The Bengals exited the bye week coming off two straight losses, to the Jets and Browns respectively. They were in need of a bounce back performance and that is just what they got in week 11. It was a slow start offensively, but the defence was able to make the necessary stops to keep it close. Not long after, the Bengals offence took off, on their way to a 32 point performance. The early parts of this game put some things on display that still need to be improved upon, but the performance as a whole was very encouraging.
The Good:
– K, Evan McPherson
Evan McPherson had a career game last week against the Raiders. While he did miss one of his point after tries, he went 4/4 on field goals, with three of those coming from beyond 50. Considering the difficulty of those kicks, the one miss is certainly forgivable. McPhearson got the Bengals on the board with a 54 yarder in the 1st quarter. He then followed it up with successful kicks from 53, 51, and 47 yards out, respectively.
– RB, Joe Mixon
Like McPherson, Mixon also had a day to remember. He initially found it hard to find running lanes, as the Raiders were winning battles at the line. However, credit to Mixon, and to Zac Taylor for not abandoning the run, they eventually got it going. He was able to pick up chunk yardage, including a 20 yard TD run. On the day, he rushed 30 times for 123 yards and 2 TD’s.
– DE’s Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard
Hendrickson and Hubbard were quite the tandem against the Raiders. Both were consistent threats coming off the edge, often forcing Carr to step up or roll out. Both picked up a sack in this one and it was Hendrickson’s forced fumble that was recovered by Hubbard to more or less put the game away. Hubbard was also quite good against the run, doing a good job of setting the edge and finishing off his tackles.
– CB, Eli Apple
After a string of solid performances, Apple took some heat for giving up a deep TD against the Browns. However, he turned in a good performance against the Raiders. He gave up little separation in coverage and ended up getting the game sealing interception. He showed great awareness in zone coverage on the play, anticipating where the ball was going and dropping back to make the play.
-WR, Stanley Morgan
There always comes a time where you have to point out the guy who does his job, but gets little recognition because it is not flashy. This is one of those times. Morgan has been solid all year in his role. He has only touched the ball once this year, but he has played an important role as a run blocker and special teamer. On Joe Mixon’s first TD, it was Morgan who had to pull. He was able to get across the formation and lead the way for Mixon, paving a nice lane for him to get into the end zone. Morgan, in addition to his blocking, has continued to impress on special teams.
– S, Jessie Bates
Bates acknowledged during the week that he needed to step up his play. Well, his performance in week 11 was definitely a step in the right direction. It is particularly worth noting his effectiveness against the run, considering it has historically been his weakness. Bates was flying downhill in this one, coming up with key stops in the process.
The Bad:
– The offensive line
The line had some struggles in this one, particularly in the 1st half. The pass protection had some cracks, but the run blocking was an even bigger problem early on. The silver lining is that they did improve as the game went on, and Joe Mixon ended up having a big day. That being said, more consistency and better starts to games will be needed going forward.
– LB, Logan Wilson
Wilson had a Pro Bowl calibre start to the year, but surprisingly hasn’t been the same in recent weeks. The downward trend continued on Sunday. Tackling, something he has historically been good at, has been an issue. As well, he gave up a TD when matched up in man coverage against Morreau. There was confusion on the play and he was extremely late getting out to the perimeter. Not once did he look at the QB or attempt to track the ball in the air. With it being a good throw by Carr, Wilson just wasn’t in position to have much of a chance.
