough times. Facing the Cowboys, without their starting QB, as well as other big names, they were able to take advantage with some opportunistic plays, despite other moments that showed glimpses of the struggles that plagued the team in past weeks.
The Good:
WR, Ja’Marr Chase
Chase led the charge again. It seemed like he was targeted on every other play, and his large workload led to a stat line of 14 receptions for 177 yards and 2 TD’s. He took a simple out route 40 yards to the house for what ended up being the winning score.
QB, Joe Burrow
Burrow had a great day through the air, completing 33 of 44 passes for 369 yards, with 3 TD’s to only one INT. He was accurate all game, and had to deal with his fair share of pressure. His connection with Ja’Marr Chase was what drove the team, as we have often seen before.
RB, Chase Brown
Brown had a solid day on the ground, racking up 58 yards on 14 carries. But where he really made his impact was in the passing game. He totaled 65 yards on 6 catches, tiptoeing down the sideline for a TD on one of them.
S, Geno Stone & CB, Cam Taylor-Britt
Taylor-Britt and Stone combined to make one of the biggest plays of the game. With the Cowboys driving deep in Cincinnati territory, Taylor-Britt tipped the pass, and Geno Stone was able to come away with the interception.
DE, Joseph Ossai
Ossai has been coming alive in recent weeks. In addition to his blocked kick last week, Ossai has been getting to the QB more. On Monday night, he was again able to get home for a sack, beating his opponent with a nice swim move.
CB, Marco Wilson
Wilson, a recent waiver wire pickup, saw some action due to all the injuries at the position. He only played a handful of snaps, but managed to make a nice pass breakup, and was tight on most of his other reps. A good low risk pickup for the Bengals who seems to have some upside.
K, Cade York
York didn’t have any crazy tasks in this one, as his long was just 37 yards, but I’ll throw a bone to the new guy. Filling in for the injured Evan McPherson, York was perfect on the day, going 3/3 on extra points and 2/2 on field goals in his hometown.
The Bad:
Offensive Line
Pretty much everyone was bad on the offensive line in this one. Mims had one of his worst games, but does get some slack for having to matchup against Parsons. Volson was back in at LG, but still had his struggles. Ford had issues at LT, while Cappa has been a mess at RG all season long. The usually steady Ted Karras was also more shaky that we are used to seeing. This unit will need an overhaul in the offseason, especially at G.
CB, Josh Newton
Newton made another start for the Bengals in this one due to the injuries at CB. He wasn’t nearly as bad as last week, but he did get beat for a TD.
Defence in a General Sense
The defence made some opportunistic plays, but there were still many moments that were reminiscent of the horrible unit we have seen for most of this season. Dowle had a field day running on them. As well, the damage done by the Cowboys in the passing game was not insignificant, and could have been worse, if not for injuries on their end, including to their starting QB and future HOF G.
Draft Position
The Bengals’ playoff hopes are mathematically still alive, but very miniscule. In what is a very close race in the top 10 of the draft order, this win is one that might end up doing more harm than good when looked back upon at the end of the season.
