In an important AFC matchup against the Chargers, a lot seemed to go wrong, and at the worst times. Untimely turnovers, especially. The mishaps overshadowed the toughness and perseverance showen by the team as they clawed back from an early deficit. Those moments can be taken from this game, as they show what this team is capable of pulling off. The miscues, meanwhile, will hopefully serve as a valuable learning experience as the team looks to continue its playoff push.
The Good:
– LB, Germaine Pratt
Pratt stepped up with Logan Wilson going down. He was all over the field, making tackles, and playing in coverage. He was also a major part of two turnovers, forcing a fumble and recovering another.
– WR, Tee Higgins
With Ja’Marr Chase receiving more attention from opposing defenses, Tee Higgins has continued to take advantage. He has been a target hog these past few weeks and on Sunday he was able to haul in 9 passes for 138 yards and a TD. On multiple occasions he elevated over the defender to snatch the ball out of the air. On his TD, he went up in between two defenders.
– WR, Tyler Boyd
It has been a while since Boyd has made this list, but despite the lower than usual stats, he has been solid in his role this year. He put up 5 receptions for 85 yards on Sunday, but looking beyond just the stats, he was a reliable target on important downs when the chains needed moving. His long reception of 32 yards was also the longest of any Bengal on the day.
– CB, Eli Apple
Apple continued his stretch of good play on Sunday. He was tight in coverage against a good Charger WR unit. It was impressive, considering the number of big plays given up by the Bengals secondary. Apple did his part to limit the damage.
– CB, Mike Hilton
Having two CB’s in the “good” column might surprise in a game where the defence gave up as many points as they did. However, Hilton was very solid in his role from the slot. He also was a major contributor against the run, coming up to make several tackles and even force a fumble.
– The Defensive Line
The DL had an outstanding game vs the Chargers. The pass rush was putting pressure on Herbert all game, forcing poor throws and poor decisions from Herbert. Hendrickson and Hubbard were forces off the edge, Ogunjobi put up pressure from the middle, and, as usual, Reader was dominant against the run. The defence as a whole was solid against the run. An upper tier back in Austin Ekeler was limited to only 59 yards
– LB, Joe Bachie
Bachie had to fill in for the injured Logan Wilson and didn’t look out of place. He wasn’t asked to do anything crazy in coverage, but handled well what he needed to. As well, he was a presence against the inside run, making his fair share of stops and tackles. Needless to say, he is a significant downgrade from Wilson. But it is encouraging to see that he is capable of filling in. Of course, he will need to sustain it going forward.
The Bad:
– RB, Joe Mixon
A rare appearance in the “bad” category for Mixon. He didn’t necessarily have a bad game. In fact, he did alright, considering the Bengals makeshift OL. However, he ends up here due to his costly fumble in the 4th quarter. It was a light knock on the ball from Christian Covington that seemingly jarred the ball loose. Mixon needs to do better in that situation. A small amount of contact like that should never knock the ball out. Cincinnati was driving down the field, looking to take the lead. Unfortunately, the fumble was returned for a TD by the Chargers, killing almost all the momentum that the team had built up. It was the turning point of the game.
– WR, Ja’Marr Chase
A costly drop is what lands Chase here. With one drop, he just might have cost the Bengals 14 points. It was a deep ball down the sideline. Burrow put it on the money and, for a second, it seemed like Chase had hauled it in. Had he done so, it looks like he would have been on his way to the end zone. Instead, he bobbled the pass. The ball would land right in the hands of the defender. The Chargers scored a TD off of the turnover.
– C, Trey Hill
With Trey Hopkins out injured, rookie 6th round pick Trey Hill got the start at C. Based on this performance, he just isn’t ready yet, and it is not close. He was the clear weak link on a line where fellow backup Isaiah Prince got the start at RT. He struggled to generate push in the run game, and had a tough time in pass protection, as well.
– OT, Jonah Williams
Williams has had a good season, but he did not have one of his best games on Sunday. More pressure was given up than he would have liked. He was also beaten on the play where Burrow was strip sacked. That also happened to be the play where Burrow dislocated his pinky finger.
– S, Jessie Bates
If he wants to be paid like a top safety, Bates will have to improve. He was beaten multiple times in coverage, including on a contested play in the end zone that resulted in a Chargers TD. As well, his bad read led to Keenan Allen being wide open for a TD earlier in the game.
Modified Homescreen Image Via: All-Pro Reels (CC)
